Video Poker Rules
Getting to know video poker won’t take you long if you’re already comfortable with different types of poker hands. Whether playing offline with friends or online, you won’t find a big difference.
- In order to place a wager you have to put coins in the machine. You can’t change your bet once the game has started, and it has to be placed before drawing your cards.
- Push the button “Draw/Deal” once you’re placed your bet, and this will then bring up the initial five-card hand.
- Then you choose if you want to hold any of the five cards in you hand by pushing the “Hold/Cancel” button under each card you decide to keep. If you change your mind and don’t wish to hold on to a chosen card, press the “Hold/Cancel” button once again to cancel.
- The word “hold” will then flash under all your held cards, confirming that you have held these cards.
- For a second time, push the “draw/deal” button to get new cards to replace the ones not held.
- If you have a winning hand the machine pays off and is set up for a new game.
Remember, the cards are not usually shown in order on the video poker screen. Many video poker games will then let you know about a hand/potential hand when the game has been completed.
Ordered from top to bottom, these are the best hands and are most likely to be winners:
Royal Flush: A Royal Flush consists of all face cards plus a 10, all in the same suit. This is the highest hand to get in poker.
Straight flush: Being the second highest hand possible, a straight flush is made up of 5 cards in order and all within the same suit. Aces are normally counted as the lowest card in the run. Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 in the same suit is a group of 5 ordered cards.
4 of a Kind: Four cards of the same value with one odd card will give you four of a kind. If you have four Queens and one 3, that is four of a kind.
Full House: When you have 3 cards of the same value, and two other matching cards of the same value. So, for example, a hand consisting of three Jacks and two 4′s, or three 6′s and two 8′s, is a full house.
Flush: When you have all five cards in the same suit in your hand it is considered a flush. A flush can consist of a 4 of Clubs, 5 of Clubs, 7 of Clubs, Queen of Clubs, and an Ace of Clubs.
Straight: Five cards in order, but not in the same suit, is a straight. An Ace of Diamonds, 2 of Clubs, 3 of Hearts, 4 of Clubs, and a 5 of Spades is one possibility of a straight.
Three of a Kind: Three cards of same value or rank, and two outsider cards like 7, 7, 7, Ace and 2 is a three of a kind.
Two Pair: Two cards the same is a pair, and when you have two of these plus an odd card it is a two pair hand. An example would be 6, 6, 7, 7, 2.
One Pair (Jacks or higher): Only a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, and/or Aces pays off while playing video poker.