Video Poker Online New Zealand 2023

The history of video poker starts when the first video poker machines were created together with the first personal computers in 1970 and they were very primitive compared to the video poker machines that are used today. The video poker machine with black-and-white screen was made by Bally and only 8 months later a competing company brought a response from Bally’s machine to the market – the video poker machine with a colorful screen. Video poker is starting to become popular in the casinos in Las Vegas in 1979 when SIRCOMA (Si Redds Coin Machines) brings a variety of video poker on the market called Draw poker. Draw poker also included the lowest possible hands and therefore there were a lot of profit-making hands. The game became very popular in all the casinos because people thought that the machines are very safer to play as the games on the table (roulette, blackjack, craps and others). Nowadays there are hundreds of different modifications and variations of video poker. The tables for the payment in the game can vary and the players have a big choice. An interesting fact is that the original variants of video poker, which were called Jacks or better, are one of the most popular in the casinos as well nowadays. Video poker was always a popular play in every casino. Many people love video poker, because this is an easy game and because this is not so difficult, such as normal poker, but in any case it requires certain decisions to make decisions. In the 1980s the market for video poker grew considerably. It was considered less intimidating than normal poker because you could only play it, you could bet smaller amounts and you did not have to go to a casino. The popularity of video poker also helped with the rise of video slots. In the beginning people were rather suspicious about this because the turning of the roles was not visible. Thanks to the video poker machines established at the time, the slots also became more trustworthy. With the rise of the internet in the 21st century, the popularity of video poker has increased even more. After all, video poker had been digital since the seventies of the last century, so a lesser transition was necessary than for classic table games such as roulette.

Video Poker

Poker is often played at home, often for fun. They also often play poker at clubs. If you want to play poker, you are often dependent on other people. You just have to know people who have the time and the way to play poker with you. The advantage of playing online poker is that you do not have to depend on other players. In such a case, video poker is a good alternative for earning money with poker. Grab a casino bonus and play video poker!

Online Video Poker Games and Variations

Jacks or Better

In video poker you will often encounter Jacks or Better (also known as Draw Poker). It is one of the most popular variants of video poker and has high payouts. Jacks or better owes its name to the fact that you only receive a payout if you have a few farmers or higher. The round starts with the first bet (ante) before each player gets his five cards dealt face down. After that, betting can only be opened if one of the players at the table has a pair of jacks or higher. If no one can comply, the cards are taken and each player gets a new hand. However, if the round can be opened, each player has the option to bet or check. Players can then draw up to five more cards, depending on how many cards they want to hold first hand. After the second round, you have to see what you can make of your hand. Then there is an extra betting round (the showdown). The player with the best hand of five cards wins the pot!

Ultimate Texas Hold’em

Ultimate Texas Hold’em is also an exciting video poker variant. In this form of poker you play Texas Hold’em, as it were, against the bank. The course is very simple. You place the ante and get two cards, and the bank also. These are the so-called ‘Hole cards’. In addition, five cards are dealt face down on the table, the community cards (these are cards that everyone can use for their hand, hence the name community). Here is the first betting round and you can decide on the basis of your first two cards to increase or not increase your bet (you can of course also stop or fold, then you lose your bet). Then the first three community cards will be turned over. Now you can look on the basis of your own 2 hole cards and the 5 community cards how strong your hand is, and on this basis again bets (this goes through fixed units). The last two community cards are shown, and from the total of seven cards you have to put together your best five cards hand, after which of course a round of betting follows. Once you have made your choice, the bank shows his hand, which is only valid if he has at least one pair. The payment of the game depends on the strength of your hand compared to that of the bank.

Casino Hold’em

Casino Hold’em is a poker variant that is very similar to Texas Hold’em, and which is particularly popular in certain countries (including the Netherlands). It all starts with the first ante bet of course. Then the dealer shares each player and himself two hole cards, and he puts three community cards on the table but this time with the image visible to everyone (face up). Then you have two options: go (call, that means betting the ante twice) or stop playing (fold, you lose your ante). After this round, the dealer puts down two community cards face up, and will also show his own two hole cards. Your hand and that of the dealer are then compared in strength based on the two hole cards and five community cards. The dealer must have at least a couple of four to qualify. The outcome and thus payment of the game then again depends on the strength of your hand compared to that of the dealer. Casino Hold’em also has an optional extra progressive jackpot bet that the player may or may not decide to add.

