Video poker machines have been around for nearly fifty years as they were initially introduced in the 1970s. They look like pokie machines in many ways and you often find that land-based casinos have their video poker machines near pokie machines.
However, it is not hard to distinguish between a video poker machine and a pokie machine as a video poker machine’s screen will display playing cards whereas a pokie machine will display a set of reels and a combination of symbols, cards and numbers.
To help you understand what video poker is all about, we will give you a detailed analysis of video poker below! Keep reading and you will find out:
- Learning The Basics Of Video Poker
- Where can I play Video Poker?
- Differences between poker and video poker
- Understanding video poker machines and online video poker games
- Identify different video poker hands
- Understanding a video poker paytable
- Interesting tips and tricks to boost your odds of winning at video poker
- Frequently asked questions on video poker
Learning The Basics Of Video Poker
The gameplay of video poker uses a combination of luck and skill, borrowing from pokies and poker to give you the best of both games. Most video poker games are based on 5-card draw poker, and the video poker machine is programmed to deal out different cards. A few video poker providers have tried to introduce video poker games based on 7-card stud, but these games are not very popular with players in NZ.
Video poker is easy to play as the game is mostly based on luck and a little bit of skill. We say mostly luck because the cards that are being dealt by the video poker machine is being generated by a software program that picks cards at random. You still need to use a certain amount of skill and game strategy when you play, as it will be up to you to know when to hold and when to fold each card.
Let us explain it to you in simple terms.
When you sit at a video poker machine or launch an online game, you will have to make a deposit and then decide how much you will bet. Once you do this, you will have to hit the draw button, and you will be dealt five cards automatically.
Some video poker machines will deal all 5 cards facedown and once 5 cards appear, they will then flip faceup simultaneously. Other video poker machines will display each card faceup and when all 5 cards are shown, it will be up to you to decide which cards you will hold and which ones you want to fold.
The cards you decide to fold or discard, will disappear and be replaced by new cards. These 5 cards form your final hand and you will then need to see what your hand looks like and measure it against the video poker paytable which is usually displayed at the top of the video poker machine screen.
The video poker paytable will let you know if you have won, how much you have won or if you have not won anything at all. If you won something, those winnings will be credited to your account. You can decide to cashout your winnings or play another hand.
Here are two important points that you must note when playing video poker.
- Video poker machines have different Return to Player (RTP) percentages and hence not all video poker machines are the same.
- Video poker machines offer different variants of video poker
Where can I play Video Poker?
There are two main options for playing video poker in New Zealand. The first is a direct option, as you will have to travel to a land-based casino or to a licensed pub, club, or TAB that has video poker machines.
If you want to see the different video poker machines on offer, your best bet is to visit one of the six land-based casinos in New Zealand. If you are familiar with video poker and manage to find a club or pub that carries a video poker machine that you like, then you can always show up there and play.
Kiwi players who prefer playing video poker from home will have to turn to an online casino that offers video poker games. Note that while online casino gambling is currently banned in NZ, the government of NZ plans to license online casinos in 2026.
NZ players can access offshore online casinos offering video poker by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). You can check out our list of NZ online casinos offering video poker games below. Click on any casino that you like, register an account, make a real money or crypto deposit and start playing video poker games right away.
Do note that there are a few video poker game variants, which we list below.
- Deuces Wild
- Bonus Poker Deluxe
- Double Double Bonus Poker
- Aces and Faces Poker
- Double Bonus Poker
- Deuces and Bonus Poker
- Double Double Aces and Faces Poker
- Jacks or Better (most popular variant)
Are there any differences between Poker and Video Poker?
Yes, there are many differences between a game of poker and video poker games. We have put together 7 main differences below to help you understand things better.
- Poker has been around for over two centuries while video poker came out in the 1970s.
- Video poker is played on a video poker machine or through online video poker software game whereas live poker is played in-person at a poker table
- Poker will require a dealer to be present but video poker does not have a dealer involved
- When you play video poker you are playing against the house, but when you play poker you are playing against other poker players
- Video poker is based mostly on luck and a little skill whereas poker is based mostly on skill and a little on luck
- The buy-ins for poker games are a lot higher than the buy-ins for video poker games
- The payouts for those who make the final poker table are usually much higher than video poker machine payout wins
Becoming Familiar With Video Poker Machines
If you are playing at a land-based casino or club, you are going to have to familiarize yourself with a video poker machine. If it is your first time using a video poker machine, it might take you awhile to understand how the video poker machine operates. We put together a list of key buttons and features that you should understand as it will help you operate the video poker machine easily.
When playing online video poker games, the setup will remain similar to a video poker machine because online video poker game developers look to maintain a similar design as a video poker machine.
The video poker machine screen will display the following buttons and instructions.
- Video poker machine paytable letting you know what the machine will payout based on each hand. This is generally found at the top of the screen.
- Video poker machine game/variant (example: Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild). This is generally displayed on the side of the screen.
