Video poker is a classic casino card game based on five-card draw poker that has been around since the 1970s and is well-known for its low house edge. Playing the game is simple. The objective is to make the best hand possible based on the cards you’re dealt, just like in a real land-based casino.
Besides the gaming machines at real land-based casinos, video poker such as All Aces Poker, All American Poker, Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus Poker, Jacks or Better, and Joker Poker is also available to play for real money and even for free at the vast majority of online casinos in Europe.
Sure, most internet gamblers would rather play European-style slot machines, blackjack, or roulette than online video poker. Video poker, on the other hand, offers a high return to player (RTP) and is a fun alternative to other online casino games.
Note: The availability may depend on the casino site. Click on the “Table Games” tab to see what’s on offer.
Top-Rated European Casinos for Video Poker Players
Bitstarz
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How to Play European Casino Video Poker
To play video poker at European online casinos, you must first create a player account and make a deposit. After that, you can begin playing for real money. The game is also available for free (demo) to try out.
1. Pick a Video Poker Game to Play
The first step to playing video poker is to choose the game you want to play. There are many different types of online video poker games available from popular software providers across Europe, including Microgaming, Quickfire, Habanero, Wazdan, Betsoft, iSoftBet, and Playtech. You may also find video poker from Green Valley Games at some EU casino sites. If you aren’t sure which game to choose, try a few different ones until you find one that suits your preferences.
2. Decide How Much You Wish to Bet
The next step is to set your bet. As we mentioned before, the size of your bet will determine how much you can win. The good news is that the betting limits for online video poker are usually quite low, so you won’t have to worry about losing too much. Once you’ve made your decision, click the ‘deal’ button to receive your hand.
3. Select the Cards You Wish to Hold
Now is the time to go through your cards and decide which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to discard. Once you’ve decided, click the ‘draw’ button to get your new cards.
4. Check Your Hand
After you’ve received your new cards, it’s time to see if you’ve won or not. The game will automatically compare your hand to the paytable and payout accordingly. If you’ve won, great! You can either collect your winnings or hit the ‘deal’ button to start a new hand. If you’ve lost, don’t worry – you can always try again.
Video Poker Terminology
The key terms in online video poker are the same as those found in traditional poker machines.
| Credits | The value of each credit. For example, if you’re playing with 1 credit, each credit is worth €0.10. |
|---|---|
| Pay Table | A chart (visual guide) showing you how much each hand is worth and the betting limits. |
| Draw | The process of receiving the cards or new cards to replace the ones you discarded. |
| Hold | The act of keeping certain cards and discarding others. You can usually click on the cards you want to hold or press a “hold” button below each one. |
| Discard | The cards that you choose not to keep after the initial deal. These cards will be replaced with new ones after you hit the “draw” button. |
| Face Card | A card with a picture on it (king, queen, or jack). |
| Ace-High | A hand that contains an ace but no other cards worth anything. For example, if you’re dealt a hand of Ace-2-3-4-5, that’s an ace-high hand. |
| House Edge | The percentage (%) of each bet that an online casino expects to keep over time. |
| Multi-hand | A type of video poker where you can play more than one hand at a time. |
| Pat Hand | A hand that doesn’t need any more cards to be a winning hand. For example, if you’re dealt the hand of Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10, that’s a pat hand |
| Inside Straight | A hand with a gap in the middle and two cards of the same value on either side. For example, if you’re dealt a hand of Ace-2-4-5-7, that’s an inside straight. |
| Max Bet | The largest amount of money you can bet on a single hand. |
| Return To Player (RTP) | The percentage of money that you can expect to get back from a video poker game over time. For example, if a game has a payback/RTP of 98%, you’ll get an average of €0.98 back for every €1 you bet over a long period. |
| Action | The total amount of money wagered on a video poker machine during one playing session. |
Winning Hands
As was previously noted, European online casinos provide numerous variations of video poker, each with its own set of rules and peculiarities. Still, they all share the same basic principles of play and hand rankings.