Deuces Wild

This poker variant is seen as exciting and fun, because the rules here are just a bit more unconventional as with most poker variants. As with Ultimate Texas Hold’em, you do not play this game against other players, but against the bank. Your goal is to make a hand with a three of a kind or higher, as long as you’re underneath, you lose. But first you determine your bet, and you get five cards from the dealer. You decide which cards you want to keep and you can exchange the other cards for new cards. If you have a three of a kind or better at the end of this round, the payout will follow, which again depends on the exact strength of your hand. The nice thing about deuces wild, however, is that every 2 is a ‘wild card’ (this comes four times for each deck), which means that this card can be exchanged for another card that best suits your hand. This gives a little extra spice in the game because suddenly there are several card combinations possible than in regular poker, such as the five of a kind.

Joker Poker

In this poker variant the joker is welcomed with open arms. The game is played with a deck of 53 instead of 52 cards. This joker can take the place of other cards to strengthen your hand (like the 2 at deuces wild). This game has very high payouts and the ratio of payouts is close to 99%! Payouts for this game usually start with a few kings (kings) or higher. As with some previously discussed variants, you initially receive 5 cards, of which you can choose which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to exchange for new cards. The game distinguishes between payouts when your hand consists of a joker or not (for example a street with the help of a joker or a street without a joker). Depending on whether or not you have a joker, you can decide whether you want to get rid of certain cards. This also offers the option to adopt a particular Joker Poker strategy. As with deuces wild, there is also the chance for unique hands that do not occur in traditional poker. Play this variant only if you are already familiar with, for example, jacks or better, because this game is slightly more complicated.

Aces and Faces

Aces and Faces is very similar to jacks or better. The emphasis in this game lies on the cards with faces (faces) and Aces (aces). When it comes to pairs, you should try to form combinations where these cards occur because pairs with the cards below (2-10) unfortunately do not result in a payout. The game starts with the bet of course, you decide how much money or credits you are preparing for the next round and then gets the famous five cards. Here you decide which cards you want to keep, to exchange the other cards for new cards. The final score of this new hand is determined, and you are paid in accordance with the strength of that hand. The game is not very difficult. Usually you can therefore play several hands of Aces and Faces simultaneously with video poker. Also in this poker form the house edge is quite low and the payout ratio is quite high (98%), which makes aces and faces an attractive poker variant for many casino fans. Mind you, this payout ratio is based on the perfect execution strategy. So make sure you practice before you play for real money!

10’s or Better

This variant is extra nice because you only need a pair of 10 or higher to earn a payout. That gives you a high chance of winning, and since the game is fairly simple to learn, this is a good variation to start with when you are new to the world of video poker. The execution is actually equal to that of jacks or better. You start with the bet you want to make, which varies from online casino to online casino but usually starts with a few cents and increases to hundreds of dollars. After that you will be dealt five cards first hand, you will look carefully which cards can potentially deliver the best hand – which you hold – and exchange the rest for new cards (you can exchange up to five cards). If you have a few tens or higher you can already count on a payout. The stronger your hand, the higher your payout. This can vary from 2-5 times your bet with a couple to thousands of times you bet with a Royal Flush. Getting rich can go very quickly!

The Reliability of Video Poker

If you want to play video poker, you can play poker in a reliable way, just like with all other casino games. Before you make the choice to play at a particular casino, it is important to determine the reliability of that casino. To determine this, you can check whether the casino has received a license. If this is the case, you can gamble in a legal way at this casino and win prizes in a legal way. A casino with a license means that you end up in a fair gaming environment. This also means that your chance of winning will not be tampered with.

How to play

Video poker is derived from draw poker and has the same rules, except that you do not play against other players but against a machine. The machine shares five cards on the screen. If the player wants it can take up to five new cards. The player keeps the cards he wishes to keep by pressing the “hold” button, which appears with each card. When the player has made a choice, he presses the “deal” button and the selected cards for new cards are replaced. The result of the game is determined when the last hand is completed. The player can see on the payout schedule (which is shown on the screen) how much he wins. Video poker vending machines have nicer and better graphics than the normal slot machines and generally offer a more visual and exciting playing experience.

