Video poker for Australians

Unlike the pokies (the slots), video poker games requires a large amount of skilled and strategic gameplay. Unfortunately, the pokies are far more popular than video poker titles (both within the land based realm of gambling and the online realm), chiefly due to the lack of skill required to play the slots, and the ease at which they can be played.

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That’s why we’re giving video poker a well-deserved raise in the rankings of casino games. Video poker machines are in fact, one of the only forms of gambling games that can boast, with correct strategy, an edge that favours the player, rather than the house. So why wouldn’t you play?

Video poker sites and bonuses for Australians

Video poker machines were introduced to land based casinos around 1970, and have since become extremely popular, finding their way into the digital age and onto our computers at around the turn of the century.

Below are the five of the best online gambling sites boasting the largest collections of video poker titles, all legally available to play in AUD currency, and all utilising innovative, tested and approved gaming software.

  • Royal Vegas Casino – powered by Microgaming and one of the most esteemed online casinos.
  • G’day Casino – specifically catering for Australian gamblers, and offering an array of exclusive games.
  • Guts Casino – 3D gaming and a large video poker range, and known for its brilliantly designed interface.

All real money deposits and withdrawals are protected with the latest secure socket layer (SSL) digital encryption technology, to safe-guard your dollars and your personal information.

Sign up for a casino account by accessing any of the above links and registering your details (username, password, full name, date of birth, email address, country of residency, preferred currency). You will then be able to make your first secure deposit and make the most of the new player welcomes bonuses available at each of our endorsed gaming platforms.

How do you play online video poker?

Almost all video poker games follow the basic five-card draw formula – that is, you are dealt five random cards, and you are given one chance to discard as many original cards as you desire, and draw as many new cards (the same amount as you discarded), in an attempt to form a stronger hand.

Hand rankings will typically build as follows:

  • A pair
  • Two pairs
  • Three of a kind
  • Straight
  • Flush
  • Full house
  • Four of a kind
  • Straight flush
  • Five of a kind (when Jokers are utilised)
  • Royal flush

Different video poker variations may alter the hand rankings slightly, while the pre-determined pay-table which is the key to your payouts, will vary from game to game, too. Also, some variants may allow the player to discard and draw new cards more than once, while restricting the number of allowed discards the second time around.

Video poker variants on the Internet

Below are a list of some of the most popular online video poker machine titles, all available across our recommended Australian-friendly casino sites, listed above. Aussies can access these titles within real money mode and also within practice mode, in order to get a feel for how the games operate.

  • Aces and Faces
  • Aces and Eights
  • All Aces Poker
  • Bonus Deuces Wild
  • Deuces Wild
  • Double Joker Poker
  • Tens or Better
  • Jacks or Better
  • Joker Poker
  • Louisiana Double Poker
  • Multi Hand Video Poker

Why should you venture to the online realm of video poker, rather than land-based casinos? There are multiple important reasons as to why you should at least consider the shift.

1. Online casinos offer a far wider selection of video poker games than brick and mortar casinos.

2. Due to fewer overheads, Internet gambling sites offer a lower house edge across all their games.

3. Access to video poker progressive jackpot titles, such as All American and Jackpot Deuces.

4. The ability to practice and hone your skills within free play mode.

5. The convenience to play from your desktop, laptop, mobile phone or tablet, and the ability to switch from game to game.

Is video poker the same as pokies?

Video poker, which is sometimes referred to as electronic poker, is significantly different to the pokies, chiefly because video poker games call for skill, whereas the pokies are based on complete chance.

Additionally, video poker games use simple, digitised card icons (regular playing decks, often with Jokers), while the pokies include a host of other playing symbols and features which add to overall dynamics of the game (creating payouts born from different symbols, multipliers, bonus rounds, free spin rounds and more).

Also important to note is the differing house edges of slots games and electronic poker games:

When correct strategy is applied, video poker can boast a return rate (expected long term profit return to the player) of more than 100 per cent – that is to say, the house edge can be eliminated completely, to the point where the player holds the advantage over the casino.

Land-based pokies carry a very low return rate anywhere between 85 per cent and 90 per cent (a house edge of between 10 to 15 per cent), while online pokies boast an improved house edge of anywhere between two to 10 per cent. Video poker clearly remains the best choice in terms of player advantage.

Sign up at Royal Vegas Casino, make a secure real cash deposit in AUD currency, grab your welcome bonus, and browse and play through the assortment of quality Microgaming video poker titles.