- The Best Way To Play Video Poker
- How To Play Video Poker In Vegas
- Best Way To Play Video Poker In Vegas
- Best Video Poker Machines
Perfect basic strategy is a must for this high volatility game
Always play a video poker machine at betting limits you can afford. Video poker is one of the few casino games you can beat and it doesn't take a team of MIT experts beside you counting cards. But video poker adds something slot machines don't have - an element of skill. Players have decisions to make that affect the outcome. And because cards are required to be dealt from a randomly shuffled 52-card deck - or 53 cards, in the case of Joker's Wild machines - the possible combinations are known, the frequency of the combinations can be calculated, and an optimal playing strategy.
By Henry Tamburin
Play Texas Hold 'Em video poker with your friends for free Don't let sheltering at home keep you from watching your friends' tells as you bluff your way to the showdown. A collection of video poker strategy tips that work. Learn how to play video poker and win by getting always the best video poker odds. Play video-poker Play keno VideoKeno.com Play contests Find in casinos Player challenges My Player Page Players Club Player directory Mobile apps View top scores Video poker for Android Video poker for iPhone / iPad.
Let me repeat this because it’s important: The volatility is very high. This means that if you are not lucky and don’t get a winning hand followed by another winning hand, your bankroll will head south very quickly. This greater volatility requires a much bigger bankroll to withstand the big bankroll swings that will occur with this game.
In previous articles in Strictly Slots, I wrote about the six-coins-per-line games Super Times Pay and Quick Quads. This month, I’ll describe the mother of multi-coin-per-line games known as Ultimate X.
Ultimate X is available as a multi-hand and single-hand video poker game. If you wager 10 coins per line instead of five coins, you will earn a multiplier, not on the current hand, but on the following hand (i.e., betting 10 coins per line puts you in the Ultimate X mode). Essentially, you are doubling your initial bet in the hopes that you will get a greater payout on the following hand.
The easiest way to show you how Ultimate X works is to play a few hands. (The game is Triple Play Bonus Poker.)
Suppose on the first hand you wagered the maximum of 30 coins (i.e., 10 coins per line) to activate the Ultimate X feature and are dealt the following hand:
Notice on the bottom right of the screen, the “Ultimate X Poker” logo shows that it is active (because you wagered the maximum of 30 coins). On the first line, you hold the pair of 4s. The 4s will appear in the same card position on lines #2 and #3, and each line will receive three draw cards. The result of the draw gave you these final hands.
You wound up with two pairs on line #1 (pair of 4s and 8s) but you didn’t get a winning hand on lines #2 and #3. Our winning two pair on line #1 paid 10 coins (which is a standard payout for two pairs for a traditional five-coin wager). The 10-coin winning payout appears in the “Win” meter at the bottom left of the screen. Likewise, the 10 coins won increased the “Credit” meter (lower right) by 10 coins. Notice that to the left of line #1 (i.e., bottom hand), you’ll see “Next Hand 3X.” This signifies that the payout for a winning hand on Line #1 on the following hand would be multiplied by 3.
On the next hand, you are dealt:
Notice that “3X” appears to the left of line #1 (to signify whatever the payout is for a winning hand on line #1, it will be multiplied by 3). You hold the single ace, hit the draw button, and wound up with a pair of queens on line #1 and a pair of aces on line #3.
The payout for a high pair is five coins but on line #1, the payout is multiplied by 3 (because we had a winning hand on this line in the previous hand). Therefore, your total payout was 20 coins (five coins for the pair of aces on line #3, and 15 coins for the pair of queens on line #1). Since you have a winning hand on lines #1 and #3, the screen shows that you will have a 2x multiplier on any winning hands on lines #1 and #3 on the following hand.
On your third hand, you were dealt two unsuited high cards (J-Q) on line #1, you held them, and ended up with:
Btc gambling sites. Unfortunately, you didn’t get a winning hand on lines #1 and #3 (with the 2x multiplier from the previous winning hands on these lines) but you got a winning hand on line #2 that gives you a 3x multiplier on this line for the following hand.
On the next hand, you were dealt two pair:
Is slotomania legit. You hold the two pair, say a silent prayer, and after the draw ended up with the following hands:
Unfortunately, you didn’t get a full house or three of a kind on any line on the draw (darn!) so your final result was two pair on all lines. The payout was 10 coins on line #1, 10 coins on line # 3, and 30 coins on line #2 (because of the 3x multiplier from the previous winning hand line #2). Notice also that on the following hand, you will have a 3x multiplier on all three lines.
I hope after playing these sample hands, you get the gist of how the game plays and how fun and lucrative it could be if you get a winning hand on one or more lines followed by another winning hand on the same line(s).
The amount of the multiplier that you receive for any winning hand depends on which game you are playing (e.g., bonus poker, double double bonus, etc.), what the winning hand was (see below), and how many lines you played (e.g., Triple Play, Five Play, or Ten Play.). The multiplier is always 2x for winning hands higher than a full house. As an example, the multipliers for the Triple Play Bonus Poker game are:
Notice that if you get a full house or flush on any line, then on the following hand the payout for any winning hand (on the same line) would be multiplied by 12 and 11 respectively. (My biggest winning hand to date playing Ultimate X was when I got four 3s with a 12x multiplier (the payout was a very nice 2400 coins or $600 playing quarters).
