Online Video Poker
Video poker machines are also known as poker slots in the gambling community. Video poker made its debut in casinos in the early 1970s. They are very popular among gamblers because they are easy to use. There is no interaction with other players or dealers. You can play poker without all the pressures of playing at a live table or even playing online. Here you will find some leading casinos offering online video poker, use tips, strategies and much more.
Best US casinos with video poker
History of video poker
The first poker machine was introduced in 1891 by a company called Sittman and Pit. A decade later, the first draw poker machine was raised by a man named Charles Fey. The early draw poker machine only used 50 cards, so the odds of being dealt a royal flush are half of what they are with a full deck of 52 cards. In 1970, a company named Dale Electronics introduced the first video poker machine; it was called Poker Matic. Upon its debut, it was found in every casino that existed in Las Vegas at the time. Since then, video poker machines have not changed as much on the outside as they have on the inside. With progress in modern technology, video poker machines use highly advanced computer software and random number generation programs .
How does online video poker work?
Insert your money into the machine. The money will be converted into playable credits which will appear on the screen in the credit bank. Once you have placed your bet, 5 cards will appear on the screen face up. These cards are dealt out by a computer software microchip called a random number generator. Choose the card you will want to keep and dispose of the rest. The new cards will be drawn again using a random number generator. You then receive your playable hand.
Is online video poker legal in the United States?
Online poker is legal is legal under US federal level. However, each State is free to enact and implement their own laws when it comes to gambling. Therefore, when you search for a casino that has real money video poker games it is essential to check your State guidelines to see if it is legal or illegal to play video poker for real money at your favorite online casinos. There are currently only four states in the US that we have untethered access to online poker sites.
Free video poker & video poker for money
Video poker for free
Video poker players are allowed to play video poker legally as long as no money is involved. There are a few key differences between playing video poker for free and or on gambling sites.
There is no reason to sign up or log in to a casino account to play free VP. All you need is a connection to the internet or download a video poker app. Free video poker means that you don’t gamble any real money and hence, you cannot win or lose any real money . These free video poker game sites are a really great way for players to practice strategy and get a feel for how the different variations are played.
Video poker for money
Online video poker is probably one of the better games you can play for real money at online casinos in the United States. These games often offer the best odds and and best house edge.
You will want to choose video poker machines that are full pay. These are the best versions of VP and have the best payout structures and house edges. It is essential to read and understand the pay tables before playing in risking any money. Some of the better titles you will find when you play video poker are Jacks or better and Deuces Wild. However, to play for real money, you will need to sign up with a valid email address, log in, create an account.
Some important terms you might need
- Action: This is the amount of money that you are wagering. Make sure to check the wagering requirements before you play real money video poker.
- Bankroll: The total sum of money that the player has designated for gambling. If their bankroll is depleted wise Gambler stops playing instead of Dipping into personal savings.
- Expected Return: This is the amount of money that a player can expect to receive from the AVP machine over the long term. If you want to calculate the expected return in terms of the dollar, find the expected return percentage, move the decimal two places to the left, and drop the percentage sign. Next, multiply this amount by the player’s total wages to determine how much money you should be receiving.
- Expected Value: Each round has an expected value, which is the likelihood of its resulting in a payout. If more than one option presents itself, the savvy gambler chooses the play with the highest expected value ( or EV).
- House Edge: Normally expressed as a percentage, this is the long-term advantage that the house has over the player for a specific game.
- Jackpot: The top payout offered by video poker machines, usually a Royal Flush. In comparison, others might differ depending on the rules of the game.
- Payback Percentage: The average rate returned on a player’s wage. If a game has a 100% payback percentage, the player could expect to get back all the money.
Video poker hands
Below is the list of poker hands ranking highest to lowest:
1. Royal Flush — A, K, Q, J, 10 all the same suit
2. Straight Flush — 5 cards in a sequence, all the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind — All four cards of the same rank A, A.A, A
4. Full House — Three of a kind with a pair, J, J, J, A, A
5. Flush — Any five cards of the same suit but not in a sequence
A= Ace, K= King
6. Straight — 5 cards in a sequence but not the same suit, 6,5,4,3,2
7. Three of a Kind — 3 cards of the same rank, A, A, A
8. Two Pair — Two different pairs, A, A, K, K
9. Pair — Two cards of the same rank, A, A
10. High Card — When you have none of the above’s hands, just the highest card in your hand.
Q= Queen, J= Jack
Good strategies for video poker
Poker strategy is just as important in video poker as it is in a live poker game. You can do a few things to increase your odds of winning a jackpot—here are a few tips.
