Video poker combines elements of slots and poker across numerous fun variants to offer one of the most uniquely enjoyable games available at online casinos. Read our expert guide to develop your skills and play the latest video poker games for free.
Video poker is a single-player poker format available to play at UK online casinos, in which your aim is to get the best possible hand (according to traditional ranks) from five randomly dealt cards. After the initial hand has been dealt, you have the option to swap any of the cards, before the game then locks them in and you win a payout if you managed to land a winning hand.
This fast-paced and simplistic gameplay means video poker generally appeals to both online slots fans and players at poker casinos. There are now multiple variants Brits can enjoy, offering the chance to win 5,000x times your bet or more, as well as more favourable house edges than other popular casino table games like roulette and craps.
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There are many different versions of video poker that you can play at real money casinos. The most common is Jacks or Better, which (as the name suggests) features a minimum payout if your hand contains a pair of Jacks or higher cards. Most other variants tweak the rules from this version as follows:
| Video Poker Variant | Average RTP | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Jacks or Better | 99.54% | Widely considered to be ‘standard’ video poker, whereby you need at least a pair of Jacks to get a winning hand. |
| Tens or Better | 99.14% | Follows the same rules as Jacks or Better, but also pays out on hands containing a pair of 10s. |
| All American | 99.38% | Offers different payouts for a Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind and Two Pair. |
| Flush Attack | 98.94% | After a specified number of flushes have been won, the next Flush achieved wins a boosted payout. |
| Bonus Poker | Varies | Rewards different payouts for Four of a Kind depending on the rank of card involved. Games such as Double Bonus Poker follow similar rules. |
| Joker’s Wild | Varies | Has a joker in play, enabling winning hands such as Five of a Kind and Joker Royal Flush. |
| Deuces Wild | Varies | 2s can be used to represent any rank, meaning you can also win with Four Deuces, Wild Royal Flush and Five of a Kind. |
As an example, All American video poker games give you better payouts for a Flush or Straight than Jacks or Better, but also smaller wins for landing a Full House or Two Pair. As a result, it still tends to have a less favourable RTP overall.”
As with all popular casino table games, video poker titles are produced using HTML5 technology, meaning they’re designed to run smoothly and quickly at mobile casinos. The relatively simple format means that most titles have uncomplicated graphics which easily adapt to all screen sizes in both landscape and portrait mode, including on the latest smartphones such as the iPhone 17 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25.
When we tested video poker games on top-rated casino apps such as LeoVegas and Betano, we found even the most recent releases had minimal mobile data demands, ensuring they were responsive and buffer-free irrespective of whether we were connected to wi-fi or mobile data. The touchscreen controls are largely restricted to choosing whether you want to hold or swap each card during the round, meaning even beginners can easily follow the gameplay.
When you’re new to video poker, knowing whether the cards you’ve been initially been dealt are worth keeping or swapping can be difficult to figure out. However, if you’re lucky enough to have been dealt a winning hand with your first five cards, then basic video poker strategy suggests you should do the following across most variants:
| Rank | Example Hand | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | A❤️, K❤️, Q❤️, J❤️, 10❤️ | Hold. |
| Straight Flush | 10♦️, 9♦️, 8♦️, 7♦️, 6♦️ | Hold. |
| Four of a Kind | Q♣️, Q♦️, Q❤️, Q♠️, 2♣️ | Hold. |
| Full House | 5♣️, 5♦️, 5❤️, 3♣️, 3❤️ | Hold. |
| Flush | K❤️, J❤️, 7❤️, 4❤️, 2❤️ | Hold, unless you have four of five cards required for a Royal Flush. |
| Straight | J♣️, 10♦️, 9❤️, 8♣️, 7❤️ | Hold, unless you have four of five cards required for a Royal Flush. |
| Three of a Kind | 4♦️, 4❤️, 4♠️, 8❤️, K♣️ | Discard the other two cards to try and get a Full House. |
| Two Pair | 6♣️, 6❤️, 2♦️, 2♠️, A❤️ | Discard the remaining card to try and get a Full House. |
| Jacks or Better | J♣️, J♣️, 5♦️, Q♠️, 7❤️ | Hold the pair, unless you have four of five cards required for a Straight Flush. Discard any lone high cards. |
However, even when there’s just a solitary deck of cards in play, there is still only a 4.30% chance of this succeeding. That means the move isn’t worth it, as approximately 19 times out of 20, my winnings will be reduced by roughly two-thirds.”
Video poker is a game of chance in which you need to rely on luck to win, but there are things you can do to maximise your expected returns and simply ensure that you have a fun time when playing it at top-rated UK casinos, such as the following:
Practice with free demos: As video poker is a RNG game effectively played against the computer, you can try free games to learn how different variants work and experiment with your betting strategies without the risk of losing money. We suggest starting with free Jacks or Better titles in order to master the basics, before moving on to versions with additional rules and varying payouts.
Look out for bonuses: Gambling sites generally offer fewer casino bonuses for video poker than other well-known table games like roulette and blackjack, so search for and claim such offers when you can. Equally, if a casino allows 100% of your video poker wagers to contribute towards a promo’s wagering requirements, utilise this as an opportunity to take advantage of the game’s high RTP rates.
Prioritise small wins: The odds of landing specific winning hands on video poker can massively vary. As an example, while you have an approximate 1 in 80 chance of getting a Straight, this jumps to 1 in 40,000 for a Royal Flush. With this in mind, if you’re initially dealt lower-value winning hands, it may be advisable to stick with them than risking cards in an attempt to secure bigger prizes.
Be ready for high risk, high reward gameplay: On many video poker games (such as Jacks or Better by Playtech), you can only potentially win the biggest reward for a Royal Flush if you bet the maximum number of coins per round. That means if you’re keen to play for the largest prizes, you may need to brace for your bankroll lasting for a shorter period and/or across fewer rounds.
Gamble responsibly: As video poker features faster gameplay than many other poker variants hosted by online casinos, it’s particularly important to manage your bankroll. Set yourself a budget and utilise responsible gambling tools such as deposit, wager and loss limits to ensure you stick to it and can’t chase losses. If you’re concerned about problem gambling, don’t forget that independent help and resources are available from organisations including Gamblers Anonymous, GAMSTOP and GambleAware.
Yes, video poker uses RNG (random number generator) software to determine the cards that appear and therefore the outcome of each round. At UK casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission (UKGC), this RNG software is independently tested and approved by companies such as eCOGRA and iTech Labs.
Video poker is a version of regular poker, which you play on your own against a RNG dealer. In live dealer poker, you and other players are against an actual human dealer across variants like Texas Hold’em and Caribbean Stud, with the gameplay streamed in real time from purpose-built studios.
Jacks or Better, All American and Tens or Better have the lowest house edge, which often hits under 1% on the most favourable games. The RNG rate can vary for the same video poker variant, depending if a game has specific rules and payouts in play.