Keep in mind that when you activate the Ultimate X feature, you are doubling your bet (betting 10 coins per line instead of 5 coins) in return at a potential shot at a bigger payout on the following hand. Because you are betting a total of 30 coins per hand on a Triple Play Ultimate X game, the volatility is very high. Let me repeat this because it’s important: The volatility is very high. This means that if you are not lucky and don’t get a winning hand followed by another winning hand, your bankroll will head south very quickly. This greater volatility requires a much bigger bankroll to withstand the big bankroll swings that will occur with this game. (Psychologically, you also have to be prepared for the negative swings.)
According to IGT, there are nine game families on the Ultimate X platform, mostly on Three-, Five- and Ten-Play machines, although a single hand version is offered on their bundled-theme Five Star Poker. The highest return Ultimate X game that is offered is 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker on Ten Play (99.87%, assuming perfect strategy). You can review the returns for other games on the Ultimate X page at www.wizardofodds.com.
If you want to know which casinos in Las Vegas offer Ultimate X, go to the Best Video Poker Page on www.lasvegasadvisor.com. You can also go to www.vpfree2.com and use the search function to find out which casinos in different regions of the U.S. offer Ultimate X, or use the “Find in Casinos” function on www.videopoker.com. If you want to play Ultimate X for free, go to www.videopoker.com. (I highly recommend you do so to get a feel for how the game plays and the size of the bankroll swings.)
Tip of the Month
When you play Ultimate X, you are paying more on the current hand in the hopes of getting a multiplier on the following hand. Therefore, on your last hand before you quit playing, you should only bet five coins per line (i.e., don’t activate the Ultimate X feature on the last hand because it has no value since you won’t be playing another hand). Also, before you start playing, check the screen on different Ultimate X games to see if a previous player left a multiplier on the game. If you are lucky to find one with a multiplier, jump in and play the hand with only a five coin per line wager. As always, but even more so with Ultimate X because you are betting twice as much per hand, play each hand with perfect basic strategy. Good luck!
————————————————————————————————————-
Henry Tamburin is a blackjack and video poker expert. He is the host of the smartgaming.com website and the editor of the Blackjack Insider newsletter (for a free three-month subscription, visit www.bjinsider.com/freetrial). For a free copy of his Casino Gambling Catalog, which contains books, strategy cards, and software for casino players, call toll free 1-888-353-3234, or visit the web store at smartgaming.com.
You could theoretically take at least 4 different approaches to writing a page about “video poker websites”. You could write a page that features a list of the best online casinos where you can play video poker for real money. Or you could write a page that features a list of the best informational sites on the subject. The third option is to do both—that’s the route we’ve decided to go with this page.
Our directory of the best video poker sites starts with a list of casinos which offer what we think are good VP games with good payback tables. More importantly, the casinos listed have excellent reputations related to timely customer service, fast payouts, and integrity in their dealings.
Rank | DE Online Casino | Exclusive Bonus | Get Started | |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Betway Casino | 100% Up To€250 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#2 | Europa Casino | 200% Up To€500 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#3 | Jackpot City Casino | 100% Up To€400 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#4 | Spinia | 100% Up To€250 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#5 | Spin Casino | 100% Up To€400 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
The informational sites on this list focus on websites which offer detailed, unique information with a minimum of advertising. We have no problem with advertising in general. Our site, like most sites on the Internet, relies on advertising revenues to stay in operation, too. We do object to sites which have no other reason for existing than to serve ads. There must be significant value to the reader for a site to earn a listing on this page.
You can read full reviews of all these real money online casinos here. On this page, we’ve restricted our comments to a few of the top USA video poker sites and how well each property serves the needs of online VP players. We’re confident that these really are the best video poker casino websites on the Internet.
If you’re from the United States, El Royale is your best bet for playing online video poker games. Many online casinos don’t accept real money players from the USA, and a lot of those that do have problems processing deposit and withdrawal requests. That’s not an issue at El Royale.
This online casino has 14 different video poker games available, including the following.
- Aces and Eights
- All American Poker
- Bonus Deuces Wild
- Double Bonus Poker
- Double Double Bonus Poker
As well has single hand versions of these games, they also have multi hand versions. Many of the payout tables are full pay.
One of only real downsides for VP players at El Royale casino is when it comes bonuses. Video poker bonuses at online casinos are actually quite rare, as the game has such a low edge. So, although El Royale offers a number of generous bonuses, none of them can be used for playing video poker games. However, that at doesn’t stop this being the top US online casino for real money video poker players.
BetOnline
BetOnline is also friendly to players from the United States. This real money gambling sites offers multiple services besides casino games, including sports betting and poker. They offer 17 different VP variations to choose from in their casino section.
