The first step to improving your video poker gaming experience is to choose a game which suits your needs. There are many different types of video poker variants out there, and they feature different house edges. As well as alternating house edges, different video poker variants will also see a few tweaks to the general rules.
It is essential that you select a video poker game which suits your playing style. Always look at the house edges and rules before you decide to play one game over another.
The Use of Jokers Alters Many Things
When you play with jokers (and there a few games which allow this, such as Deuces Wild) a series of non-standard poker hands become available. These can include the fabled Wild Royal Flush and Five of a Kind hands. However, it is worth noting that playing with jokers will affect other aspects of the game, too.
Video poker games which do not have jokers in the deck will often require players to have a minimum of a pair of Jacks or tens to win. However, when playing with jokers, the minimum hand a player needs to have to bag a prize is often a Three of a Kind. On top of that, the house edges in games with jokers vary compared to those without. The prizes for video poker games with jokers may also be less than those without wild cards.
Play with the Maximum Number of Coins
When playing video poker online, it is always advised to play with the maximum number of coins. Playing with 1-coin per hand will not see you win as much as playing with 5 coins. While it will see you wagering more money, the prizes are worth considerably more. If you were fortunate enough to land a Royal Flush or another high-paying hand when playing with the maximum number of coins, you’re looking sizeable wins.
It is also worth pointing out that players who wish to play with the maximum number of coins can still get away with cheap bets. Simply select the value of your coin to $0.01, and you can wager all 5 coins for a stake costing as little as $0.05 per hand.
Video Poker Strategies Do Exist
It is possible to find video poker strategies online, and these can help you out. Unlike games of chance, video poker is a game of skill. As such, the more experienced you are concerning poker strategy and how to formulate hands, the more likely you are going to win. This is made even easier when you consider that you are not playing against a dealer or other players.
A word of warning about using video poker strategies, though. There are many different types out there. Players shouldn’t just study and use any old video poker strategy chart. Instead, they should try and focus on the strategy for the specific video poker variants that they happen to be playing.
Practice Poker Games with Free Play Video Poker
Video poker is one of many different online casino games which can be played for free online. Players will, therefore, have plenty of opportunities to hone their skills and practice. When studying video poker strategies and charts, it is ideal to play for free, so you can learn how to use them. Players will find that betting systems may also come in handy, too. These can be practised without risk by playing free poker games online.
A flurry of different places can offer players free video poker games. As well as honing your skills and trying strategies, these free to play demos are also ideal if you want to test drive a new variant. If you think that one type of video poker game may be more beneficial to you than others, play it for free and find out if that is true. After all, the more prepared you are, the smoother your video poker gaming experience is likely to be.
