Online Video Poker at JackpotCity Casino Canada
Video poker is a game based on the five-card draw game, following the same rules. The main goal is to get the strongest hand.
In this article, we explain the rules and how to play video poker online. We also answer some frequently asked questions and look at all the games available at JackpotCity Casino.
Variations of Video Poker
JackpotCity Casino offers a great variety of online video poker to its users in Canada.
Jacks or Better
This is the most basic variation. Jacks or Better is perfect for beginners who want to experience online video poker real money gameplay. Players get dealt five cards, and once they see what they got, they can either keep them or replace them with a new card.
Bonus Video Poker
Almost the same as video poker Jacks or Better, this game has but one difference—it has a higher payout for the four-of-a-kind set.
Double Bonus & Double Double Bonus Video Poker
Both online video poker games are the same as Bonus Video Poker. But, they double and quadruple, respectively, the payout for the four-of-a-kind hand based on the cards the hand comprises of.
Deuces Wild & Jokers Wild
Deuces Wild Bonus Video Poker and Jokers Wild Video Poker are the same as Jacks or Better, with the difference that the deuces (twos) and the Joker serve as Wilds. Hence, they can be used as any card to complete a winning hand.
Unlike in the Deuces Wild game, in Jokers Wild, only one Joker card is added to the deck, not all four.
Aces and Eights
Same as Jacks or Better, with bonuses for a four-of-a-king hand made of Aces, eights, or sevens.
Other Variations Available at JackpotCity
Aces and Faces video poker game is the same as Aces and Eights with bonuses for a four-of-a-kind hand made of Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces.
There’s also Tens or Better, a one-hand game in which the player aims to have at least a pair of tens in their hand.
Video Poker Strategies
As this game is a mix of poker and slots, the outcome of the game isn’t entirely based on luck. Players need to use a video poker strategy to improve their chances of winning. Each game variance has a different strategy, which is why you need to know their rules before you start playing.
Here are several strategies punters use when playing video poker online:
- Know the pay tables – All games have different payouts for each hand. To reduce the house edge and increase your potential winnings, always go for a 9/6-or-better pay table.
- Play the max coins – Each video poker title allows players to bet between 1 and 5 coins. Choose 5 coins to make the most of your potential winnings. But if that crosses your betting limit, go lower.
- Low pairs are better than a single high card – If you have a pair, even a low one, keep it. It’s better to have something than nothing, and with only one high card, the chances of getting a high-ranking hand are low.
- Royal flush over straight or a flush – If you have a chance of getting Royal Flush, break up straight or flush. If not, keep them.
Winning Video Poker Potential Payouts
The exact payout percentage varies based on the title chosen. Average video poker games have a payout of 96% or higher.
Full-pay ones have the highest payout percentage of 99.54%. They are also known as 9/6 games because the full house pays off at 9:1 and the flush at 6:1.
Those with a payout of 97.3% are widely available in online casinos. They have an 8/5 payoff, which means the full house pays off at 8:1 and the flush at 5:1.
Lastly, there are games of higher house edge with 7/5 and 6/5 payouts.
How to Play Video Poker?
To learn how to play video poker online, you must know the basic rules of poker itself. The good thing about online video poker is that there are no other hands to beat—you simply need to try and gather as good a hand as possible. Nonetheless, each variance has slightly different rules, so you need to check them before you start playing.
Another essential thing to know before choosing this game is what hands you can play. Below are all hands ranked from strongest to weakest:
- Royal Flush – Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten of the same suit.
- Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as Queen of Hearts through 8 of Hearts.
- Four of a Kind – Four cards of the same value but a different suit. It doesn’t matter what the fifth card is.
- Full House – Three cards of the same value, along with two cards of the same value.
- Flush – Five random cards of the same suit.
- Straight – Five consecutive cards. The Aces can be counted as low or high.
- Three of a Kind – Three cards of the same value but a different suit. It doesn't matter what the fourth and the fifth cards are.
- Two Pairs – Two pairs of cards, each with the same value, i.e. 7c-7h-9s-9d-Ac. The fifth card is irrelevant.
- Pair – Two cards with the same value, i.e. 4c-4d-7c-3-h-8d. The other three cards are irrelevant.
- High Card – If you don’t have any winning set, the strength of your hand is judged by the value of your highest card.
How To Place your Bets and Gameplay Overview
Before the game begins, you wager between 1 to 5 coins. Upon placing the bet, you click the Deal button and receive five cards.
Check to see what cards you got and decide whether to keep or replace them. To keep a card, you need to press the Hold button under each card you want to save. To replace the other cards, you need to press the Draw button.
