Video Poker Guide

Video poker may be considered the love child of television game shows and the early computers from the 1970s. It is highly popular to this day, having achieved renewed vigour and value since it successfully migrated to a very enjoyable online casino spot. Now, check out just how popular and exciting this game is:

Playing online video poker at Platinum Play

Online video poker is a very easy game to understand, in whichever form or version it’s presented. The game is loosely based on actual poker. Five cards are dealt to a player, who may then discard up to four cards during the first round. These cards are replaced with a similar amount, to ensure that the player always has five cards in hand.

Betting and banking on video poker

Betting in the software is straightforward: ensure that there are enough credits, select the amount you wish to bet by hitting the (+) or (-) buttons to increase or decrease the amount you bet, and hit deal. Once the cards are turned face up, and the player chooses the cards he/she wishes to hold on to, the game progresses as normal.

Because online video poker has such a wide variety of possibilities, and nearly limitless potential for winning, the betting limits per game, although varied, can be as low as $0.25. This makes for an extended level of enjoyment, so a massive bankroll is hardly a must-have. Also, in the event that balances run dry, the easiest option is to simply buy more credits, without breaking stride in the game. The ‘Bank’ button may be used to buy more credits, and may be found in the bottom left side of the software screen, right below the ‘Games’ button and above the ‘Expert’ button. Online video poker has a more advanced form of ‘Expert Mode’ than most other games available from Platinum Play. This is due to the fact that video poker has far more options to relinquish consistent player control – in favour of letting the system make more proficient and well-informed decisions – than other online games.

Expert Mode functions for online video poker

There are some useful features that a player can enable through the online video poker ‘Expert’ mode. These functions can prove especially useful for new players, or players that seek a faster resolution through some of the more technical, nitty-gritty phases of the game.

• Analyze Mode: This is perhaps the most useful feature in Expert mode. The Analyze function puts ‘Optimal Play’ into the game, allowing the software to hold or discard the player cards that are deemed unnecessary or useless. Players can obviously reserve this right for themselves, but sometimes it helps to have some backup, inside information. The Analyzer is accessed in this way:
  • In the software screen, below the ‘Bank’ button, is the ‘Expert’ button. Click it to see your additional options.
  • In ‘Analyze’ mode, you’ll have five additional buttons available: the ‘10x’ button deals ten consecutive hands without player say-so; the ‘5x’ button deals five consecutive hands without player intervention; ‘Auto Play’ will allow the player to set a specific amount of rounds that the software will handle before the player takes over again, or simply let the game progress without the player providing much input – useful for answering urgent phone calls!. The ‘Analyze’ function will analyze the hand currently held by the player. ‘Show Hints’ is pretty self-explanatory.
  • Just remember that the ‘Analyze’ function is disabled in Auto Play mode.
  • Every time a hand is played when ‘Analyze’ is on, the hand in play will be evaluated, and statistical percentages will be given for an optimum hand.
• Optimal Play Hint Settings: This little dialogue box appears once the ‘Show Hint’s button is pressed. What the Optimal Play Hint Setting does is to inform the player of the difference in the expected credit return for the hand currently in play. Think of it as a tiny, instantaneous odds generator, to assist with those niggling queries of ‘to bet, or not to bet’. To check out the full lowdown of all the special features and functions for video poker, reference the casino software ‘Game Help’ function, or press F1.

Payouts, tips and tricks for online video poker

With Platinum Play making it fun and easy to not only enjoy online video poker, but to make the most out of the money, there are few tips and tricks worth noting that the software ‘Expert’ mode won’t teach a player. Still, it does help to know more, for that extra edge over the house. And for those players not yet familiar with video poker payouts and odds, keep on reading:

Online video poker odds

Each version of online video poker available at Platinum Play Online Casino has its own payout schedule, so in order to find out how these pan out, please consult the ‘Payout Schedule’ in the ‘Help’ section of each game to see how much money is to be made.

Video poker shortcuts

Consult the tables below and check out some handy shortcuts, to make the online video poker experience even more efficient:

Some online video poker tips

Despite the helpfulness and usefulness of having an Expert assist mode, just one click away, there are still some sensible tips available to keep in mind. After all, what good is an Expert mode if it fails to teach the game basics?

• Novice video poker players should start playing on low betting range games first, to become more familiar with how the game works, before they start betting higher and with more sensitivity to video poker nuances.
• There are some common enough poker strategies available, and since online video poker follows the same kinds of odds and hands, knowing these will always prove useful. For example, never discard a pair of low cards for a high card; hoard your Jacks rather than your Aces because Jacks are high-card middle ground, etc. Knowing poker already gives a player a distinct advantage in this online video poker variety.
• Although it is sometimes considered an amateurish stunt, discarding all five the cards in hand for the chance to receive a better batch is not a bad thing to do at all. It’s about winning and enjoying, not about being considered amateur or professional.
• Don’t discard and redraw five cards if the hand already contains a Jack or better. This is an immediate high card win at least, so getting rid of a completely possible – albeit small – winning hand is wasteful.
• Players should become familiar with each variation of online video poker that they play; the payouts, odds, etc. This will go a long way in securing consistency and finding stable ways of winning.
• Remember, online video poker is played against software, so there is absolutely no reason to rush, because there’s no time limit.
• The following are some cardinal rules for video poker, and apply across all the versions of the game:
  • Don’t break a straight against the possibility of drawing cards to make a flush. This is again wasteful.
  • Don’t draw too many cards when the current hand will suffice; drawing 4 cards instead of just 3 to make a royal flush is not only wasteful, but foolish.
  • Don’t hesitate to break a flush in hand in order to go for something higher, like a royal flush.
  • Don’t try to hold on to a kicker when a pair is already in hand.
• Remember to never play above the pay-grade. Spending more money than is in your account is a sure way of ending all enjoyment immediately, and going home empty-handed.

Online video poker strategy

There are almost no online video poker strategies that may be clearly defined as numeric or mathematical approaches to the game. Apart from the cardinal rules that govern most poker types, and therefore video poker, the only pertinent strategy that may be applied to online video poker is not one that is bound to the game itself. Rather, the best strategy to follow is to find the best online casino to play at. The casino that will offer you the widest selection of video poker games, with the best payouts, the best in-game features and modes of assisting, bonuses, support and free-play modes.