Sure, when you log into any thriving online casino, you can’t help but get bombarded with the latest slots. And there’s a great reason for that. Slots make up the base and the lion’s share of the casino game experience. As a result, they also make up most of the promotions available.
However, thanks to massive technological leaps, poker video poker continues expanding. Video poker often gets overlooked by members, but its variants continue to grow. If you’re ready for a gentle introduction with rewards, give this guide a read about the brilliance and some myths about video poker.
What Are Video Poker Games?
Video poker is best described as the bridge between five-reel slot games and five-card draw poker. The art of video poker is to introduce new poker players who might be otherwise intimidated to learning the traditional poker games to a more gentle form. Video poker plays and looks like a classic slot machine. That means members can let the autoplay mode handle the drawing of the five cards, as well as the responsibilities of keeping and discarding cards.
How Does Video Poker Work?
Video poker is a much more simplified digital form of Five Card Draw Poker. The format is that of a slot machine. However, the reels don’t spin. Instead, five cards flip and rotate on the screen to represent your playing hand.
Most video poker variants operate with a standard 52-card deck. Except for massively popular variants like Joker Poker, they don’t use Jokers. However, with Joker Poker and the immensely popular Deuces Wild, the Jokers and Deuces serve as wild symbols, which can significantly boost payouts, much like the standard wild symbol does in slot games.
After the five cards are drawn, you can decide for yourself which cards to keep and which to discard. It’s common for new players to rely heavily on autoplay mode to handle this feature. There is a draw button if you want to take charge of receiving new cards, or you can let the autoplay mode handle this feature as well.
Besides the simple gameplay, video poker is on the rise because it follows the traditional poker payouts. For example, based on the variant and online casino, you can sometimes get an 800:1 payout for hitting the top payout – the royal flush.
Why Play Video Poker?
The list to play video poker today continues growing. However, to inspire you to give this unique table game experience a shot, please consider these top points:
1. The Phenomenal RTP Rate
Video poker remains one of the highest RTP games at fiat and the top new sweepstakes casinos. The average RTP rate for video poker starts at 96%. That means players can expect to get back roughly $96 over time.
2. The Big Poker Payouts
Whether it’s Bonus Poker or Jacks or Better, all the video poker variants follow the traditional poker payouts. The payout potential, in most cases, is huge. While getting a royal flush would be nice, you can still win a nice slice of the pie just by having a basic pair. These winning stepping stones also inspire confidence to play bigger and better.
3. Learn the Ropes About Poker
There are many reasons why some table game players might be hesitant to play poker. However, the top item on the list is usually the complexity. The beauty of video poker is that you learn the fundamentals of poker, specifically Five Card Draw, at your own pace. You don’t have to worry about playing with a poker face and more complex nuances like blinds.
By having the convenience of playing like a slot machine, you can have the game do all the work for you as you soak up how to play like a sponge. When you’re ready, you can graduate to other table game poker games like Texas Hold’em to continue building confidence. And when you’re really ready, challenge the live dealer or join one of the thrilling tournaments.
4. The Amazing Variants
There’s no denying that video poker has gone through a massive leap in the available variants in recent years. Most online casinos worth their salt have staples like Aces and Eights, Jacks or Better, and Deuces Wild. Due to the impressive popularity of variants like Bonus Poker, new variants like Double Bonus Poker add new wrinkles and twists to inspire gameplay. Video poker has become so popular that it is often available in the live dealer section.
Tips for Maximizing Your Video Poker Experience
While playing video poker isn’t rocket science. Still, it helps to take your game to the next rewarding level by following these tips:
1. Focus on the RTP
Fortunately, most video poker games have very generous RTP rates. However, when you factor in the bonus rounds and even jackpots, the RTP rate can fall dramatically. So, please consider this important factor when choosing.
2. Keep Practicing
The ultimate aim of playing video poker is to learn the poker fundamentals to play more challenging and rewards games like Omaha. By practicing, you can gear up for more competitive poker play.
3. Focus on the Bonuses
Due to the incredible popularity of video poker, today’s video poker titles are eligible for many of the top bonuses. By all means, use them to improve your chances of winning.
Common Myths About Video Poker Games
As marvelous as online video poker is, there are still some fabulous myths that need to be squashed.
Myth 1: Video Poker Games Are Rigged
So, video poker games are rigged? Not all. When you play at a reputable online casino, a random number generator assures gaming fairness.
Myth 2: Playing Video Poker Is a Guarantee of Winning at Real Life Poker
Real-life poker is a game of skill, luck, and chance. For example, you might have some cheaters that throw a monkey wrench into the process. There are a lot of factors in playing real-life poker that are independent of winning at video poker.
Final Thoughts
We’re truly in the golden era of playing digital video poker. Between talented game developers like Microgaming and NetEnt, the variants and bonuses for video poker continue to grow. With AI tools, the online video poker is more personalized than ever before, especially when playing with a live dealer.