- Royal Flush
- A ♥ – K ♥ – Q ♥ – J ♥ – 10 ♥
- Royal Flush contains the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of the same suit.
- Straight Flush
- K ♦ – Q ♦ – J ♦ – 10 ♦ – 9 ♦
- The straight flush is a similar hand to the royal flush, consisting of five consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Four of a Kind
- 10 ♦ – 10 ♥ – 10 ♠ – 10 ♦ – J ♣
- Four of a Kind consists of four cards of the same value.
- Full House
- K ♦ – K ♣ – K ♣ – Q ♠ – Q ♥
- Full House consists of three cards of the same value and two more cards of another matching value.
- Flush
- Q ♦ – 8 ♦ – 2 ♦ – Q ♦ – J ♦
- Flush is the combination of five not consecutive cards from the same suit.
- Straight
- 6 ♥ – 7 ♦ – 8 ♣ – 9 ♥ – 10 ♣
- Straight is made up of five sequential cards. It doesn’t matter what suit they are.
- Three of a Kind
- J ♠ – J ♥ – J ♦ – 7 ♠ – 10 ♣
- Three of a Kind consists of three cards of the same value and two other random cards.
- Two Pair
- Q ♣ – Q ♦ – 10 ♣ – 10 ♥ – 7 ♠
- Two Pair comes with two cards of the same value, plus two more cards of another matching value.
- One Pair
- Q ♣ – Q ♦ – K ♣ – 10 ♥ – 7 ♠
- One Pair is a hand that contains a single pair of matching cards.
Betting Options and Payouts
Video poker involves betting before every hand is dealt. The amount of money you can bet per hand at European online casinos will vary from game to game. The minimum bet in most cases is €0.10, but there are some game variations where the bet value is set higher. For example, in some online multi-hand games, the minimum bet may be €0.50.
Table: Payouts based on 1-5 credit bets.
| HAND | 1 Credit | 2 Credits | 3 Credits | 4 Credits | 5 Credits | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 | 1 in 649,740 |
| Straight Flush | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 | 1 in 72,193 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | 1 in 4,165 |
| Full House | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 | 1 in 694 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 1 in 509 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 1 in 255 |
| Three of a Kind | 4 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 1 in 47 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 1 in 21 |
| One Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 in 7.69 |
Some video poker games have special features that can increase the value of certain hands. For example, in some games, a royal flush (a hand containing a 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace) can be worth more than the standard payout. In other games, you may be able to double your winnings if you hit a certain hand. Be sure to check the pay table of each game before you start playing to see what special features are available.
Online Video Poker House Edge
A casino’s expected long-term profit, expressed as a percentage of each wager, is known as the “house edge.” For example, if a game has a house advantage of 5%, it means the casino will gain an average of €0.05 profit for every €1 you bet. See the paytable of each game for details.
Remember: The higher the payouts, the higher the house edge!
Video Poker Strategy Chart
The table below contains all the information you need to become an expert at playing video poker online. Your hand is shown in column two, and columns three and four indicate which cards to keep and which to discard for each hand.
| # | Your Hand | Cards to Keep | Cards to Replace |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⒈ | Royal Flush | 5 | 0 |
| ⒉ | Straight Flush | 5 | 0 |
| ⒊ | Four of a Kind | 5 | 0 |
| ⒋ | Full House | 5 | 0 |
| ⒌ | 4 to a Royal Flush | 4 | 1 |
| ⒍ | Flush | 5 | 0 |
| ⒎ | Three of a Kind | 3 | 2 |
| ⒏ | Straight | 5 | 0 |
| ⒐ | 4 to a Straight Flush | 4 | 1 |
| ⒑ | Two Pair | 4 | 1 |
| ⒒ | High Pair | 2 | 3 |
| ⒓ | 3 to a Royal Flush | 3 | 2 |
| ⒔ | 4 to a Flush | 2 | 3 |
| ⒕ | Low Pair | 2 | 3 |
| ⒖ | 4 to a Straight | 4 | 1 |
| ⒗ | 3 to a Straight Flush | 3 | 2 |
| ⒘ | 2 to a Royal Flush | 3 | 2 |
| ⒙ | 2 High Cards | 2 | 3 |
| ⒚ | 1 High Card | 1 | 4 |
| ⒛ | Nothing | 0 | 5 |
Online Video Poker FAQs
How do you win online video poker?
