Ireland’s Top Online Casinos For Video Poker

Video poker is a game that is perfectly suited for online casinos. There are loads of different variations of video poker games that you can play at these online casinos. You’ve got authenic video poker that has wild cards and even multi-hand options that allow you to play with up to 500 hands at once! You can see why playing video poker online is so popular in Ireland!

All of these different versions of online video poker allow you to bring your skills at playing poker to the virtual green felt – or even learn them so you can play real money poker in real life. Playing online video poker feels pretty much the same as the real world version – requiring the same level of strategy as you’d need when playing the game in real life.

The first ever video poker game was Jacks or Better and it instantly became a hit with players as it retains some aspects of authentic video poker. The popularity of video poker spawned a whole range of games that you can play at a vast array of different online video poker Irish casinos – over 30 different styles of poker can be enjoyed at these casinos. We’ve ranked and rated some of the best casinos for you to play video poker online at on this page, ensuring you’re always playing on the best sites Ireland has to offer.

The Most Popular Video Poker Games

Whilst there is a huge range of different online video poker machines and online video poker styles – from the simpler, authentic video poker to the wild multi hand video poker, a few of them are more popular than others and have quickly become the go-to styles of video poker that players flock to. It’s also handy to note that whilst there are all of these different variations of poker, most of the varying styles of video poker you can play at an online casino are based on the two main types: Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better.

Jacks or Better

Probably the most popular style of video poker that’s played at online casinos; many people see it as the most fun version. Players in the online poker game are dealt five cards and hold on to as many of them as they want. Any that the player doesn’t want are changed and replaced by brand new cards. The key to winning is in the title – Jacks or better!

Deuces Wild

Adding a fun spin on the regular video poker game, the whole advantage with playing this style of video poker is the fact that the deuces – or twos – act as a wild card. This means they can replace any other card in your hand to form a winning combination. As you’d expect, because of this, the pay table isn’t as good as it is for the Jacks or Better style of video poker. But this doesn’t stop it being an incredibly popular version of video poker thanks to the fun twist and plentiful winning hand combinations that the wild cards add to the game.

Double Bonus Poker

These video poker games are based on the above Jacks or Better style of poker and has the same basic principles as Jacks or Better. Double Bonus has one major change though – higher payouts if you have a hand of four of a kind, with the different combinations of four of a kind paying more the higher the rank of the cards. Whilst the variance is lower than in Jacks or Better, if you manage to land a hand of four aces you can win big!

Joker’s Wild

Possibly the only card game where another joker is thrown into the mix, this version is played with 3 jokers, with these jokers acting as the wild cards like in the Deuces Wild variation. Jokers Wild video poker games also add in a payout boost to certain hand combinations if you have a joker in them as well, which is a nice touch that many players like. If you want the best odds playing this style of video poker, make sure to check for the King or Better type.

Free Video Poker vs Real Money Video Poker

At many online casinos in Ireland, when you play video poker you’re going to have access to both free versions and paid versions. There are a few reasons to play both:

Playing for Real Money

• When you start playing video poker for real money, you’re going to have access to the full range of games that you may not have access to when you’re playing for free. When you want to play for free you are quite limited in your choice of games to play.
• Many online casinos give out some sort of casino bonus when you sign up and play with real money – including video poker bonuses. You also get access to different promotions and loyalty bonuses which you can’t get whilst playing free video poker.
• You’ve also got the thrill when you play real money video poker that you don’t get when you’re playing for free. The level of excitement is through the roof since you have the chance to win real money instead of adding to an imaginary bank balance.
• Finally, with real money games you have the option of playing live dealer varieties of poker, which has the same atmosphere and casino experience as playing in a land based casino.

