Poker, including its online versions, is the most popular card betting game in the online casinos. But some players may not want to play with many other people, preferring to take the game at their own pace and not have to compete with other players. That’s why video poker was invented, where the player can bet against the computer and doesn’t depend on the action of other humans besides him to play.
Video poker is unique because of the way that it combines the one-person play of slot machines with the strategic aspect of table games like blackjack and poker. As a matter of fact, considering the high payback rates and the ease of play, it’s a little surprising that video poker isn’t more popular than it is among gamblers.
Nonetheless, you can still find it in abundance at online casinos, where it looks, sounds and plays pretty much the same way as it does in the casino.
Another favorable aspect of video poker is the variety it offers. Many of the top sites contain different ways to play the game that part off from Jacks or Better, which is the most common of all video poker formats. These games can feature one or more of the following:
- Unique Paytables : These tables may emphasize certain hands as quads more than others.
- Multi-Hand Play : You can play from three to 100 hands at the same time on your favorite video poker games on casino websites.
- Special Features: There are many games which allow you to earn special features if you raise the size of your bet.
Video poker at online casino works differently from more traditional versions of poker like Texas Hold’em. For starters, video poker has no players other than you, the gambler, and the computer who plays the croupier.
The game can be found in land-based or online casinos, and has many similarities to slot machines, working intuitively for the machine fan.
Video poker starts with the player choosing, in advance, the number of credits or monetary value to bet on the round. The limits vary by video poker machine and can be quite high. After betting, the player is dealt five cards and, of those five, he can exchange as many as he wants to try to form a valid straight in online or physical video poker.
