Learning how to play video poker is made easy with our complete guide for Aussie players. We’ll compare the best video poker games, paytables, and how to beat the odds.
Plus, we’ve listed the best online casinos and software providers so you can learn how to play video poker for free!
When you start playing video poker, we recommend using demo mode to conserve your bankroll. While learning, you can then follow these easy steps to get started:
1. Choose A Game
There are many types of video poker you can play, including Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and Bonus Poker. These popular games are the easiest to learn, and you can win the most while you’re at it.
2. Review the Paytables
Before choosing your bet, we recommend reviewing the game’s paytables for the highest value hands. Knowing which cards count the most will help you later on in the game.
3. Decide On Your Stake & Place Your Bets
Whenever you play video poker, you can choose to set your bets from one to five coins. Choosing five coins earns you the full jackpot but can get expensive for more than one hand.
4. Click Deal to Receive Your Hand
Once you’ve set your bet, click “deal” to receive your first five cards from the deck. They are ranked by the standard poker values. Some games feature unique rules to up the ante so consider this when you pick a game.
5. Review Your Cards & Discard Low Values
After receiving your cards, most virtual video poker games automatically “hold” the highest value cards. You can then click deal again to receive more cards to try and get a higher value hand.
6. Claim Any Winnings
When you win the round, the game will automatically pay out any winnings to the highest-value hand. You can collect these and continue playing or close the game and move on.
How to Play Video Poker Like a Pro
Once you’ve got the basics down, we have a few tips from our favourite professional players. These are based on hundreds of hours of gameplay, so you know they work.
1. Learn the Most Popular Video Poker Games
Before anything else, practice by playing free, non-rigged video poker games like Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better. These games feature the highest payouts when you move to real money video poker.
2. Understand the Best Paytables for Each Variant
Learning the paytables back-to-front might seem like a lot of work, but it can save you a fortune. When you look for the best game, we recommend playing 9/6 Jacks or Better or 15/9 Deuces Wild.
3. Use a Simple Strategy
Everyone has a “winning” formula these days for video poker games, but the best ones are straightforward. You should always avoid strategies that have a paywall to avoid the worst culprits.
4. Take Bonuses and Comps
If you want to play video poker for real money, you need to boost your bankroll with bonuses like free chips. These exclusive casino offers are the best way to experience real money video poker.
How to Play Video Poker: Hand Rankings
When you play free video poker, you’ll have to keep these hand rankings in mind to get the best results. Once you open the game, review the paytable and check the highest paying hands. If you need to, we also recommend taking notes or a screenshot before you close the window.
Table key: H – Hearts, D – Diamonds, CL – Clovers, S – Spades
Hand
Example
Royal Flush
Ace (H)
K(H)
Q(H)
J(H)
10(H)
Straight Flush
K(H)
Q(H)
J(H)
10(H)
9(H)
Four of a Kind
5(CL)
5(D)
5(S)
5(H)
–
Full House
9(H)
9(D)
7(S)
7(CL)
7(H)
Flush
3(D)
5(D)
8(D)
9(D)
10(D)
Straight
6(D)
7(S)
8(S)
9(H)
10(D)
Three of a Kind
4(D)
2(H)
2(CL)
5(D)
2(CL)
Two of a Kind
4(S)
4(CL)
Q(H)
Q(CL)
Ace(D)
Top 5 Video Poker Odds & Payouts
Before you start playing, look for the best video pokers with full-pay tables. These games feature the highest possible winning chances and jackpots.
We’ve compared every version we can find, and these came out on top because of the high-paying hands.
1. Full-Pay Loose Deuces 15/10
Loose Deuces is the highest paying game at a whopping 100.97% on the full-pay version. It offers a huge payout for landing four twos in your hand. You need to land a three of a kind to get the smallest payout, though. RealTime Gaming offers a stellar full payout Loose Deuces game at our favourite casinos.
Hand
1 Coin
2 Coins
3 Coins
4 Coins
5 Coins
Natural Royal Flush
250
500
750
1000
4000
Four Deuces
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Wild Royal Flush
25
50
75
100
125
5 of a Kind
15
30
45
60
75
Straight Flush
10
20
30
40
50
4 of a Kind
4
8
12
16
20
Full House
3
6
9
12
15
Flush
2
4
6
8
10
Straight
2
4
6
8
10
3 of a Kind
1
2
3
4
5
2. Full-Pay Deuces Wild
Everybody loves a good round of Deuces Wild, and it’s no wonder when you look at the full-pay version! Learning how to play it is also easy, so we highly recommend giving it a spin. Betsoft, RTG, Microgaming, and NetEnt offer this game at leading casinos for free or real money.
Hand
1 Coin
2 Coins
3 Coins
4 Coins
5 Coins
Natural Royal Flush
250
500
750
1000
4000
Four Deuces
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Wild Royal Flush
25
50
75
100
125
5 of a Kind
15
30
45
60
75
Straight Flush
10
20
30
40
50
4 of a Kind
4
8
12
16
20
Full House
3
6
9
12
15
Flush
2
4
6
8
10
Straight
2
4
6
8
10
3 of a Kind
1
2
3
4
5
3. Full-Pay Jacks or Better
As one of the most well-stocked versions of the game, Jacks or Better pays out fairly well if you play 9/6. It may not be as spectacular as the other games on this list, but it’s fun when you’re learning to play video poker.
Coins/Hands
1 coin
2
3
4
5
Royal Flush
250
500
750
1000
4000
Straight Flush
50
100
150
200
250
4 Of A Kind
25
50
75
100
125
Full House
9
18
27
36
45
Flush
6
12
18
24
30
Straight
4
8
12
16
20
3 Of A Kind
3
6
9
12
15
2 Pairs
2
4
6
8
10
Jacks Or Better
1
2
3
4
5
4. Full-Pay Joker Poker Kings or Better
Full pay Joker Poker Kings or Better is an exciting 53-card video poker game, which introduces the joker card into the mix. There aren’t many software providers that have created a version, but it’s worth a try when you can find it.
Hand
1 Coin
2 Coins
3 Coins
4 Coins
5 Coins
Natural Royal Flush
250
500
750
1000
4000
5 of a Kind
200
400
600
800
1000
Wild Royal Flush
100
200
300
400
500
Straight Flush
50
100
150
200
250
4 of a Kind
20
40
60
80
100
Full House
7
14
21
28
35
Flush
5
10
15
20
25
Straight
3
6
9
12
15
3 of a Kind
2
4
6
8
10
Two Pairs
1
2
3
4
5
Pair of Kings or Better
1
2
3
4
5
5. Full-Pay Aces and Eights
Full pay Ace and Eights is another option when you’re learning to play video poker, with a 16000x payout on a winning sequential royal flush. So, try it out and test out some strategies at our favourite casino sites!
Learning how to play video poker is made easy with our complete guide for Aussie players. We’ll compare the best video poker games, paytables, and how to beat the odds.
