With all the video poker game variations you can find at Internet casinos, you might be wondering what are the best video poker games to play online. In this article, we’ll break down some of our favorite choices, and what makes them so fun, as well as the special features and paytables to be aware of.
Video Poker (Evoplay)
Evoplay’s Video Poker is an easy to play version of the classic “jacks or better” format, where a player needs at least a pair of jacks to get a prize payout (this bet pays 1:1 in this game).
The ambiance is surprisingly nice for a light game with a smartphone visual style. The game features a jazzy soundtrack and a soothing purple background. It’s like a city lounge late at night with live music keeping things chill while you sip drinks.
You can play 1-5 hands using the multiple card icon on the left of the button row at the bottom of the screen. This means that, after you get an initial deal and select your “keeper” cards, you can see the runout play multiple times. This is great for longshot hands that need multiple tries to hit.
For those who want to “set it and forget it,” there’s an autoplay feature with optional stops that are customizable. That is, you can configure your autoplay to stop if your balance goes below or above your player-defined thresholds.
If you need more info, click the hamburger icon (three lines) to access detailed rules and settings like turbo play, as well as sound and visual options.
The wealth of features and ease of use make Evoplay’s offering one of the best video poker games online.
Paytable:
- Royal flush 250x
- Straight flush 50x
- 4 of a kind 25x
- Full house 8x
- Flush 5x
- Straight 4x
- 3 of a kind 3x
- Two pair 2x
- Jacks or better 1x
Deuces Wild Video Poker (Nucleus)
Let’s get wild!
Deuces Wild incorporates the idea of the wild card. In this game, it’s the twos that are variable. They can fill in for whatever card would make you the best hand. If you’re asking yourself “What is the best video poker game to play?” this is a strong option due to this fun feature.
The “downside” is that this adjusts the paytable. A pair or two are no longer enough to get paid. They’re too common and too easy to land. Now trips are the minimum for winning a prize. Here’s how the paytable looks in Deuces Wild:
- Natural royal flush 250x
- Deuces royal flush 200x (using a wild 2)
- Five of a kind 15x
- Straight flush 9x
- Four of a kind 4x
- Full house 4x
- Flush 3x
- Straight 2x
- Three of a kind 1x
This paytable adjusts smoothly as your bet increment increases, with one exception: betting max (five bets at your chosen amount) gives you a MUCH bigger payout for natural royal flushes. “Naturals” are royal flushes that don’t use any wilds. If you land one while betting the maximum, that’s the biggest win you’ll see.
After your wins, there’s also a double up risk game you can play. You have the chance to go double or nothing by picking a card (from four that are face down) that beats the dealer’s upcard. You can play four times in a row if you’re winning, but not after natural royal flushes.
First Person Video Poker (Evolution)
The most noticeable part of this game right off the bat is that it tries to emulate the experience of playing the best video poker machines at a live casino. The game actually replicates the view from your seat in a casino video poker room. You can see the carpets, the background, the other comfy velvety seats, and the other machines. It’s a game with ambiance, for sure.
You can play out tons of hands, in this one – up to 100! The paytable is pretty straightforward:
- Royal flush 800x
- Straight flush 50x
- 4 of a kind 25x
- Full house 9x
- Flush 5x
- Straight 4x
- 3 of a kind 3x
- Two pair 2x
- Jacks or better 1x
The full house pays a bit more than in the first game reviewed above, and the royal flush is a LOT more rewarding (800x vs 250x).
If you like the look and feel of a classic casino, this game takes things to another level. There are even chunky buttons you can click that will definitely remind you of the real thing. This version of video poker also has one of the highest RTPs (return to player) of any game in our whole casino at 99.54%.
Texas Hold’em (Platipus)
This isn’t exactly like a traditional video poker game. Instead, it brings in something a little different for all the Hold’em fanatics out there. If you’ve been living under a rock since 1999, you probably haven’t seen the world’s most popular variation of poker. We might have grown up playing five card draw at home decades ago, but Texas Hold’em is now the gold standard for the game when playing against other players.
This game puts you into a head-to-head Hold’Em game with the dealer but makes things so much easier than you might think. The dealer won’t raise or put you to hard decisions. Instead, it’s a “dummy” dealer, like in blackjack.
You’ll get two cards and then can choose to raise or fold. If you proceed, you’ll see a three-card flop (remember, the ultimate goal is to create the best five-card hand you can). Then you can check or bet, and the turn card is dealt. The same options are presented, and then the final river card is dealt. If you beat the dealer at a showdown, you win. If it’s a tie, it’s a push and you get your bet back.
For strong hands, you can raise all the way and make some nice money by the end. For weaker hands, you can check it down and escape without losing too much dough.
One note about payouts: if you get a straight or better, all your bets are paid 1:1. If your hand is worse than a straight (trips, two pair, one pair, high card), then the ante bet is a push, and returned to you while the flop, while the remaining three bets on the raise, turn, and river are paid 1:1.
This is modern video poker that brings in some of the fun of a game of Texas Hold’em.
Aces and Faces (Platipus)
Aces and Faces is a video poker game that offers a lively piano soundtrack and the ambiance of people in the background, like a party full of activity.
As the name indicates, aces and faces are kind of special. The proof comes in the paytable, which pays out bigger for quads of aces or faces, and less for other cards. Here’s what you’re in for:
- Royal flush 800x
- Four of a kind (aces) 80x
- Straight flush 50x
- Four of a kind (jacks through kings) 40x
- Four of a kind (two through ten) 25x
- Full house 8x
- Flush 5x
- Straight 4x
- 3 of a kind 3x
- Two pair 2x
- Jacks or better 1x
After standard wins, there’s a gamble game where you can go a) double or nothing by choosing a color of a playing card or b) quadruple or nothing by predicting the exact suit. If you love getting paid from high cards, this game is a great choice. It also has one of the nicest interfaces of any of these options.
Ready to give it a shot?
Head to our crypto video poker section and pick whatever you like. There are dozens of live video poker options where you can interact with a human dealer who is live via streaming video. They deal out real cards in a casino studio and you can click your choices just as if you were playing online.
Good luck, and hopefully one of those royal straight flushes is coming your way.