Best US Sites to Play Video Poker Games

Date IconLast Updated: Jan 15th, 2024

The best game variants are now available online at established platforms like our top pick, Caesars Online Casino. This US-licensed casino has a rewarding VIP program and a $1,000 welcome bonus that's eligible to use on 17 top video poker games. Join us as we learn about the game variants, strategies, tips to win, and the best USA online casinos with these fun games.

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How to Play Video Poker

Video poker is a digital version of the classic five card draw poker. Players can win money by making poker hands such as a pair, two pair, three-of-a-kind, straight, flush, straight flushes, four of a kind, and up to the highest hand, a royal flush.

US players can enjoy an incredible choice of video poker variants online. They provide a similar experience to a slot machine, with a Random Number Generator (RNG) system picking random cards on each draw and displaying them on the screen.

When you load a video poker game, the most prominent feature is the pay table. It’s typically displayed to the left or above the cards. It lists the poker hands and the corresponding prizes you receive for each one. It also shows if the top hands, like a royal flush, have a jackpot when betting maximum coins. Follow the steps below to learn how to play video poker.

Types of Online Video Poker Games

There are many popular video poker games at US online casinos. Each game variant has different rules, payouts, and special in-game jackpots. Below, we’ve gone into more detail about the most common types of real money and free video poker.

Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better video poker is one of the most famous five card draw poker games at online casinos. The minimum hand to receive a payout is a pair of jacks. So if you get a pair of 2s through to 10s, they don’t count. The highest hand is the royal flush, which pays 250:1 for one coin and a massive 4000:1 jackpot prize for five coins.

The two most common Jacks or Better game types are 9/6 and 6/5, which refer to the coin payout for a full house/flush. In 9/6 Jacks or Better, players receive nine coins for a full house and six for a flush. 6/5 has reduced rewards of six and five coins. 9/6 Jacks or Better offers a higher 99.54% RTP than the 6/5 version, with 95.51%.

Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild is a fun video poker variant where all 2s count as Jokers and act as wild cards. It enhances the gameplay, and landing a wild can boost the chances of forming stronger hands like a straight flush. For example, if a pair of kings and two lands, the game will turn the two into a King and hold the three cards to make triples.

Due to the increased chances of making a hand, the RTP of Deuces Wild video poker can reach 100.76% with perfect strategy. The minimum payouts start at three of a kind, offering an even 1:1 prize. You must hit a natural royal flush with no deuces to win the jackpot. The next strongest hand is four deuces. 

Double Bonus Poker

Double Bonus Poker offers a unique style of jacks or better that focuses on rewarding special jackpots for different four-of-a-kind poker hands. One coin bettors can receive double jackpot prizes worth 160 for four aces, 80 for four 2s - 4s, and 50 for four 5s - Kings. There are two variants: full pay and short pay.

In full pay games, the one coin payouts are 10/7/5 for full house/flush/straight hands, and the RTP with optimal strategy can reach 100.17%. Short pay has lower prizes of 9, 7, 5 and a reduced 99.10% RTP. Most casinos have Double Bonus poker titles paying 10/7/4 or 9/7/5 to combat strategic players gaining an edge over their business.

Triple Play

Triple Play video poker is an exciting fast-paced variant that is more suitable for experienced jacks or better video poker players. Triple Play lets you play three hands at once for triple the fun and returns. You can select from different titles, including Deuces Wild, Double Bonus, Jacks or Better, and other popular choices.

Instead of one row of five cards, the screen displays three rows with five cards. Payouts start with jacks or higher and include super bonuses for hands with four cards, e.g. Four Kings. Triple Play is perfect for players who know their strategy and wish to receive more hands in each gaming session.

Jokers Wild

Joker Wild is a game variant that adds a Joker card to the deck, bringing the total to 53. It acts as a wild and can replace any card to help make a better hand. For example, if you have two aces and a joker, it will automatically become an ace to form three of a kind.

The payouts are similar to other game types; however, landing a pair below kings means players won't receive a payout. With the addition of the Joker, players can make five of a kind with payouts for one coin starting at 200. The top prize for betting with five coins is a natural royal flush jackpot of 5,000.

