Online Casino Gambling

The rules in video poker can be far simpler than in many games, and it won’t take you long to grasp them. Understanding the rules can be vital for ensuring that you make correct judgments in betting and are not confused by play and payout systems. In addition, due to video poker being a slots game, understanding how slot titles work will offer you an even better grip on the game.

Video Poker Card Rankings

Card rankings in video poker are fairly easy to understand, and fall in line with many other games. There are no surprises here and a deck of cards is ranked lowest to highest by numerical value and then Jack, Queen, King. Meanwhile, the Ace can be both the highest and lowest card in the game, offering you possible winning hands of Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace or Ace, Two, Three, Four, Five.

Video Poker Hand Rankings

Whilst video poker does vary from one online casino to the next, most hand rankings normally fall within a specified range. Payouts will also vary, but there are many generalizations that can be used when you’re first learning the game. After the final five cards have been dealt, the video poker hands are judged, offering you the chance to see whether you’ve won or lost. If maximum bets have been placed, you can expect a Royal Flush to win around 2,000 points; a lucrative win if you’re lucky enough to get it. After this the points drop, with a Straight Flush expected to offer 250 points whilst Four of a Kind provides 125 points. At the lower end of the scale, Three of a Kind, Two Pair and a Pair normally offer 15, 10 and 5 points respectively.

Betting and Progressive Jackpots

Video poker is part of a progressive jackpot game, allowing you the possibility to have a shot at winning millions of dollars. However, this requires that you play with maximum bets all the time; an option that many can’t afford. If your bankroll is less substantial, opt for fewer credit wagers and whilst you won’t be able to play for big jackpots, you could still note lucrative wins.

Video poker is an increasingly popular way of playing poker through real life slots and online casinos. Adapted for the solo play environment, the game has a variety of tricks on offer which you can use to maximize your profit and ensure that you don’t lose too much money whilst enjoying this form of entertainment. And if you want to play safely in the knowledge that you’re doing everything possible to win, then there are some important ideas you need to remember.

Learn Video Poker

As with all games, the most important aspect of playing is that you need to know how to play. You’ll make more errors and lose the most if you simply start playing and don’t have any knowledge of the game itself. Learn the rules, practice through free websites or with casino deposit bonuses, and ensure that you are thoroughly at ease playing the game and using the software before you start dropping big bucks.

Minimize Your Errors

Winning when paying video poker is not necessarily about always gaining payouts, but by reducing the number of errors you make. Your bankroll can quickly become diminished if you consistently make mistakes. And these mistakes are the most costly of any online video poker loss because they could have easily been avoided if you’d been careful in the first place.

Play at Casinos with High Payback Rates

Ultimately, you are playing for real money, so no matter how stunning the graphics are, how engaging the music is, or how modern and fun the interface is, don’t be swayed to play at establishments which don’t offer good payback rates. Many online casinos won’t even offer 100% payback rates and, if is this is the case, do not play on the website. Instead, look at a variety of venues and choose the one with the highest odds of gaining good results.

Be Cautious and Watch Your Bankroll

It is important when playing video poker that you slow your game so that you can make considered choices whilst also keeping your bankroll in mind. Don’t start using maximum betting if your bankroll is small as you’ll find that your money is gone in no time at all. Instead, slow your game, use smaller bets, and enjoy online video poker for a longer period of play where you can make a small but steady number of wins to actually create profit from your poker game.

Industry-leading online casino software developer Microgaming recently released a new format of video poker games: Reel Play Poker. In the past, Microgaming introduced Power Poker which consisted of multi-hand video poker. The next release was Level Up Poker which involved sequential hands will multiply payouts. Reel Play Poker is a form of video poker with the addition of slots.

How to Access the Game

The first variant of the new format is in the Jacks or Better game which can be accessed within the video poker section of the Games Menu at any Microgaming-powered online casino. In the same section there is a separate tab for Reel Play Poker. In the game, players are required to choose the number of paylines, coins per payline and coin denomination. Jacks or Better Reel Play Poker features 20 paylines with wagers up to 20 coins per payline.

How to Play

Once the betting parameters are set, the player must click the “Deal” button. Below the primary reels, five cards are dealt from a regular deck. The software automatically marks the cards that should be held in conjunction with optimal strategy. Once the player has marked the card he chooses to hold, he is then required to click the “Spin” button which moves the game to the next phased on the main reels.

The Game Blueprint

These reels are outlined like a five reel slot game in there rows. Each reel corresponds to the cards initially held. The remaining reels are filled with other cards. The video poker hands are not evaluated horizontally; instead they are analyzed in all 20 paylines. In essence, the format is similar to a 20 hand video poker game with all hands working together. Hands are formed through the crisscrossing of paylines across the rows.

