Real Money Video Poker

It’s no secret that online poker is all the rage. Despite a few online poker sites closing down in the US, the poker phenomenon continues to climb. Around the world, it’s bigger than ever. And even in the US, individual states are starting to launch their own online poker sites.

But not everyone wants to play poker online against other people around the world. Online casinos recognize this and have started to offer video poker for real money. If you can play classic variations of poker like 5 Card Stud, you’re on your way to playing video poker. But here’s the best part. You don’t have to worry about being bluffed out of a hand. In fact, in most real cash video poker games, you don’t even need to worry about the house’s hand. Here’s what else makes video poker so much fun:

• You can bet literally pennies per hand if you want
• Don’t worry about anyone else’s hand—as long as you’ve made the board, you’ll win
• Many video poker games offer you double or nothing bonus rounds

There’s even more to love about real money video poker. If you’re new to the game, start right here for tips, tricks, a strategy guide, and advice for playing.

What to hold and what to drop

There are loads of different variations of video poker, online and off, so to say that one basic strategy guide applies to all games wouldn’t be fair. Depending on which cards are wild and the minimum hand you need to get paid out, what to hold and what to drop can vary.

For this Internet video poker basic strategy guide, let’s assume that you want to play Jacks or Better. In that variation of online video poker, you’ll automatically win holding a pair of Jacks or anything better. Remember, you’ve got the opportunity to toss away cards that you don’t like. But knowing exactly what to keep and what to get rid of isn’t always easy. As a general guide for real money online video poker play, keep the following in mind.

Always hold onto a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, 4-of-a-kind, Full House, 3-of-a-kind, or 2 pair. Why? Because these are guaranteed winners. You’ve won cash since you’re holding something better than a pair of Jacks. Keep in mind, however, that if you’ve got 3-of-a-kind, it’s a good idea to get rid of your two other cards, no matter how decent they might seem. That’s because you could easily turn that 3-of-a-kind into a full house if you play your cards right.

Seems fairly basic, right? Well, there are some instances where we actually recommend breaking up a straight or a flush. If you’ve been 9cJcQcKcAc, you’ve already got a flush. But you’re one card away from hitting a Royal Flush. Drop the 9c and ask for a new card. Yes, you might lose out on hitting your flush, but you could score a 10c, which would give you a Royal Flush—and your payout would be ridiculously massive. You might also end up hitting a Jack, Queen, King, or Ace, which would still give you a win.

We’ve already covered the hand ranking system used for video poker (Jacks or Better, specifically). And we told you when it’s worthwhile to drop one, two, three, four, or all of your cards. But just how worthwhile is it? We’ve put together a typical payout schedule for Jacks or Better. Of course, payouts vary from real cash betting website to website, but the below should give you an idea of what different hands are worth.

Remember, the above is based on betting one credit, so if you bet more per hand, you’ll win more credits. And don’t forget, some games come with a top payout, so your winnings might be capped if you hit a Royal Flush.

Going as far back as 1901, video poker really took off in the 1980s and is growing even stronger today. Our quick guide takes you through the development of the game and explains its popularity, both online and in brick and mortar casinos.

• Although it didn’t have a screen, the first variation of video poker was played in 1901 when Charles Fey added the draw feature to the slot machine he invented. The feature allowed players to spin twice, ultimately holding some of the drums, which contained cards.
• The first modern-day video poker machine was invented in 1979 by a company called SIRCOMA, which stood for Si Redd’s Coin Machines.
• The first video poker machine was Draw Poker.
• SIRCOMA eventually became International Game Technology.
• Video poker gained popularity in the 1980s because people found playing against a machine far less intimidating than playing against live people at live tables.
• While Internet poker has allowed people to remain anonymous and fell less intimated playing against other people, video poker has actually grown in popularity since the 1980s.

We've played enough video poker and reviewed enough sites to know what players want to hear about a casino before they sit down to a game. We went through all of the questions you are likely to have and put the answers down below: