Video poker rules

How to Play Video Poker and the Rules

Video poker hand ranks comprise the fundamentals of the game's rules, which are not overly complex. Before starting to play, a player must become familiar with the rules, just like in any new game. Fortunately, compared to many other online casino games, the rules for video poker are fairly simple. Things will go even more smoothly if the player is familiar with the fundamentals of poker and has played slots before.

Card rankings

The ranking of the cards in video poker is the first concept that players must grasp. The card ranks are ranked from highest to lowest, just like in most other card games, as players will notice.

Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, Ace (again). The reason that the Ace is ranked both highest and lowest is because a winning combination can go “Ace, Two, Three, Four, Five” or “Te, Jack, Queen, King, Ace.”

Hand Ranks

While there are numerous variations of video poker, they all adhere to a set of rules. There is a general rule of thumb that can be used even though the payouts can differ.

Only after a player receives their replacement cards are hands evaluated. This indicates that for a player to win, the five cards that are suited to them must add up to one of the following hands.

This table operates under the presumption that a maximum wager has been made. 

- Royal Flush = 2000 points. This is a straight flush, with the Ace high. In essence, Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace, all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush = 250 points. This is a straight flush and can happen when five cards are consecutive and are also in the same suit. Eg:  Three of Clubs, Four of Clubs, Five of Clubs, Six of Clubs and Seven of Clubs.
- Four of a Kind = 125 points. This is four cards of the same value.
- Full House = 40 points. This is a three of a kind and a pair at the same time, making up the 5 cards.
- Flush = 25 points. This means all cards in the hand are the same suit.
- Straight = 20 points. This happens when all five cards are consecutive. Eg: Three of Clubs, Four of Spades, Five of Clubs, Six of Diamonds, and Seven of Hearts.
- Three of a Kind = 15 points. This is three cards of the same value.
- Two Pair = 10 points. This is any two pairs of cards.
- Pair = 5 points. This means that two cards in your hand are the same value. In most video poker games, they have to be Jacks or better.

Place reasonable bets

If one's bankroll is not large enough to risk max bets all the time, it is recommended to bet at least one credit, as each bet costs five "points," or credits. However, the player will not be eligible to win the progressive jackpot as a result of this.