Playing Video Poker
Most people will have played poker at some point in their lives. No other game can compete with the level of tension and jeopardy that poker creates. There are now so many forms of the game and platforms on which to play it, that it is also one of the most accessible games around. Here is a detailed look at some of the ins and outs of this form of the legendary game and a look at how it holds up against traditional slot machine games:
Game Rules
What are the main differences between poker and video poker you ask? Video poker is like 5-card poker, but can be played both online and offline. A player only needs a basic knowledge of poker to succeed. As video poker is computerized, there are many different forms of the game.
Let’s get down to business, looking at the do’s and don’ts of the game! The game itself is fairly straightforward. Don’t be put off by the different format, once you understand the basics, it becomes a very simple game to follow! The aim of the game is to get the highest scoring hand, from 5 cards. You start with a hand of 5 and you can decide whether you would like to discard any cards and then draw new cards in their place. There is always a minimum hand and you will have to match that, or go better, in order to win. Different versions of the game have different minimum requirements. The biggest prizes come from the best hands, naturally.
Video Poker vs Slot Machines
Both games can be fantastic fun and both can leave the player with a little more in their pocket than they had before. Whether you choose one or the other, is totally up to you. It depends on what you want from a game. When you are just looking for a bit of fun and trying your luck, with a game which requires little understanding, then slot machines are the choice for you. The difference between them are that video poker games involve intricate strategy while slots does not. Furthermore, Slots games offers progressive jackpots that unlike poker video games are quite high.
When you are just looking for a bit of fun and trying your luck, with a game that requires little understanding, then slot machines are the choice for you. If you are looking for a game that is not only fun but requires strategy as well as luck, then go to 888 Casino website, one of the leading online gambling platforms in the UK, which offers you the most exciting video poker games.
If the game requires the player to understand plays and rules, it suggests the player has more of an influence over their own chance of winning. This means you aren’t just relying on pot luck, with a little bit of information you stand a far better chance of winning. Let’s get you up to speed with the basics of video poker, so that you can start enjoying and winning immediately!
Winning Hands
There a whole host of winning hands and there are even more when you play Joker Wild double up poker. Joker-Wild Double-Up adds two jokers to the standard deck of cards, so instead of 52 cards, you have 54. It gives you the option of making any of the traditional video poker combinations, but with a joker card as a stand in, or ‘magic card’. Here is a brief rundown of the classic winning hands for video poker, with some classic Joker Wild combinations.
Royal Flush
Nothing feels better than having a Royal Flush
This is the highest hand that can be played in any form of poker and so, naturally it is the highest in video poker as well. For those that are new to the game, a royal flush is a sequence of the highest valued cards a player can have in their hand (they must be of the same suit). It runs from jack up to ace. If you are lucky enough to finish with a royal flush you can expect to win big.
Straight Flush
A straight flush is similar to the royal, but instead of being a flush of the highest cards (ace, king, queen, jack, 10), it is a run of five consecutive numbers from the same suit. This is still one of the best hands you can hold, but it is ranked slightly below the royal, as it is easier to make, and is seen as less ‘special’.
Joker Royal Flush
This only exists when playing Joker Wild. It is exactly the same as a royal flush, however, a joker takes the place of one of the cards.
Some video poker games like Joker Wild
Straight
A straight is simply five cards that run in a sequence. They do not have to be from the same suit.
Four-of-a-kind/ Five-of-a-kind (Joker Wild)
Fairly self-explanatory and again a common hand in all kinds of poker. As the name suggests the player has to produce four cards of the same rank, such as four aces. When playing Joker Wild, you can maximize this by extending it to 5 with the addition of the joker card.
Three of a kind
As you would imagine this is exactly the same concept as four of a kind, but with a card less in the combination.
Two Pair
Another play which is common in all forms of poker, two pair is again, pretty straightforward to understand. The player is required to produce two different pairs of the same valued card in their hand, for example, two queens and two 7s.
When playing Double Joker Poker, you can bet between 1 coin and 5. Playing with 5 coins give you a better edge, or potential of winning. Any of the combinations above will see you winning a prize and the money you win is decided by the casino or platform that you are playing on. This will vary from company to company. Playing Joker Wild does offer a slightly higher expected win rate than simple video poker.
How to play
To play the game you will have to enroll on an online video poker website. You can enjoy playing from the comfort of your own home, wherever you are. As you can imagine with poker, to win money, you will have to spend money. You will find it easy to deposit funds on any of the major sites.
The next step is to go and select the exact game you would like to play, from the many different options available to you. You should find a video poker selection available on most online casinos, or good gambling websites. This will have the likes of popular games, such as the Joker Wild double up game, also known as Double Joker poker.
The next stage, is to choose your stake, this will obviously alter the amount you stand to win from the game. The denomination is up to you. You are then dealt a hand of 5 cards. This is the moment when a player can swap cards from their hand. Any cards you are happy with, you can click the ‘hold’ option and any you wish to trade in, can be swapped by clicking ‘deal’ or ‘draw’. The cards you now have in your hand are your final cards and you whether you win, depends on the combinations you have. The twist with Joker Wild Double, is that you have two Jokers in the pack and this gives more opportunities at getting the wild card and thus more opportunities to win.
Now you have the basic ins-and-outs of the game, you are ready to begin. Have a try at the different forms and find which suits you best and then let the cards be dealt!
