What are the main types of Video Poker games available?

The main types of video poker games available are Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. Other interesting variations include Joker Poker, Tens or Better, and Aces and Faces. Each version has its own set of rules and payout structures.

What is the most popular poker mode?

Jacks or Better is normally ranked as the most popular video poker mode. The main reasons for that include how straightforward it is to understand, as well as its high payout percentage and relatively low house edge.

What is the best Video Poker game to play?

There is no such thing as the best video poker game to play. After all, it will always depend on your preferences and playing style. Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild are common options for novice players, so they can be your first choices too. Then, you can test your skills and luck with Joker Poker and Aces and Faces when your start looking for more challenging gameplay.

Top Video Poker Variations to Play Online

If you like playing poker, you certainly are familiar with Texas Hold’em or Omaha. But those are not video poker games. Video poker is not about comparing your cards to others — like the ones the dealer or other players have.

In video poker, you just try to get a valid combination — and that’s all. If you get one, you will be paid according to the payout table. Otherwise, you will miss the bet. Those online video poker rules are pretty much the same as in a traditional video poker machine.

Still, both the combinations accepted and the payouts will vary according to the video poker variation you are playing. Let’s see next what the main options are and how to play video poker in each case.

Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better is one of the most popular video poker variations. The goal of the game is to get a hand that contains at least a pair of Jacks or better — say a pair of Queens, Kings, or Aces.

Jacks or Better video poker game has a high payout percentage and a relatively low house edge. In other words, you have a decent chance of doing well when playing video poker Jacks or Better. That’s the main reason for it becoming such a popular choice for both novice and experienced players.

Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild is a video poker game where all the twos (known as Deuces here) in the deck act as wild cards. It means that they can be used to substitute any other card in the deck to create a winning hand.

This variation has a very good payout percentage. On the other hand, it can be more challenging to play than other video poker variations. The high number of wild cards can make it a bit hard for players to understand what to hold after the initial draw.

Joker Poker

Joker Poker is a variation of video poker that uses a deck of 53 cards, instead of just 52. It happens because a Joker is added to the standard deck. The Joker acts as a wild card, and players must get a hand that contains at least a pair of Kings or Aces to win.

This game has a decent payout percentage, as it combines elements from Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. It can be easier to use the wild card in this case, as it will only appear once. Also, as only two pairs are accepted, you won’t have such a hard time figuring out what to do.

Tens or Better

Tens or Better is very similar to Jacks or Better. But players must have a hand containing at least a pair of Tens or better to win. As combinations are more frequent in this case, the payouts are slightly lower than in other versions.

Still, the game has a decent percentage and a relatively low house edge. In general, players will get a winning hand more easily than in other variations, including Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild video poker. It is adequate for anyone looking for something easy to understand.

Aces and Faces

Aces and Faces is a video poker game with a high payout for 4 of a kind combinations of Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks. Depending on the game you play, it can also have a decent payout for 4 of a kind combinations of lower cards.

The Aces game has a good percentage. But it can be more challenging to play than other video poker variations if you focus on the special combinations.