Modern gaming meets old-fashioned poker with Video Poker, a live dealer casino game. From Evolution Games, this snazzy online casino game offers an interactive experience to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. It’s the best of both worlds: enjoy the thrill of poker combined with the speed of online slots — in fact, video poker is often referred to as poker slots. In land-based casinos, it’s actually played on terminals similar to slot machines.Â
Video Poker, a fixed-odds poker game based on a five-card draw, presents another exciting feature: excellent return to player (RTP) statistics. It actually boasts one of the highest RTPs among casino games, rivaling blackjack and outperforming nearly all traditional online slot machines, which have their origins as mechanical device slot machines.Â
If you’re new to online casinos and online betting, you may be a little nervous about how it all works — including withdrawing or depositing funds or playing a new game. Video Poker, though not the kind of slot with jackpots, is a great place to start. Read on to find out everything important about this simple but exciting game.
Game Overview
Video Poker is an engaging mix of live dealer and random number generator (RNG) play, with five different paytables of differing volatility. There are classic versions like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, or more modern variants including Bonus Poker and Double Double Bonus. Video Poker is one of the top online casino slots because of its RTP. The RTPs for the five paytables are as follows:
- Jacks or Better: RTP of 99.54%.
- Tens or Better: RTP of 97.96%.
- Deuces Wild: RTP of 98.91%.
- Bonus Poker: RTP of 99.17%.
- Double Double Bonus: RTP of 98.98%.
How To Play
The objective of the game is simple: get the best possible five-card hand. This is achieved by holding or swapping your cards. The particularly exciting thing about this online casino game is that you can play more than one hand at a time; in fact, the maximum number of hands per game round is 100, though it’s probably advisable not to play more than 10 hands initially.
So what’s the first step? Pick the version of Video Poker you want to play, depending on your tolerance for risk and preference for frequent wins. The version selected will determine how you play certain hands. For example, you would hold specific cards in one version that you wouldn’t in another: a high card, a jack or above, is worth holding in Jacks or Better, but not in Deuces Wild.
The game starts when the dealer deals five community cards. Then it’s decision time: choose which cards to hold and which to swap. Swapping any number of cards, from none to all five, is permissible. After you’ve made your choice, the remaining cards you didn’t keep will be replaced via the RNG. In each of your hands, ranging from one to a maximum of 100, the cards you decide to hold will be consistent, while the rest will come from the virtual deck. The winning poker combinations will be flagged, including their payouts.
Graphics
Video Poker offers fun graphics that put you front and center at the poker table. The dealer is neatly dressed in a gold waistcoat and black bowtie. The cards are presented in a clean, crisp style, with useful tables to calculate the wins for various card combinations. Overall, Video Poker offers an immersive and enjoyable experience.
Features
Unlike other online slots, there are no free spins or scatters. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other kinds of special features built into Video Poker to get your heart racing. In Deuces Wild, for example, all the 2s (deuces) act as wild cards or substitutes for other cards to form winning hands. Deuces Wild has higher volatility than other versions, but also more opportunities for wins.
Bonuses and Jackpots
Unlike slots with bonuses, Video Poker is played a little differently. You can choose one of two paytables that incorporate bonuses into their gameplay, listed below.
Bonus Poker
This version is similar to Jacks or Better, but there are increased payouts for certain four-of-a-kind hands, including four aces, four 2s, 3s, or 4s, and four 5s through kings. In exchange for slightly more risk, this game offers better wins.
Double Double Bonus
This game features even higher payouts for four of a kind, particularly aces, than Bonus Poker.
Similar Games
If you’re keen to try similar live dealer games with poker, consider the following:
- Casino Hold’em: A popular game that includes side bets.
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em: This game has an unusual twist — you play against the dealer and not other players.
Enjoy Video Poker at BetMGM
With its fast pace and easy gameplay, Video Poker is definitely worth trying. Alternatively, you could give jackpot slots or casino table games a spin. BetMGM caters to all skill levels, from beginners to experts.
Ready to embark on your thrilling poker adventure? Register with BetMGM today.
