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Play Video Poker Online At Royal Vegas New Zealand

Video poker games are ideal for players in search of a fast-paced casino game that takes some skill to play. Just like other card-based table games like blackjack, the basics are very easy to pick up, but you can spend a lifetime improving your video poker strategy and never stop learning from the game. This makes for a very rewarding experience that you can enjoy on any connected device, whether it’s your desktop PC at home or your Android or iOS mobile. These poker video games are also great for pokies fans who may be looking for something a little more challenging than hitting “spin”. All in all, your gaming experience isn’t complete until you’ve played video poker in a casino online!

Video poker games explained

Video poker machines were invented back in the 1970s to fill the gap between chance-based games with purely random outcomes such as pokies and roulette and more strategic games of skill. The first example of video poker was Jacks or Better, based on a variant of five card draw. You hit “deal” and the machine deals you five cards from a 52-card deck. You then get one chance to switch out cards for new ones in order to build the best poker hand you can. Then you get your replacement cards, the outcome of the hand is revealed and you’re on to your next hand. Jacks or Better video poker gets its name from the rule that says the more high cards (Jacks or better) you have, the better the payouts you receive.

Explore our range of casino poker games

  • The original Jacks or Better is available to play here at Royal Vegas New Zealand, but there are numerous other variants to choose from too. Each one has its own paytable that pays out differently according to what you have in your hand. Here are some of the video poker games you can enjoy:
  • Jacks or Better video poker: the minimum winning hand is a pair of Jacks or better
  • Deuces Wild video poker: twos are wild so they can substitute for any other card, just like wild symbols in online pokies
  • Bonus Poker: a version of Jacks or Better that pays a bonus if you have four of a kind
  • Double Bonus Poker: Jacks or Better, but with a bonus for four aces.
  • Aces and Faces: you get a bonus for four of a kind of aces, kings, queens and jacks.

Video poker strategy

Video poker is one of those games where the player’s knowledge has an impact on the game. Do you understand the difference between a royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair and high card? These are the poker hand rankings, and it’s a good idea to learn them before you log in to an online casino for video poker. Beyond hand rankings, video poker strategy can add to your enjoyment of the game. This is basically the attempt to play video poker online in a mathematically optimal way. The maths is pretty complicated, so it helps to know that there are online video poker strategy charts for all the different variants. You look at the cards you’re dealt and run down the chart from top to bottom until you find the highest hand that corresponds to your hand. The chart will tell you how many cards you should switch out and how many you should keep.

Mobile casino video poker

You can still find video poker machines in brick-and-mortar casinos, but these days it probably makes more sense to play video poker online in a mobile casino. Nostalgia aside, land-based poker video games can’t really compete with our range of mobile-optimised video poker games. Play them in your smartphone or tablet browser, or load them up directly with the Royal Vegas mobile casino app. Android and iPhone users are equally well served! Whatever mobile device you prefer, you’ll be able to get in on the action anywhere you choose, whether it’s on the couch at home or on the move.

Poker video games that are safe and fair

Video poker games ultimately come from the Wild West, where cardsharps used to play five card draw for high stakes. Sometimes things got out of hand and players accused each other cheating, often settling disputes at gunpoint. That can’t happen in video poker, though, because the outcomes are truly random, thanks to the use of Random Number Generators. This means you always have a fair chance. But don’t take our word for it! All Royal Vegas are certified as safe and fair by the independent eCOGRA gaming commission.

Play video poker responsibly

It’s tons of fun to play video poker online but you need to keep things in proportion. Sometimes players do get carried away. To ensure you keep a clear head, Royal Vegas has a number of responsible gaming tools that you can access online. Options include doing an online self-test, taking a time-out from the casino or even blocking yourself from the site. You can also set set a daily, weekly and monthly limit on how much money you deposit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play video poker online?

Playing a hand of video poker at Royal Vegas New Zealand is simple: Set your betting level. Hit “deal” to get your first five card pokers. Switch out as many cards as you like. Get your replacement cards. Receive any winnings according to the paytable.

How can you win at video poker?

There is no failsafe method of winning online video poker games, but you can improve your chances of winning by playing each hand in the most mathematically optimal way according to your probable poker hand rankings. You can work out the odds of earning payouts yourself or you can use video poker charts.