As far as signup bonuses go for VP players, though, BetOnline.ag isn’t quite as attractive. First of all, they have a rollover requirement of 50X your deposit plus bonus, which is significantly more restrictive than most other casinos. Also, they do not include video poker wagers toward your rollover requirement.
The Best Way To Play Video Poker
That being said, we still like BetOnline as a video poker casino. They have a great variety of games with reasonably good pay tables. We don’t think most players should worry too much with casino bonuses as a deciding factor for where to play video poker online.
Wild Casino is an excellent site to play real money video poker games online. They have 18 different VP variations, with single hand, multi-hand, and pyramid poker versions. Unlike BetOnline, they don’t offer sports betting.
They do have the opportunity to use one of their signup bonuses to play video poker games, but the rollover requirements are 60x. That’s a lot of VP wagers you’ll need to place. Still, the fact that they even offer a video poker bonus is very much a good thing.
Wild Casino offers a ton of other casino games, too, so this isn’t “just” one of the top video poker sites. It’s one of the all-round best online casinos.
Vegas Casino Online
There are 17 real money video poker games to play Vegas Casino Online. It’s a similar selection to most of the other VP sites discussed above, with nothing unique of note on offer. They do offer higher stakes than most, though, so high rollers looking to play video poker online should definitely consider this casino.
We should mention that there is a VP bonus here, but the rollover requirements are high at 90x. The good news is that you can play other games with the bonus, too, and the rollover requirements are reduced at many of them.
We’ve tried to include a comprehensive amount of video poker information on our site, but we can’t be all things to all people. When we need to do research, we do so by consulting with other high quality video poker websites. We provide a reasonably detailed description of what you can expect to find at each of these sites below.
Note that these sites are listed in alphabetical order. We don’t rank them in any other way.
Bob Dancer
Bob Dancer is the leading expert in the video poker field today. He’s written several books, many of which are available to buy on his site. He also offers a huge archive of articles as well as training software. It’s not the best-designed site on the Internet, but it’s impossible to list VP sites without including his website.
Jean Scott might argue that she’s just as much of an expert on video poker as Bob Dancer, but she actually writes a broader range of materials that include getting the most out of casino coupons and promotional offers.
This makes her more of a general gambling expert than Dancer, but she does focus more on video poker than on other games like slots or blackjack.
Optimum Play
Dan Paymar is one of our favorite video poker writers, too. Optimum Playis the name for both his website and his excellent book on the subject of the math behind the game. He’s one of the pioneers of the industry.
His site features several pay tables, payback percentage analysis, and strategy advice. He’s known also for making the distinction between playing perfectly and balancing excellent play with good payback percentages.
This almost isn’t really an information site, at all. But it’s important because the land-based casinos in this group in Las Vegas offer the widest selection of full pay games in the industry. You’ll see writers on the Internet lament the impossibility of finding full pay Deuces Wild games all the time, but the fact is that you need look no further than the casinos in this group.
Video Poker Advisor
The content on videopokeradvisor.comis more or less introductory, but the design is straightforward and blessedly low on advertising. We’re not sure who owns this one, as it seems to be more or less anonymously written. It’s worth visiting, especially if you’re a beginner.
This is less of an informational site than a product site where you can buy training software. That being said, the content on this site is straightforward enough, and the software is not only affordable but well worth your money. Kazino igri besplatno. Everyone we know who’s serious about getting an edge at this game uses some kind of training software—many use this specific package.
Video Poker Info
VideoPokerInfo.com is another great guide for beginners. It includes excellent info about progressive jackpots, comp and VIP points, and single hand versus multi hand games. It also includes the most basic information for the complete newbies, like hand rankings and a glossary of terms. If you don’t know as much about video poker as some of our other readers, and you want to get up to speed fast, then this is the place to start.
No other site on the Internet offers as many free games as this one. Not only that, but these games are more similar to the games you’ll find in Las Vegas casinos than just about any other online versions. It’s a membership driven site. Most of the games are free, but some of the games require you to have a membership to play.
It is not a casino, though. You cannot play for real money. They do offer ongoing tournaments where you can win points. They also have an online strategy trainer that requires no download, but to access that, you need to have a paid membership.
VPFree2
How To Play Video Poker In Vegas
If you’re interested in playing the machines with the best pay tables, this is the site to visit. They feature listings for casinos throughout the United States along with user-submitted reports on which pay tables are available where. This might be the most useful video poker resource on the Web, period.
Best Way To Play Video Poker In Vegas
That’s our list of the best video poker websites on the Internet. We’ve tried to list top-tier casinos with good games and good VP game selection. We’ve also stuck with recommending real money gambling sites that have good reputations for dealing fairly and with integrity with players. For similar recommendations in all kinds of categories, please visit this page.
Best Video Poker Machines
The informational sites here were chosen on merit, too. Sites which offer excessive advertising or insufficient content weren’t listed.
Please note that we are NOT accepting submissions to this page. Please do NOT contact us to request a listing on this page. We will not respond to such requests, nor will we list sites which ignore our request to not reach out to us for this reason. There are just too many sites eager to get listed here for us to field all the requests we would receive, so we’ve decided in advance to not even read or accept such emails.