This is a fascinating question since in its actual gameplay, online and land-based video poker are the same game. That is, they use the same standard deck of cards and the same hierarchy of hand ranks.
Furthermore, the big payout for a Royal Flush is the same all the while assuming that the player has bet the maximum on the hand.
Slots Play Casinos generally favors online casino gaming and video poker fun is no exception to our general leanings.
THERE IS ONE VERY BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIDEO POKER ONLINE AND AT A LAND-BASED CASINO
Land-based casinos have much higher operating costs than online casinos have so more than a few land-based casinos have reduced the payout for a full house from 9 coins to 8 coins and for a flush from 6 coins to 5 coins.
The standard video poker pay scale is 9-6 but many land-based casinos now pay 8-5. This makes it much more difficult for a video poker players to end a session ahead of the house.
CAN A PLAYER WIN REAL MONEY?
The return to player gamble rate in online casino video poker at the standard pay scale is 99.5%. This assumes that the gamer uses the best strategy on every hand. It also means that a really serious video poker player can easily win money payouts in a video poker session with just a smidgen of luck on even a small bankroll.
The lower pay scale at many land-based casinos is one reason why we support online video poker on a world recognized website.
THIS APPLIES TO ALL VIDEO POKER GAMES
There are other reasons why we support online video poker over land-based video poker games.
There may be nothing more frustrating for a player who loves to play video poker games than to arrive at a land-based casino and find out that all of the casino’s video poker games pay out at the 8-5 rate.
HOW CAN A GAMER LEARN THE BEST STRATEGY FOR EVERY VIDEO POKER GAME?
This captures another big advantage gamers playing online video poker have over their landed compatriots: it is possible to enjoy free video poker online but not on land! It is a known feature of online casinos that they allow unlimited free play.
This comes in handy when gamblers are trying out one of the hundreds of slots an online casino fun offers and it comes in even handier when a gamer is learning one of the many online video poker variations.
WHY IS FREE VIDEO POKER SO IMPORTANT?
When a gamer plays a free video poker game with the strategy chart in his or her hand, that gamer has the best opportunity to learn the best strategy at no financial risk. Free video poker is not generally available at a land-based casino.
That is quite simply because the number of video poker players at a land-based casino is limited to the number of terminals the casino has and each terminal has large potential value to the casino.
When a gamer wants to enjoy popular games of video poker online, he or she knows that they will always get a “terminal” since video poker terminals online are all digital and one terminal fits all!
The clear conclusion is that is better to enjoy video poker online and visit an internet casino on your PC or mobile device.
WHAT ARE SOME ELEMENTS OF VIDEO POKER STRATEGY?
This is an excellent question!
There are many video poker charts available online. Most ask the player to look at their hand and go up from the bottom of the list. So, the last item on the list is that the player has no winnable combinations at all and thus must discard all five cards.
ISN’T VIDEO POKER BASED ON FIVE CARD DRAW POKER?
Yes, it is! And we anticipate the follow-up question: Isn’t three the highest number of cards a player can draw in five-card draw poker or four card game if the player has an ace?
Here is yet another reason why video poker returns about 99.5% of wagers back to gamers! Online casino video poker allows gamers to draw five cards with any holding!
WHAT SHOULD A PLAYER DO IF HE HAS A PAIR?
A pair is certainly a lowly hand but it also depends on what kind of pair you have. The most common video poker hands are a complete bust and a losing pair. That’s because most video poker games are called Jacks or Better and you have to have a pair of jacks or better to win.
A player has to quickly look at her other three cards to determine what the action should be. She might have four cards to a flush in which case she will ditch the pair and go for the flush. The odds of getting one of nine cards for the flush are much better and pay more than the odds of improving on the lowly pair.
WHAT KINDS OF HOLDINGS SHOULD A PLAYER KEEP?
This gets us to the other way to look at the strategy chart. When a player looks from top to down, most of the time there is nothing exciting until you get far down the chart.
Sometimes, however, you will get a hand with a lot of promise. In most cases, if you have four to a Royal Flush, you go for the Royal Flush. This includes cases where you have a winning pair! There are several reasons why this is the best play in this situation.
First, you might get the Royal Flush! Even if you don’t get that elusive Royal Flush, you could pair off one of the high cards, you could get a straight flush, you could get a flush, and you could get a straight!
DOES THIS APPLY TO A LOT OF HANDS?
It does and it doesn’t!
The hands that it applies to are not common. This is similar to the situation in regular poker such as Texas Hold’em where players will fold as many as 70% of hands before the flop. A single pair or a bust are the two most common hands in online video poker.
Still, those big hands do come up some of the time. The most likely scenario is that you give up a winning pair to go after a much better hand.
The possibilities will probably be the same as in the example regarding the Royal Flush. Even if you don’t get the very high hand you were chasing, you could still improve your hand and win anyways!
ARE THERE OTHER ADVANTAGES TO PLAYING VIDEO POKER ONLINE?
Yes, there are!
A top online casino generally offers more video poker games. This is basically a factor of the space available at a land-based casino as opposed to the “space” available at an online casino. Some video poker games use a wild card. Deuces Wild is the most popular wild video poker option.
Some people play deuces wild exclusively because the return to player rate is thought to be slightly more than 100%! Some gamers like Joker Poker which obviously uses jokers.
Many online casinos offer multi-hand video poker. We suggest that only gamers who know the best strategy for the video poker they want to play should even consider multi-hand video poker.
Not only that, but online casino games include money bonuses. All sorts of free cash bonus boosters that can include a wide range of deposit bonus deals with excellent wagering requirements, picks of a new player sign up welcome bonus, free spins for slots play and access to specific video poker bonuses.
Simply put the potential upside is huge on your gaming funds investment!.
REMEMBER TO DO DUE DILIGENCE
Playing free video poker is the best way to get acquainted with a new video poker game. We cannot say what the top video poker games are as that is truly a subjective matter. So, free video poker is a must as you branch out into other video poker games. Due diligence also means making sure that the casino is paying 9-6. Most online casinos pay 9-6 and an increasing number of land-based casinos now pay only 8-5. We suggest simply not playing video poker at an 8-5 terminal.
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The bottom line is that this is one of the most trusted casinos for video poker gambling that treats both its new and existing customers with super bonus money, excellent promotions and the real deal in winnings and cash prizes. Good luck with your stakes!
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