The best way to win at video poker is to choose a game with a high return to player (RTP) percentage and to play with an optimal strategy. If you do this, you will give yourself the best chance of winning in the long run.
How do you win big on video poker?
There’s no unfailing and sure way to win big on video poker. But you can improve your possibilities of winning by playing the game with the best odds (Deuces Wild) and employing the best strategy.
What is the best video poker game in Europe?
There are numerous types of video poker games available at European online casinos, so it depends on what you’re looking for. If you want the best odds, we recommend playing Full Pay games like Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, or All American Poker.
Can you make money on online video poker?
Because of the low house edge, it is possible to make money playing video poker online. However, you must remember that it is still a gamble, and there is no guarantee that you will always win.
How big should my video poker bankroll be to win?
You need to have no set amount in your bankroll to win at video poker. However, we recommend having at least 50x the size of your average bet so that you can easily withstand any short-term losses.
Is online video poker considered a slot machine-type game?
Because of its inherent skill elements, you can’t classify video poker as a slot machine game. As opposed to slots, where success depends entirely on chance, video poker games allow players to employ strategy to increase their odds of winning. The game also incorporates a degree of luck, so constant success is by no means guaranteed.
Is online video poker better than online slots?
Ultimately, it depends on your priorities. Video poker is the superior choice if you want to win by employing strategy and skill. Online slots may be more your speed if you want to play a casino game that doesn’t require much decision-making or strategy.
What is the best-paying online video poker game?
If you’re looking for the highest return to player percentage (RTP), some online casinos offer “full pay” Deuces Wild with an RTP of 99.73%. Generally, the higher the RTP of the game, the better your chances of winning will be.
Is online video poker truly random?
Yes, video poker games played online are fully random and fair. All reputable online casinos in Europe employ software developed by igaming companies whose games are based on random number generators (RNGs) that have been thoroughly vetted by third-party auditing firms (Test Houses) to guarantee fair play. Since this is the case, the online video poker hand’s outcome is not predetermined.
What is RNG in video poker?
RNG is an abbreviation for Random Number Generator. It’s a component of software that generates random numbers using a pre-programmed algorithm to ensure that each hand’s outcome is completely unpredictable.
How often do you get four-of-a-kind in video poker?
The frequency of getting four of a kind varies depending on the game you’re playing. If you play Jacks or Better long enough, you can expect to hit four-of-a-kind once every 423 hands, on average, and around once in every 35 hands in Deuces Wild.
What are the odds of hitting a royal flush in video poker?
The odds of hitting a (natural) royal flush in video poker depend on the game type. In Jacks or Better, the odds are about 1 in 40,000. But in Deuces Wild, the odds are 1 in 649,740.
How much does a royal flush pay in online video poker?
A royal flush typically pays out 250 to 1 in most video poker games.
Which video poker has the best odds?
Deuces Wild is the video poker game with the best odds.
When should you move up the stakes?
It depends on your bankroll and how comfortable you feel playing at a higher stake.
How to get better at online video poker?
The best way to improve your skills is to practice often and learn the optimal strategy for the game you’re playing. Our video poker strategy chart covers the most common game variations and is a good place to start.
What is the best video poker type to play online?
The best type of video poker to play online depends on your personal preferences. If you’re looking for the game with the best odds, we recommend Deuces Wild. But if you’re looking for a game that’s easy to learn and has a low house edge, we recommend Jacks or Better.