Double Double Bonus

Double Double Bonus poker is a unique video poker game with boosted jackpot prizes for hands with four of a kind. The bonus rewards for one coin bets range from 50 for four 5s – Kings, 80 for four 2 - 4s, 160 for four Aces or four 2,3,4 with an Ace, and 400 for four Aces with 2, 3, or 4 kickers.

The most common version of Double Double Bonus poker is 9/6, with a theoretical return of 98.98% using optimal strategy. Like other online video poker versions, the minimum prizes start at Jacks or better with a 1:1 reward. The extra rewards make this a fun and rewarding variant at US online casinos.

Multi Play

Multi Play video poker titles bring the classic action of Jacks or Better and boost the excitement with the ability to play 5, 10, 25, 50, and up to 100 hands simultaneously! It's not for the fainthearted and is a more suitable choice for experienced players who have perfected their online poker strategy.

In Multi Play poker, you receive a starting hand at the bottom of the screen, and all others stay face down. You can select to hold specific cards and press deal. All hands will keep the cards you choose and draw other ones. Each hand that wins receives credits contributing to the round's return.

Free Video Poker vs. Real Money Play

If you’re new to video poker, the great news is it’s available to play for free or real money, just like slot machine games. You can start for free, learn the basics, and improve your chances of winning. We’ve listed some other pros and cons to consider below.

Free Online Video Poker

Pros
Play Jacks or Better & Other Top Video Poker Games with No Risk
Practice and Learn Game Rules Before Playing for Real Money
Wide Availability at Real Money & Social/Sweepstakes Casinos
Cons
Can’t Win Actual Prizes
Not All Varieties May Be Available For Free

Real Money Video Poker

Pros
Win Real Cash Prizes
Wide Variety of Game Variants and Hand & Speed Options
Huge Jackpots for Top Hands at Max Coin Bet
Cons
Must Deposit and Risk Money to Win
Not All US States have Legal Real Money Gaming

Video Poker Strategy Tips

Playing video poker involves using a strategy. You can improve your chances of winning by playing free video poker to learn the rules, studying some tips, and forming a plan. The tips below are a good starting point for a better game experience.

Winnings Hands in Video Poker

All video poker machines will list the possible payouts for their games. Prizes can vary from game to game depending on the rules.

Essentially, hand ranking is according to standard five card draw. The Royal Flush is the best hand, followed by the straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, and one pair. In a standard game of Jacks or Better, the lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks.

Payouts are made for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 coins. A special jackpot is reserved for a Royal Flush with 5 coins.

Here are the basic payouts for a game of 9/6 Jacks or Better.
 

HandExamplePayout (Bet of 1 coin)
Royal Flush10-J-Q-K-A all hearts250
Straight Flush2-3-4-5-6 all clubs50
Four of a Kind4-4-4-4-K25
Full House3-3-3-Q-Q9
Flush2-4-7-9-J all hearts6
Straight2-3-4-5-6 different suits4
Three of a Kind4-4-4-J-K3
Two Pair10-10-3-3-A2
Pair – Jacks or BetterJ-J-2-3-51

Video Poker Games with the Highest RTP

Video poker games each have their own RTP (Return to Player percentage). The value can vary dramatically from game to game.

For example, a game of Deuces Wild video poker actually offers an RTP of 100.7% if you play optimally. However, most casual gamblers will find the real RTP around the 96-97% mark. As with slot machines, video poker titles may offer slightly different returns depending on the developer.

Here are some of the best RTPs found in video poker games.
 

Video Poker VariantRTP
10/7 Double Bonus Poker 100.1%
9/6 Jacks or Better 99.54%
Bonus Deuces Wild99.49%
All American Poker 99.38%
Aces & Faces 99.26%
Bonus Poker 99.16%
Double Double Bonus Poker98.98%
Multi-Hand Deuces Wild 98.91%
9/5 Jacks or Better 98.45%
8/6 Jacks or Better 98.39%
Deuces Wild97.19-100.7%
6/5 Jacks or Better 95.51%

 

FAQ

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