- Bet One to place a bet on one line
- Bet Max to bet on all 5 lines
- Draw for the reels to spin and the cards to show up
- Bet Amount showing you how much you are betting per line/hand
- Balance displaying how much you have in your account balance
- Credits Won showing you how much you have won in your session so far
- Cards will display on the screen and you have the option to click on it to Hold or to Fold
Video Poker – Identifying Different Video Poker Hands
While video poker is mostly based on luck, there is some strategy involved and the big part of that strategy is being able to understand the different hands or card combinations that you will be presented with as you play video poker.
Do take the time to understand these different poker hands and how they work. When you understand that well, you will be in a better position to know which cards to hold and which cards to fold. If you don’t understand these video poker hands, then you will be guessing which cards to hold and which cards to fold, which will make it harder for you to win at video poker.
- Pair of Jacks or Better You must get either 2 aces, jacks, kings, or queens
- Two Pair You must have 2 cards of one suit and 2 cards of another suit – so 4 of spades and 4 of diamonds, queen of hearts and queen of diamonds
- Royal Flush To get the biggest payout, you must get the ace, king, queen, jack and 10 and they must be of the same card suit – either diamonds, spades, clubs or hearts.
- Three of a Kind You need to get 3 cards of the same rank – so 8 of spades, 8 of diamonds and 8 of hearts
- Straight Flush To get a straight flush, you must get 5 consecutive card numbers of the same suit. Example 4-5-6-7-8 all of hearts.
- Straight Here you need to get 5 consecutive cards and they can be of different suits. Example 2 of diamonds, 3 of spades, 4 of hearts and 5 of clubs.
- Flush You will need to get 5 cards of the same suit. Example 4, 8, 1, 3, 5 of spades
- Full House This will require you to get 3 cards from one suit and 2 cards from another suit. Example 2 of hearts, 2 of spades, 2 of clubs and 8 of diamonds, 8 of spades.
- Four of a Kind You must get 4 cards of the same rank such as king of spades, king of clubs, kind of diamonds and king of hearts.
Video Poker Paytables – Choose What Works For You
Video poker paytables are usually displayed at the top of each video poker machine and they will change based on each video poker machine and the video poker variant they offer. This is why it is always important for you to check out the video poker paytable before you decide which video poker game you are going to play.
The easiest way to understand how a video poker paytable works is to understand Return to Play (RTP) percentages. If a video poker machine has a 98 percent RTP, that means for every $100 wagered, the house will get to keep $2 and the player has a chance of getting back $98.
This makes it important for you to try and pick video poker machines that have a high RTP. If you pick a video poker machine that has a 94 percent RTP, the odds of you winning will drop.
The video poker paytable will outline what odds and payouts you can expect for each video poker hand you come up with. So knowing the different video poker hands and matching it with the potential payout, will help you make quality decisions when it comes to which cards to hold and fold.
Video Poker – 8 Tips and Tricks To Boost Your Winnings Odds
We have made it clear that while video poker is based on luck, there is a factor of skill involved and that revolves mostly around knowing your different video poker hands and the matching paytable payouts.
Once you have this figured out, you can also make use of these tips and tricks to boost your odds of winning at video poker.
- Average bet size we suggest you start with small bets and work your way up. Figure out your average bet and stick to it as far as possible
- Bankroll control set an amount of how much you want to play with and don’t go over that amount
- Time control it’s easy to lose track of time playing video poker. Decide how much time you will spend and set a timer.
- Max bet if you decide you want to take a risk a time or two, its best you fix a max bet amount and don’t cross it
- Speed control don’t rush things playing video poker as you will end up losing faster.
- Emotions under control don’t bet if you are feeling down and don’t bet if you are feeling an emotional high, both are dangerous.
- Bonus offers make use of welcome bonus and regular bonus offers to play video poker games.
- Responsible Gambling if you feel you are having a gambling problem, reach out for help.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it better to play online video poker games or play on land-based video poker machines? This depends on your personal preferences. If you are looking for a relaxing and comfortable gaming experience that you can control, then choose online video poker. If you are looking for a buzz and a fun night out, then try a land-based video poker machine.
- How can I get bonus cash to play video poker games? The best way to get bonus cash is to sign up at any of our recommended NZ online casinos. You will get a welcome bonus that will give you bonus cash that you can use to play pokies and video poker games.
- What is the best strategy that I can use to win at video poker? The best strategy is to clearly understand the different video poker hand combinations and then pick a good video poker machine with a good paytable.
- Should I play a game of poker, or should I try my hand at video poker? Both games are very different as poker is played against other poker players and involves a lot of good game strategy to win. Video poker is played against the house and does not require detailed game strategy. You decide which one works best for you.
- Can I play video poker games on my mobile device? Yes. All our recommended NZ online casinos are mobile-friendly, which means you can register an account and then play video poker games on the go using your smartphone or iPad.