Welcome to the Video Poker Basics Guide at Online Casino VP. Whether you already know how to play video poker like a pro or don't know a thing, this guide will point you in the right direction. For those of you seeking more understanding about video poker in general, game variations, as well as the particulars of online play, please read further.

Types of Video Poker

Most online casinos offer several different types of video poker. The good news is that you don't have to learn an entire new set of rules for every different video poker version. The basics of play are the same. When you master the basics and learn your cards, there are only slight differences in play. The two most popular versions of video poker are Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. To read about other types of video poker, visit our VP Machines page.

That said, let's go over the Standard Winning Poker Hands:

Five of a Kind - Five cards of the same rank (one card serving as wild)

Royal Flush - In games without a wild, this is the highest possible hand. It is composed of a Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace - all of the same suit.

Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank.

Full House - Three cards of the same rank along with two cards of the same rank.

Flush - Five different cards of the same suit in ascending order of rank.

Straight - Five cards of different suit in ascending order of rank.

Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same rank.

Two Pair - Two sets of two cards of the same rank.

One Pair - One set (two cards) of the same rank.

Here's the Basics of Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild:

Jacks or Better

The quintessential and original video poker game, Jacks or Better is the game of choice for many video poker players simply because it offers the best odds. If played with the best payout table (full pay) and mathematically correct strategy, Jacks or Better can deliver of the lowest House Advantages in the online casino (around 0.5%). Of course, that is dependant upon playing a full-pay 9/6 game, which is the payout ratio for a Full House and Flush (nine coins for a Flush and 6 coins for a Full House with a 1-coin wager). There are partial-pay 8/5 games of Jacks or Better out there, which raises the Casinos Edge over the long term. Obviously, it makes sense to play full-pay 9/6 tables, offering payouts for a Pair of Jacks and up. Please visit our Jacks or Better Rules page for an example of a full-pay table.

Deuces Wild

As the name says, all deuces are wild. Although slightly more volatile than Jacks or Better, the return is practically the same. In other words, Deuces Wild offers great odds (especially if you can find a full pay machine). In fact, you can get better odds on a full-pay Deuces Wild machine (15/9/5 delivers a 100.76% payback) than you can on a full-pay Jacks or Better. However, it is very rare to find a full-pay machine on the internet, and you will more likely get a 15/9/4 table (around a 1% House Edge). (15 coins for a "Five-of-a-Kind", 9 coins for a "Straight" and 4 coins for a "Four-of-a-Kind" on a 1-coin wager). There is also a version of Deuces Wild called "Not so Ugly" which offers a 16/10/4/4/3 table (about a .25% edge), but that's hard to find online as well. Something more common is a 16/13/4/3/2 paytable, which offers about a 3% edge. Please visit our Deuces Wild Rules page to see a 15/9/4/4/3/2/1 table.

General Tips

Whether you are playing Deuces Wild or Jacks or Better video poker, there are three things which you should always abide by.

1) Always seek out the best paying machines (full pay tables)

2) Never risk your winnings in the showdown bonus.

3) Always hold a winning hand on the first card deal, unless a lone card is needed to form the elusive Royal Flush. At that point, risk your Pair to go for the big bucks.

Pretty simple eh? If you put these tips to use, learn your poker hands and seek out the best payout tables, you are well on your way to playing a "perfect" game of online video poker. For more in-depth strategy, please visit our Deuces Wild Strategy and Jacks or Better Strategy pages.