Video Poker for Real Money in Indian Online Casinos

Opening any video poker game, you will see a large paytable normally located at the top of the screen. It shows the winning hands and their respective payouts. If the game accepts more than one coin, the payouts are also displayed for each coin. As in other online casino games, the user interface is pretty much self-explanatory. There are buttons for adjusting a bet size (typically, they are marked as “+” and “-”), a Hold control, and a few others. Sure, the UI differs across providers, but it is intuitive and practical. 

The player’s objective is to make the strongest hand after getting the initial five-card hand. So looking at the first deal, the player measures the cards up and assesses the prospects of gathering one or another hand. If the player wants to hold one or more cards, they should tap the intended card; in desktop versions, there’s the Hold button under each card.

When the needed cards are held (the related badge will appear over these cards), the player must tap the button to continue the round. This means the cards the player has kept will remain in place, while the remaining cards will be replaced with others. After the second deal, the resulting hand is scored, and the player receives the corresponding cash award, if any.

• Video poker card values

  Cards do not have any numerical score in video poker. The value of any hand is determined by a combination of card suits and ranks. In most games, the lowest-valued card is an any-suited 2, and the highest is an Ace. In some games, e.g. Deuces Wild Poker, twos act as wilds, or jokers, meaning they can substitute for any other card.

• Bet sizes in video poker

  As a rule, a bet starts at about $0.01—$0.10. Some high-roller casinos have a minimum bet of $5. Besides, a player can generally pick one to five coins, with a denomination from $0.05 to $5 each. Therefore, a bet is typically $0.05 to $25. If you select a multi-hand video poker, the total bet per hand is way lower than $25.  

• Gamble feature in video poker

  Some of the best online video poker variations have a gamble feature that works much the same as in video slots. If the round turns out to be successful, the player may click Gamble to open a bonus mini-game where the winning can be doubled. A typical layout of the bonus feature suggests the player must predict whether the face-up card will be higher or lower than one of the face-down cards. A correct pick will amp up the latest winning by x2.

• Understanding RTP in video poker

  The Return-to-player (RTP) value, typically shown as a percentage, indicates how much an average player gets back during a long gaming session. RTPs of most online video poker games come in the range of 97% to 99.5%, which means one can expect to collect $97 to $99.5 on each $100 wagered. Note that you will leverage the expected return only if you make correct decisions about which card to hold and which to replace. Failure to make proper decisions inevitably reduces the built-in RTP. Almost every online video poker for real money features a strategy chart that advises the sequence of actions for whatever hand.      

There’re dozens of variations featuring specific rules. For example, some are played with jokers that replace other cards, making it easier for the player to collect a winning hand. Some variations provide payouts for certain 4-of-a-kind combinations. Additionally, some games, e.g. from Red Rake, have a multi-hand option where you can play up to a hundred hands at a time. Below you can find brief reviews of the most popular video poker online games in India.

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  Jacks Or Better

  This is a classic variation where the lowest hand is a pair of jacks, paying 1:1. The three highest hands are Four of a Kind (25:1), Straight Flush (50:1), and Royal Flush (250:1). Notably, many games have a special 5-coin payout of 4000 coins for Royal Flush. This means playing with the max bet, you can grab 4000:1 for that combination instead of a normal 1250:1. If you find a “full pay” title, you will enjoy a 9/6 payout with a return of over 99.5%. 

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  Deuces Wild

  The game is played with a standard 52-card deck without jokers. Deuces Wild has a twist, where all twos act as substitution for any other card, thus helping the player to collect a good poker hand. The pay chart shows 4 Deuces as the second highest hand (200:1), Royal Flush w/ deuces (25:1), and Five of a Kind (15:1). The lowest hand is Three of a Kind with the even-money reward. 

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  Joker Poker

  The game has a variable RTP, with the full-pay variant paying 100.64%. Joker Poker is also known as Kings or Better, as the latter is the lowest hand with a 14% hit probability. The best hand is Natural Royal Flush (800 to 1000 coins), but if you create a royal flush with a joker, it will pay you 100:1. Probability of collecting a royal flush is 0.0025%. Always consult the rules before playing because some Joker Poker games have a 95.46% RTP due to the reduced Straight and Flush payoffs (3:1 and 4:1).  

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  Aces and Faces

  As the name suggests, the gameplay is tied to combinations of aces and face cards. Therefore, the pay chart includes a few uncommon hands, such as 4 Aces (80:1); 4 Kings, Queens or Jacks (40:1) and; 4 twos to tens (25:1). No wild cards are present in the game. The lowest hand is Jacks or Better, with a 1:1 payout. Most games accept up to five coins and yield a 4000-coin jackpot for Royal Flush if you bet max.

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  Aces & Eights

  This variation is based on the standard Jacks or Better rules except that it has enhanced payouts on three hands: Four of a Kind – Aces or Eights (80:1), Four of a Kind – Sevens (50:1), and Four of a Kind (Others, 20:1). The full-pay version returns 99.78%, while Royal Flush awards 4000 coins on the max bet. The minimum need for a payout is a pair of jacks (1:1).  

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  Bonus Poker

  Games with the word “bonus” in the title typically put in special awards for four of a kind. And this also relates to any Bonus Poker. Actually, the game in question has almost the same chart and rules as Jacks or Better, but nevertheless, it comes with a twist. In Bonus Poker, 4 of a kind hands are differentiated based on the card rankings: Four of a kind (aces) pay 80:1, Four of a kind (2s, 3s, or 4s) pay 40:1, and any other Four of a kind pays 25:1. The full-pay version returns 99.2%.

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  Double Bonus

  This variation is based on Bonus Poker, with the difference being it doubles the payout for Four of a Kind. You can get 160:1 for four aces and 80:1 for four 2’s, 3’s and 4’s. But this comes at the cost of a lower return on a straight, flush, and full house. As a rule, you will find 9/7/5 Double Bonus poker, but if you are lucky to come across the 10/7/5 version, you will get a payback percentage of 100.17%. 

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Experts advise learning a few essential tips to make the best of video poker payouts and always make the right fit in every gameplay situation. Below, you can find the most efficient and vital pieces of advice that will help you win more often.