Game Rules

You can play Texas Hold’em poker with up to 10 players and a dealer. It is played with one deck (pack) cards (52) without the jokers. Each player receives 2 closed cards that you only have to view yourself. In the further play, the dealer will place 5 open cards on the gaming table, which are therefore visible to everyone. The player who can make the highest possible combination of his own cards and the open cards wins the pot. Before the dealer leaves the 5 cards open, actions are required in between. Before we elaborate it, it is advisable to first review the possible combinations (poker hands). One of the reasons why video poker is so popular is because it is relatively easy to learn and start playing. If you can play poker, you can play video poker. You do not even have to play so well, as long as you know the strength of your hands. And if you do not know the strength of your hands, you will not have any problems yet because they appear on the machine.

Video Poker Basic Rules

Unlike live poker, video poker is not played against other players. It is not the intention to make the best hand, but to make a hand strong enough to be paid out. A payout table will appear on the screen that will tell you how much each hand is worth. On a “Jacks or Better” machine you have to have a minimum hand of a few farmers to be paid. If your hand becomes stronger, you will get paid more. To play, you must put in the desired number of coins and press deal / draw or simply press the “Play Max Coins” button. You will get five cards on the screen like with draw poker. You then use the keys under each card to indicate if you want to keep a card or not. If you have indicated which cards you want to keep, you can press the deal / draw button again to get replacement cards. If your new hand is stronger than a few tens, you will receive credits according to the strength of your hand and the payout table. Below the possible poker hands from high to low. We deliberately used the English names, since you will usually see them back at the poker rooms. The value of the cards in poker is as follows: The Ace is the highest card, followed by the Lord, Queen, Jack, 10 to 2.

  • Royal Flush
  • Ace to 10 of the same species. This is the highest possible poker hand you can get, which does not matter in which card type you have it.
  • Straight Flush
  • A street with 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. If multiple players have a straight flush, the player with the highest card wins.
  • Four of a Kind
  • Four cards with the same value are also sometimes called carrĂ©. The highest possible four of a kind is a hand with four aces.
  • Full House

A combination of 3 cards with the same value and 2 cards with the same value of a different type. The image shows the highest possible full house.

  • Flush: Five cards of the same suit, for example a hand full of spades of cards. If several players have a flush, the hand with the highest card and, if necessary, the second highest card is looked at.
  • Straight: Five cards of random type that succeed each other in value. Also known as Street. The highest straight is ten to ace.
  • Three of a Kind: Three cards with the same value, for example as in the picture 3 women. Three aces is the highest three of a kind.
  • Two Pair: A combination of two cards with the same value + two cards of a different equal value. If several players have two pair, the highest pair is considered to be over to the 2nd pair.
  • One Pair: A few (two) cards of the same value. A pair of aces are higher than a few kings, if necessary they look at the highest side card (s).
  • High Card: If none of the above poker hands is possible, the highest card will be looked at. In this case, the Ace is the High Card.

Poker Game History

Before the players receive two closed cards, the player must place a bet with a “button” (small blind). The player sitting on the left of the player with the button must double bet (big blind). The button will move one place clockwise after a game round. The player sitting next to the big blind on the left has the privilege of taking the two cards as first action on the basis of his two cards. Namely: fold, call or raise.

  • Fold: give your hand, and return the 2 cards closed to the dealer. You then do not play the current round and can therefore no longer lose or win anything.
  • Call: You want to play with the cards you have played and place the required bet
  • Raise: With good cards (or bluffs) you can increase the bet that other players have to follow if they do not want to give up.

After the first betting round, the dealer will open three cards on the console, this is called the Flop.
Players who are still participating now all have 5 cards: 2 own (which you keep closed to others) and 3 open cards that everyone can use to form a poker hand. The active player to the left of the button may act, check or bet first.

  • Check: If a player wants to continue to participate, but does not want to place an (extra) bet. This option expires if a player then places a bet. When all players check, the dealer will deposit the next card for free.
  • Bet: Placing a bet, if you are the first to start with a betting round.

