The perfect combination of the speed of a pokie machine and the strategy of 5-Card Draw Poker: Video Poker. This is an absolute casino classic that attracts Kiwi players who prefer skill-based games over pure luck.In Video Poker, you are not playing against other players or a dealer. You play against a fixed paytable, and your decisions are crucial. Variants like Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild have been favorites for decades among players looking to minimize the house edge through skill.This guide explains the basics, the most important variants, and the importance of strategy.
How to Play Video Poker: A Step-by-Step Guide
The foundation of almost all Video Poker games is “5-Card Draw”.
- Choose Bet: Select your stake (usually 1 to 5 “Coins”).
- Pro Tip: You should always play with 5 Coins, as the “Royal Flush” (the highest hand) has a disproportionately high bonus payout at 5 coins (often jumping from 1000 to 4000 credits).
- Deal: Click “Deal” and receive 5 face-up cards.
- Hold or Discard: This is the strategy part. You must decide which cards to keep (“Hold”) and which to throw away to form the best possible poker hand.
- Draw: Click “Deal” (or “Draw”) again. The discarded cards are replaced by new cards from the deck.
- Payout: This is your final 5-card hand. The machine automatically checks if you have a winning hand (according to the paytable) and pays you out instantly.
Video Poker vs. Standard Pokies
Why choose Video Poker over a regular slot machine? Here is the breakdown.
| Feature | Video Poker | Standard Pokies (Slots) |
|---|---|---|
| Control | High (You decide which cards to hold) | None (Passive outcome) |
| Skill Factor | Yes (Strategy affects payout) | No (100% Luck) |
| RTP (Return) | Very High (97% – 99.5%+) | Medium (94% – 96%) |
| Pacing | Fast & Deliberate | Fast & Automatic |
| Volatility | Low to Medium | Medium to High |
| Jackpot | Fixed (Royal Flush) | Often Progressive or Fixed |
The Hands: What Do You Need to Hit?
Knowing the Poker hand rankings is essential.
- Royal Flush: (10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace – all same suit) – The best hand, pays the jackpot.
- Straight Flush: (Five cards in a sequence, all same suit).
- Four of a Kind: (Four cards of the same rank).
- Full House: (Three of a kind plus a pair).
- Flush: (Any five cards of the same suit).
- Straight: (Five cards in a sequence, but different suits).
- Three of a Kind: (Three cards of the same rank).
- Two Pair: (Two different pairs).
- Jacks or Better: (A pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces) – This is the lowest paying hand in the standard version.
Most Popular Video Poker Variants in NZ
While rules are similar, the paytable or the deck changes everything.
1. Jacks or Better
The original and the best for beginners.
- How it works: As the name says, the lowest paid hand is a pair of Jacks. A pair of Tens or Nines is worthless.
- Strategy: Relatively simple to learn. Focus is on building high pairs.
2. Deuces Wild (Twos are Wild)
For advanced strategists.
- How it works: All four “Deuces” (Twos) in the deck are Wild (Jokers). They can substitute for any other card to form the best hand.
- Strategy: Much more complex. Hands like “Five of a Kind” are possible and frequent.
3. Joker Poker (Joker’s Wild)
A middle ground.
- How it works: A single Joker card is added to the deck (53 cards total). The Joker is Wild.
- Strategy: Similar to Jacks or Better, but with the added chance provided by the Joker.
Why Strategy is EVERYTHING in Video Poker
Video Poker is not a pokie machine. It is a strategy game that looks like a pokie.
- Every Decision Counts: Whether you hold a “low card” with your pair or not has a direct mathematical impact on your long-term winnings.
- The RTP (Return to Player): A normal pokie has a fixed RTP (e.g., 96%). The RTP in Video Poker depends on you.
- Perfect Play: If you play the mathematically “perfect strategy” (charts are available for every variant), RTPs can exceed 99.5%.
- Poor Play: If you play by “gut feeling,” the RTP quickly drops to 95% or less.
This means: Video Poker, played perfectly, has one of the lowest house edges in the entire casino.
Pros and Cons of Video Poker
Pros (The Good)
- Extremely High RTP: Often over 99% with perfect strategy, making it one of the fairest games.
- Skill Matters: Your decisions make the difference. It’s a game for “thinking” players.
- No Bluffing: It’s pure poker mathematics without the social pressure or bluffing of a table game.
- Transparent: The Paytable is always visible on screen, so you know exactly what you are playing for.
Cons (The Bad)
- Strategy Must Be Learned: If you just click for fun, you will lose faster than on a 96% pokie.
- Visually Dated: Many Video Poker machines look intentionally “retro” and don’t offer exciting 3D graphics.
- No “Surprise Bonus Rounds”: The win is tied strictly to the hand rankings (except for the Royal Flush jackpot).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is Video Poker the same as a Poker Slot? A: No. A “Poker Slot” (like Texas Hold’em Bonus) is a theme slot. Video Poker is a true 5-Card Draw strategy game against the machine.
Q: What does “Jacks or Better” really mean? A: It means you need at least a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces to get a payout. A pair of Tens is worthless.
Q: Why should I always play 5 coins? A: Because of the Royal Flush. At 1-4 coins, it pays about 250:1. At 5 coins, it pays about 4000:1. If you hit a Royal Flush with less than 5 coins, you are throwing away thousands in bonus payouts.
Q: Can I practice Video Poker for free? A: Yes. Almost every NZ online casino offers Video Poker in Demo Mode. This is the best way to learn the strategy risk-free.
Conclusion
Video Poker is the timeless classic for players who want the best of both worlds: the solitude and speed of a machine, combined with the intellectual challenge and fair odds of a strategy game. It rewards patience and knowledge like no other electronic game.