Payouts

Each payline is independently evaluated against a predetermined pay table based on the number of coins wagered per payline. Therefore, if a player has wagered 10 coins per payline, the pay table will be adjusted with payouts not being multiplied by the total number of coins. The winners from each line are accumulated and credited to the player’s casino balance.

The maximum payout in the game for a royal flush with 20 coins per line is 16,000 coins. Therefore, if all 20 paylines have a royal flush, the maximum possible payout will be 320,000 coins. This new format is sure to draw online video poker and slot game enthusiasts to all Microgaming casinos.

At Roxy Palace online casino, video poker games seem to the be the main attraction for the month of June 2011. The largest wins have occurred on video poker variants. Also, the wins have occurred across many different variants. The largest win in June was on Double Decker Poker in which the winner took home 21, 525 Euros.

Double Decker Poker

The game is based on the Jacks or Better pay structure and generates interest through four-of-a-kind hands. The highest paying hands include four aces, four twos, four threes and four fours. These all have special payouts depending on the fifth card in the hand. The highest payout is 400 Euros for four aces and a fifth card of two, three or four. This variant is a favorite amongst video poker enthusiasts.

Bonus Deuces Wild

On June 7^th, another winner took home 16,425 Euros by wagering on Bonus Deuces Wild which is based on the Deuces Wild pay structure. Two are the wild cards and three-of-a-kind starts the payout table. Also, there is a five-of-a-kind winning combination which includes the wild card. The higher payouts are awarded for four twos and an ace. The natural royal flush is the highest paying combination on the pay scale.

Joker Poker

Also at the beginning of June, one winner took home 9,810 Euros by participating in Joker Poker. This game is played with a 53-card deck, the extra card is the joker (wild card). The payouts start at a pair of kings or higher. The payout is the same as most other video poker games with the exception of a joker royal flush and five of a kind.

Joker Poker and Deuces

3,900 Euros was won on June 3^rd between Joker Poker and Deuces. The payouts began with a hand of three-of-a-kind. If all five wild cards appear in the dealt hand, Joker Poker and Deuces payout out a large 10,000 coins. Due to the combination of video poker variants, Joker Poker and Deuces is a popular game.

A Trend in Online Gaming

In the past, slots have boasted the biggest winners. However, in a rare occurrence during the beginning of June, video poker took home the dough. Perhaps this is a growing trend toward more individuals playing online video poker and thus winning larger pots. Ultimately, only the final numbers will tell at the end of the month.

Two online table games that require a large amount of skill to master are video poker and blackjack. In both games, players must have an optimal wagering strategy to obtain the highest return on investment. Online table game tournaments give players the opportunity to test their skills against one another. Casinos like Grand Vegas offers tournaments on a regular basis with both of these games.

$2,500 BB Guaranteed

The series of video poker online tournaments is known as “$2,500 BB Guaranteed.” These include 24 hour long tournaments available four days per week beginning at 8:00 PM. The next tournament of the series began on Tuesday, April 12^th, 2011 and used the game 100 Hand Joker Poker. The next tournament in line will occur on Thursday, April 14^th and will be played with the game Single Hand Deuces Wild.

The Entry Fees

Beginning April 16^th and April 17^th, the video poker competitions will begin with the designated game being Mega Multi Hand Deuces Wild and Multi Hand Aces and Faces. All video poker tournaments will be structured in the same manner. The entry fee is $1.99 for all competitions with an unlimited number of rebuys for $1.99 each. The starting designated chip amount is $100 while the rebuy amount is $175.

The total prize pool is valued at $2,500 which is distributed in bonuses known as Bonus Bucks. The top 500 players will share the prize pool with the leader receiving $350 and all subsequent players being awarded less.

Blackjack Pot Percentage

The online blackjack tournaments are known as “Blackjack Pot Percentage.” These are also 24 hour tournaments but are held three times per week beginning on Wednesday, April 13^th. The first game is Vegas Strip Blackjack. The next blackjack tournament will begin on Friday, April 15^th and be played on the Perfect Pairs game. The final blackjack game will start on Monday, April 18^th and utilize the Vegas Strip Blackjack game.

The Entry Fees

For the blackjack events the casino is not offering a guaranteed prize pool. The top 41 players will shared the total prize pool with the first place winner receiving 15 percent of the pot and second place collecting 10 percent. The entry fee for all blackjack tournaments is only $0.99 and the rebuy fee is $2.49.

These tournaments are expected to draw a large tournament crowd anxious to compete against their peers. The success of these tournaments could result in more competitions for higher prize pools in May 2011.

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