If after the flop the player who acted first has decided to check, then the following players also have the possibility to check. As soon as a bet is placed (Bet), the other players have the option between call, raise or fold. If there are still active players, the dealer will open the 4th card on the game table. This is called the Turn. The third betting round is the same as the previous one. As soon as the dealer places the last (5th) card, this is called the River. The final round of betting then follows. If there are several players left, the 2 cards will show. The player with the highest combination wins the pot. The dealer will then get a small percentage from the pot for the house (the “rake”).

Online Video Poker Tactics and Useful Tips

Video poker requires a certain skill. You have to choose which cards you hold and which you will dispose of. Usually these decisions are simple enough, but sometimes it is not easy to know the best strategy.

Find your Video Poker Strategy

If, for example, you get a pair with four cards of the same suit, do you keep the pair or do you put it away and go for the flush? To find the answer, you have to compare the probability of not going for the flush with the increased payout if you make it, without forgetting that if you keep the pair, you can also form a three of a kind. Or a carré, but this probability is very small. It is not easy to perform these calculations, but in most cases the pair is a superior game. You will develop a feeling for what is the best game as you play more. As a general rule, three cards hold a flush or street, is not profitable. When playing Jacks or Better, it is usually correct to keep all high cards, instead of holding fewer cards to draw more cards. Some casinos suggest which cards you have to keep, and you have to decide for yourself whether or not these suggestions can be trusted. Usually they are reliable.

Set the Maximum Number of Coins

If you look at the payout table of your video poker, you will see that the payout for the suite with ace in the max coins column is often higher than that “should be”. If the payout is 250 for a coin, 500 for two coins, and 750 for three coins, you would expect it to be 1000 for four coins, while it can even earn 4,000. Consequently, you also have slightly better opportunities if you always bet the maximum number of coins. Instead of, for example, betting a $ 1 coin, put four $ 0.25 coins.

Do Good to Bonuses and Jackpots

Look out for sign-up bonuses, and games with bonus rounds or progressive jackpots. Bonus rounds and progressive jackpots are fantastic ways to increase your winnings. A bonus round means that you can push through your bet and possibly double your money, or even more. It is often the best bet in video poker, because it gives you money that is proportional to your bet. A Progressive jackpot is an amount of money that grows as you play and is then paid to a random winner who scores a certain hand. In any case, it is exciting to win them and they require you to bet max coins. Online casinos sometimes offer a bonus if you deposit real money on their site. Bonuses usually assume that you bet money to the value of a certain sum before the bonus is paid out. Bonuses are a fantastic way to improve your chances.

Let the Time Work for You

Take the time to think about your decisions. Actually, there is no time limit, and you will not win anything if you go to work hastily. On the contrary, your play session will be shorter and your money will buy you less fun.

The Payout Schedule

The big advantage that video poker has over other slot machines is that the winnings of the game can be calculated by the payout schedule that is located on the front of the machine. Most video poker vending machines use the combinations that can arise from a 52 card package. There are certain joker poker games, which use one or two jokers in the package of cards. For example, the game “deuces wild” uses 52 cards, but the 2s are wild cards. On the basis of the number of combinations that can be made with the used cards, the payment of the machine for each winning combination can be determined.

Possible Combinations in Video Poker

From a game of 52 cards, 2,598,960 combinations are possible. The program in a video poker machine is set to the likelihood of stimulating the fall of these combinations. Since it is a set probability, the casino can set the machine in such a way that there is a house advantage. There are software programs, books and online information that provide relevant information that allows you to work out the payouts of each table. When you know how to read a payout table, you can find the best machine that has the most chances of success.

Online Slot Machines with Skills

Many players start playing on online slot machines. It is advisable to try out video poker and stay with it. Why is online video poker one of the best machines to play on? Simple, it has all the fun and excitement of a normal slot machine, but now you also have the opportunity to bring in some skills in order to influence the game in your favor. Many players who want to jack up their bankroll play video poker!

Conclusion

Video Poker is a game that requires some skill to play and also bridges the gap between slot machines and table games for many players. It is still fun and very easy to play, but you do have the opportunity to maximize your winnings by influencing the game yourself. This makes the game even more fun and exciting. In most casinos, video poker vending machines have a lower house advantage than normal online slot machines. When video poker machines appeared in casinos for the first time, Jack or better or draw poker was played. Nowadays there are more than a hundred variations of the game that can also be played online.