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Best Video Poker Games Variants for Maximum Thrills

Video poker is a machine that has a very low house edge, and new versions are released routinely. There are different types of video poker machines and games with unique rules, strategies, and difficulty levels. Each title is available in both free-play and paid modes. You may play for real money in a casino or just play poker slots, there are games for all tastes. The Aussiecasinoreviewer team has prepared a list of the best games on Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch consoles and online casinos to try. Check out the ones that offer the most impressive gameplay below. 

Texas Hold’em 

Texas Hold‘em is one of the most popular casino game types and video poker to try on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. Unlike the traditional Texas Hold’em, individuals play on a machine instead other players. As a result, you can play at your own pace without waiting for others to make decisions. The player is forced to bet blind before the cards are dealt. Two cards (hole cards) are dealt face down to the player. Then, five community cards are dealt face-up in three stages. These stages include three cards called the flop, the fourth street, and the fifth street. The player tries to make the best five-card poker hand from the seven cards and has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. Plus, you can use the community cards together with the hole cards to build a five-card poker hand. 

Deuces Wild Poker 

Deuces Wild is another game that combines elements of slot and poker. It uses the standard 52-card deck. However, unlike others, all four deuces (2s) are wild cards. In other words, they can complete any hand, from a simple pair to a royal flush. As a result, the chances of forming winning combinations and winning more frequent payouts are high. 

In search of the games for this list, we found Deuces Wild in the libraries of various online sites. It’s one of the best video poker games to play for free at reputable online casinos like Rocket Casino, Spin Samurai, and iLucki Casino. The more you play online free poker at RocketCasino or other online gambling platforms, the more confident you become when you play for real money. 

Deuces Wild is played on Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. At the start of the round, individuals are dealt five cards. Video poker players can use their deuce to create a slight flush or the legendary royal flush, and the game has up to 10 winning hands. 

Aces & Faces 

Aces & Faces has an RTP rate of over 99% and is available on Nintendo Switch’s video poker collection. So, if you’re looking for a poker game with fast and manageable gameplay without sacrificing payout, try it out. The game is played with a standard 52-deck card, and most Aces & Faces poker machines have mini-games built into them. With this, players increase or multiply their winnings. 

Aces & Faces pays out rare larger prizes since the hands include the face cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) and Aces. To play the game, start by sizing your bet. Then, hit the ‘deal’ button, decide which cards to keep, and re-click the ‘deal’ button. It’s that simple. The online Casino Rocket game payouts range from 1-1 to 800-1 for the royal flush, and there are 11 different payouts. 

Jacks or Better Poker 

Individuals playing Jacks or Better on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S need to get a pair of Jacks (the minimum qualifying hands) or better (hands stronger than a pair of Jacks) to receive a payout. Examples of better hands in Poker include the royal flush, four of a kind, or straight flush. 

Players are dealt a hand of five cards from a standard 52-card deck. The basic strategy revolves around knowing which cards to hold and which to discard. Put differently, maximizing the chances of forming a winning hand while minimizing losses. A player receives payouts based on the strength of the hand at the end of the round, but the actual ranking of the cards doesn’t matter as long as they meet the minimum hand requirement. The standard Jacks or Better RTP is between 90% to 97%, but some versions exceed 99.50%.

Bonus 

As the name implies, this variant offers bonus payouts for some hand combinations. The most prominent is four-of-a-kind hands (four aces, four 2s through 4s, and four 5s through Kings). The aim is to build the strongest five-card hand, as stronger hands grant more payouts. Nonetheless, Bonus Poker pays as long as a hand contains at least a pair of Jacks. 

Bonus is similar to Jacks or Better and is available on the Nintendo Switch video poker collection. The lowest paying hand is still a pair of Jacks or Better and pays 800 to 1 for a Royal Flush. That said, 4 aces pay off 80 to 1, while 4 deuces, 3s, or 4s pay off at 40 to 1. Lastly, all other 4-of-a-kind pay off at 25 to 1. Bonus Poker uses the standard hand ranking, but a pair of Jacks or better is the minimum qualifying hand to win. Bonus Poker has eleven winning hands. They include: 

  • Royal Flush

  • Straight Flush 

  • 4 of a Kind Aces 

  • 4 of a Kind 2s, 3s, or 4s. 

  • Any of 4 of a Kind 

  • Full House 

  • Flush 

  • Straight 

  • Three of a Kind

  • Two Pair 

  • Jacks or Better

Double Bonus 

This variant is an upgrade to the Bonus Poker, as it offers double the bonus of Bonus Poker for certain hands. Double Bonus and Deuces Wild present the best house edges, as the payout percentage can be as high as 100.17% with the right pay table. The payoffs for the 4 of a kind hands are doubled. Instead of getting 80 to 1 for 4 aces, you get 160 to 1. Likewise, 80 to 1 instead of 40 to 1 for 4 deuces, 3s, and 4s. Lastly, players get 50 to 1 instead of 25 to 1 for all other 4 of a kind. 

Double Bonus has a higher variance compared to Jacks or Better, its close variant. As a result, the chances of winning come less frequently. But when you win, the payout is often big. Download it on Nintendo Switch and play in the TV, Tabletop, and Handheld play modes.

Loose Deuces Wild Poker 

In Loose Deuces Wild, the emphasis is on Deuces (2s). All four Deuces are wild cards. In other words, they can substitute for any other card to form winning combinations. Plus, the standard payoff is 500 to 1. The paytable offers a special payout for specific hands that include Deuces. Likewise, although the standard hand ranking applies, wild cards have more potential for creating strong hands. 

Loose Deuces RTP is greater than 100% and you can play it on the Nintendo Switch. Players enjoy a bonus round at the end of each winning hand, and the variant offers a slightly better pay table than most poker. 

Pick Pair Poker 

Pick pair poker or pick’em is a simplified version of a video poker game for you on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Players start with 2 cards that serve as the foundation of their hands and receive two additional cards. Then, the machine deals two more cards, and the player gets a final card. The paytable starts with a payout for a pair of 9s or better and increases for higher-ranking cards like a royal flush, straight, or four of a kind. 

Pick’em is considered a video version of stud poker. As a result, it is easy to learn. Meanwhile, it is harder to find a bad pay table than it is to find a good one. So Pick’em promises good returns. 

FAQs

  • Can I learn video poker at home? 

Yes, you can. We recommend books, virtual communities, and mobile apps that offer tutorials, game strategy guides, and simulations. That said, nothing beats practicing with free versions of video poker online games on consoles and in Rocket Casino in Australia or similar online casinos. 

  • What is the most profitable video poker? 

Double bonus is by far the most profitable variant. Double bonus video poker offers massive bonuses and payouts to players who land hands like four aces and four-of-a-kind. Also, the RTP is over 100%. 

  • Does video poker have a strategy to win?

Poker online casino games require skills, especially in making decisions that affect the outcome of a hand. First, you must understand the paytable and know which cards to hold. Then, grasp hand rankings and use strategy charts to know what to do in certain situations. Finally, manage your bankroll and control risk to withstand losing streaks and increase your chances of winning.