You don’t need to be an expert to win playing video poker Online. Video Poker is similar to slots, in that you play against the computer rather than against other players or a dealer. Like slots, your winnings are paid out according to a paytable for the different winning poker hands, since there is no poker pot to play for (see more on this below).
Given that online video poker is ubiquitous and offered at almost every NJ online casino, we’ve broken it down and listed the only the best online video poker casinos for you and those online places where you can find the best games to relax, have some fun and win a few dollars.
Playing Video Poker Online in NJ
Only the very best of New Jersey’s online casinos pass our thorough and stringent assessment criteria. The best NJ video poker sites offer a safe and secure place to play protected by cutting-edge SSL digital technology and many offer a host of bonuses and rewards for online video poker players.
When you’re considering options to provide quality online video poker experiences, check out our list of recommended casino platforms offering;
- Wide variations of Video Poker games
- Casino Suitability to play with the best winning video poker strategies.
- Video Poker games accessible on mobile devices, laptops and desktops.
- Video Poker variants developed by the best global game software companies.
- Customer support services with long hours, various methods of contact and fast, customer-focused replies.
- Fast payout and deposit processing for video poker players across a range of banking methods including web wallets, in-person at Atlantic City land-based casino partners, online bank transfers and credit cards, and;
- Regular promotions and real money bonuses for video poker players.
Game Selection
Many variants of online Video Poker exist and most are loosely based on the original Jacks or Better (where only hands with pairs of Jacks or higher are paid), created as online casinos continue to evolve in terms of playability and quicker page loading times.
Fortunately, once you learn the basic rules and gameplay of the original video poker game, you should be able to easily understand and enjoy playing a wide variety of the spin-off online video poker game offerings.
In video poker, your goal is to make the highest hand possible, as illustrated on the game’s paytable. Playing the game is exceedingly simple; the only thing you need to know beforehand are the basic poker hand values as follows:
- Pair of Jacks or higher Two jacks, usually the lowest paying poker hand in Video Poker.
- Two Pairs: 2 pairs, each with the same numerical value.
- Three of a kind: 3 cards with the same numerical value in different suits.
- Straight: Five cards in numerical sequence, but not of the same suit
- Flush: 5 cards of the same suit.
- Full House: A Pair and 3 of a kind.
- Four of a kind: 4 cards with the same numerical value in different suits.
- Straight Flush: 5 cards in numerical sequence of the same suit.
- Royal Flush: 5 cards in numerical sequence of the same suit – the highest card is an Ace.
Mastery of these basic hand values give you the ability to play all of the following Video Poker game types;
- Jacks or Better: A pair of Jacks is the lowest winning combination. Uses a regular card deck of 52 cards and the most popular & the easiest to play.
- Tens or Better: Like Jacks or better, this game is played with a standard deck, the difference being that the lowest winning poker hand according to the pay table is pair of Tens. Lower payouts (for example, 6x your bet for a Full House and 5x for Flush) and lower odds than in Jacks or Better.
- All American: Another close relative of Jacks or Better, where payouts for Flush, Straight and Straight Flush are higher, while payouts for Full House and Two Pairs are lower.
- Joker Poker: Sometimes called Joker Wild, and is essentially the same as Jacks or Better, with the difference being playing with a 53-card deck and the joker works as a wild card replacing any card in a winning combination.
- Deuces Wild: Played with a regular 52-card deck, but all twos are wild.
- Deuces and Joker: Combines Joker Poker and Deuces Wild, and you play it with a 53-card deck where the Joker as well as all twos act as wild cards. A complex version, usually not available in most online casinos.
Mobile Options
Most modern-day online casino sites are mobile compatible and the majority of New Jersey’s online casinos have mobile apps easily downloaded from your respective app store (Android or Apple/iOS) in order to play your favorite video poker games anytime/anywhere.
Some online casinos have browser versions powered by cutting-edge HTML5 technology that support online video poker, if you don’t want to download the app. Whichever way you look at, its now possible to play your favorite video poker games at any time of day anywhere you like when within the state lines of New Jersey.
Bonuses and Promotions
Please be aware that online video poker games usually don’t regularly contribute 100% to the wagering (playthrough) requirements needed for most New Jersey online casino sign-up or welcome bonuses.
Sometimes online video poker often contributes as little as 2% to 10% to the wagering requirements. Check our NJ online video poker casino reviews for online video poker bonus contribution rates. That said, if you play video poker online on a regular basis, you may not have a problem in reaching any bonus wagering requirements.
Table Limits
Betting denominations are usually much lower in online video poker when compared to bricks-and-mortar casinos. For example, many online casinos even have penny video poker, and highest minimum bets are typically no higher than a nickel.
Overall, bets on most online video poker games sit comfortably in the $0.01 to $5 range and most increments in between. The lower bet limits allow the player to spend longer on a machine and get to learn its rhythms and how to adapt the game play to your own personal strategy. It’s a comfort that is almost impossible to find in a land-based casino. Maximum bets generally sit in the $50 range, but may vary from one online casino to another.
Return to Player (RTP)
Every online game of chance (including video poker) has a payout ratio associated, more commonly known as RTP (return-to-player). RTP in the video poker context is the long-term rate of how much money will be paid out to online casino players divided by how much has been staked during gameplay.
Unlike slots or roulette, online video poker gives players opportunities to maximize their winnings. Follow the games’ pay table which lists the winning hands in combination with the payouts for them. These will also show the house edge of the game and the RTP.
A typical Jacks or Better online video poker game has an RTP of 99.54%, which means that for every $100 wagered, the player receives $99.54 back as winnings. Believe it or not, there are some video poker games with RTPs of more than 100%, including Deuces Wild (100.76%) and Double Bonus Poker, which has an RTP of 100.17%. Online video poker games with progressive jackpots can be quite attractive to online players, because the RTP percentage rapidly grows with the jackpot and often exceeds 100%. However, online video poker players need to beware that in order to qualify for a progressive jackpot, players need to bet the maximum wager.