Upon the card replacement, you get the final hand. If there’s a winning hand, you receive the corresponding payout based on the game’s paytable.
Learn The Video Poker Terminology
Apart from the terms related to hands, there are several others you need to know. Those are:
- Ace-High – When the player doesn’t have any winning combination and the strongest card is an Ace.
- Aces Full – When the punter has a full house with three aces and another pair.
- Boat – Alternative term for a full house.
- Face card – Jacks, Queens, and Kings.
- Kickers – The cards that aren’t part of the player’s winning combination.
- Pat Hand – When none of the cards dealt can be improved by drawing new cards.
- Wilds – Cards that can substitute any card.
The Different Rules For Each Video Poker Variation
As we said, each game has slightly different rules. However, they share the basic poker ones. Nonetheless, we’ll go through each one in more detail.
Jacks or Better
Players get dealt 5 cards in the first game and need to choose whether they keep or discard them. For each card discarded, they receive another. While the main goal is to get the strongest hand, a pair of Jacks is the minimum hand to qualify for a payout.
Bonus Video Poker
Bonus Poker follows the same rules. Although pretty much the same game, it differs in payouts, with the four-of-a-kind paying better. CA players can get a boost if their four-of-a-kind includes twos, threes, or fours. They get an even greater boost—even higher than straight flush—if their hand includes four Aces.
Double Bonus Video Poker
A variance of Bonus Poker, this game has the same rules and gameplay. The only difference is that it doubles the payout of a four-of-a-kind as well as the payout for a four-of-a-kind comprised of fives and all the way to kings. The payout for two pairs is the same or better compared to Jacks or Better.
Double Double Bonus Video Poker
This variance of the Bonus Poker adds another doubling of the four-of-a-kind hand payouts, increasing them to a point not many other video poker games can offer.
The payouts are even higher if the four-of-a-kind hand includes Aces, twos, threes, or fours. And, if these hands have an Ace, two, three, or a four as a kicker card, the payouts go sky high. For example, four Aces with a 2, 3, or 4 as a kicker have odds of 400:1.
However, these payout boosts don’t come without a cost. The game reduces the payouts of the two-pair hand, which is one of the most common hands.
Deuces Wild Video Poker
Deuces (a.k.a twos) are the least desirable card to receive in poker. However, here, players can use their deuces any way they want because they are considered Wilds. This may increase the chance of getting a winning hand more easily or creating a strong hand if the rest of the cards allow that.
Jokers Wild Video Poker
Also known as Joker Poker, this video poker game is almost the same as Deuces Wild, with the Joker being the wild card instead of the twos.
Although similar to the rest, Jokers Wild has one difference—an extra card. The Joker is added, turning the standard 52 deck of cards into 53. This difference leads to slight changes in the game’s rules. For instance, a pair of Kings is the weakest hand a player can have.
Aces and Eights Video Poker
The Aces and Eights game has similar rules as all other titles above. However, the video poker gameplay and some of the payouts are different. Players who have a four-of-a-kind made of Aces, eights, or sevens get bonuses.
How to Find the Games at JackpotCity?
JackpotCity’s website has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate. All the games are divided into categories based on their type, which makes them easy to find.
Canadians looking for the best video poker have to sign-up for an account and make a deposit. Once signed up and logged in, simply type the title’s name in the search field and the results should appear.
After that, you just need to open the game, choose a bet amount and press the Deal button.
JackpotCity Casino App and Mobile Compatibility
JackpotCity Casino uses Microgaming’s top-notch software, which ensures a sleek gaming experience on any device. Users can access the game library on a desktop via the casino’s website or on their phone or tablet via the app, which is compatible with Android and iOS devices.
In terms of quality and design, JackpotCity offers great choices. All games boast HD graphics with clear and vibrant colours. These are coupled with sound effects that bring the gaming experience to a new level.
Online Video Poker FAQs
Can you play video poker online for money?
Where to play video poker online?
How to play online video poker?
Is online video poker rigged?
Player Safety and Security with JackpotCity Casino
JackpotCity is a legit online casino, It employs the latest SSL encryption technology to ensure gamers’ safety and security.
Punters can choose from over 500 games, including video poker online, live casino, and table games, available on desktop and the casino’s app. Canadians also have the option to choose from a variety of payment methods. Visa, Mastercard, eCheck, Paysafecard, iDebit, Neosurf, and INSTADEBIT are the most popular options.
As a reputable casino, JackpotCity places a special emphasis on responsible gaming. All players must be of age to game on the site. For all problem gamblers, there is a Responsible Gaming tab with various tools, such as deposit limits and self-exclusion periods.