- Five cards to never separate: Royal flush, Straight flush, and Full House
- Four cards you should hold on to: Four of a kind and two pair,
- Three cards worth keeping: Three of a kind open-end straight
- Keep lower pairs over a single high card.
Here are some trickier examples. It all depends but how much you are willing to gamble; remember, these are just suggestions.
- Example 1 — You were dealt pair of kings, but four cards are in line for a possible royal flush. You drop the off suit king and take your chances at a royal flush.
- Example 2 — Breaking up a flush at a shot for a royal flush. You were dealt Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and a 3 of hearts. This is called a flush 6 to 1 payout, or you should drop the 3 shots for the moon; a 10 of hearts would bring in a 250 to 1 payout.
Things to avoid while playing video poker
One thing you should definitely avoid while you play video poker is playing too fast. Faster is not better. Similar to other table games (such blackjack) or another poker game variety, there is always some strategy involved when you play money games.
Video poker machines are entirely random, so playing fast will not increase your chances of winning. They are not wired to pay out after a specific number of hands have been dealt; every spin is entirely random.
Players should also avoid playing video poker machines without their strategy cards. Strategy cards are available for every device on the market and can easily be bought online. Having a strategy card will make playing video poker a lot more profitable.
While playing video poker, you should definitely avoid any superstitions that you may have about gambling. The majority of these superstitions or conjured up with some nonsensical ideas.
Some of these beliefs can be detrimental – for example, only playing a lucky machine or choosing a game because it’s due to payout. These types of behaviors will result in accelerated losses. You must learn to think for yourself as soon as possible and stop believing any gambling superstitions you may have heard in the past.
Five tips for choosing online video poker casino
You will want to choose an entirely licensed site for the State you are playing in. Check for their license number and the licensing body. Moreover, make sure they are a trusted, legitimate online gambling establishment.
Look for the game selection and the number of game providers. All software companies developing casino games have their signature games, which gives customers the ability to search for more variations of poker on the same casino website.
Welcome bonuses and promotions are also important considerations. Most casinos will offer a bonus for first-time depositors. Make sure to check out the various kinds of casino bonuses that online casinos offer during your search for the perfect casino website.
Customer service and reputation are important factors when choosing a casino. Online reviews, posts and just a simple look at their contact page are helpful ways of assessing the level of customer support. Do they have a contact number? Do they use a live chat service? What is their response time?
Five video poker myths
1. The Royal Flush makes up a significant portion of the PTR — A Royal Flush is the most-coveted hand while playing VP because it pays for thousand coins on a 5 coin maximum bet. This leads players to assume that the royal flush makes up a significant portion of the player’s return.
2. Royal flushes are paid on a cycle — The chances of scoring a hand that results in a royal flush are approximately 1 in 40,000. Some people take these odds to mean that the royal flush will be paid on some sort of cycle. The truth is that it doesn’t really matter how much you play on a machine. The odds never change.
3. Multi-hand video poker pays more than single hand — With multi-line video poker machines, you can play multiple hands in the same round, which weed some people mistakenly thinking that playing a multi-line game gives them a more substantial chance to win. This isn’t true because each multi-line game operates on its own deck.
4. You should avoid any game that has paid a royal flush — Although machines with real money video poker don’t pay a Royal Flush as often because of the odds of hitting a hand with a royal flush are 1 in 40,000. Those numbers are the same with every deal of the deck, so every hand you play has a 1 and 40,000 chance of being a royal flush.
5. Video poker machines run hot and cold — This belief is just not possible. Every machine on a licensed casino website has a random number generator to avoid giving any players a unreasonable advantage. The number generator cycles through 2.5 million card combinations with a different outcome every time – you cannot accurately predict or work out what the outcome will be.
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