Playing for Free

• Free video poker games are the best option if you just want to play some poker or one of its variations for fun. You don’t need to worry about depositing money or spending anything, you can just quickly log on and play a few hands.
• With free online video poker machines you can set up a game incredibly easily – you don’t need to log in to anything, sign up to an online casino or even download any software.
• The biggest reason people play free video poker is the simple fact that it gives you a great opportunity to practice playing and hone down your video poker strategy. Because there are so many different types of video poker for you to enjoy, you may need to practice a few games of a variation that’s new to you in order to get to grips with the pace of the game and winning combinations. Because of this, playing for free is a great option for both beginners who are new to video poker games and also seasoned experts who want to try out some new strategies for the games.
• Finally, free video poker can be enjoyed whilst you’re on the move – just like real money video poker versions. You simply have to visit the website of the mobile casino or download their online casino app if it has one.

How To Play Free Video Poker

Once you get to grips with the pace and strategies involved in playing video poker, then it’s one of the most fun and enjoyable casino games you can play at an online casino. Like we mentioned in the list above, there are a few reasons to play the free variations of video poker online.

If you want to play for free before your play real money video poker, here are the steps you should take. This is the same process as when you’re playing for real money:

Choose which video poker game you want to play

There’s a vast range of different poker games you can play online – depending on whether you’re into a more authentic video poker style or something crazier like multi hand video poker. Remember that if you’re playing a real money video poker machine to win cash prizes, you should be sure to check the RTP and the pay table of that game.

Set the wager you want

The next step after you’ve picked the game you want to play on is to choose how many credits you want to play on each hand. Some games will have coins instead of credits and the usualy range is from one coin to five coins. The amount you wager will affect the scale of your prizes if you manage to land a winning hand. You can increase or decrease you wager by simply clicking the the relevant arrow which will be next to the bet option on the screen of the video poker machine.

Get your cards dealt

With your wager set, click the deal button and the machine will automatically deal you a hand.

Choose which of your cards you want to keep

Now you pick which of the cards in your hand you want to hold, and which ones you want to get changed for the chance of a better hand. Select which cards you want to keep by clicking on them and then click the deal button again to be dealt new cards in place for your discarded cards.

Know the different hands

The amount you win or whether you lose is determined by the value of the hand you create with the cards you’ve been dealt and the pay tables for the game. When you’re playing video poker games, make sure you know your hands and the value of them – most games will have a handy chart of winning hands and card combinations to the side letting you know the payout table.

How to Win Video Poker

Like many casino table games such as online blackjack, there’s an element of strategy that comes into it when you play. Here are a couple of expert tips to help you with the odds when you play video poker.

Use free online video poker to practice

This one is pretty self explanatory – simply hone your game down on the free versions and practice different strategies, finding the one that works for you and enables you to play your best game. The great thing about this is the fact that what you learn you can carry across to poker at live casinos and casinos in real life as well.

Find a cheatsheet

Learning every single hand and their ranking is quite a hard feat to do – especially for new players. This is where having a handy chestsheet with you pays dividends, as you can just glance at the sheet and see whether you’ve got a royal flush or full house.

Know when to hold cards

This is the backbone of any strategy you play in video poker – knowing which cards to hold and which cards to change. Expert players learn the exact situations to hold their cards and study all of the options they have at any one time.

Master certain variations of video poker

Many expert players will master one variation of poker and spend time learning all of the strategies for this one variation. The more you play one single variation of video poker, the more you’ll get to grips with the gameplay and the less you’ll need cheatsheets.

Video Poker FAQs

Where can I play for free?

You simply need to choose which variation you want to play for free and then follow the instructions we have on this page.

Where can I play for real money?

We have a vast selection of casinos that have a video poker game selection for you to enjoy. Simply pick one of the casinos we list on this page and check out the casino – we have painstakingly reviewed each casino we list, so you know you’re going to be playing on some of the best online casinos that Ireland has!

Can I use welcome bonuses on video poker?

The best online casinos will have all sorts of casino bonuses for you to enjoy and use on video poker online. Whilst you can’t use bonuses like the free spins bonuses you use on slot games, you can find casinos offering no deposit offers and different free money bonuses that you’ll be able to use on video poker.

How do you beat video poker?

Unlike playing live poker online, playing video poker requires you to slow down and play for each win instead of trying to win through sheer volume of games. By using the tips we have on this page to help your odds and consistent practice, you’ll be beating the machine more often.

What are the odds?

The odds of winning on video poker vary depending on the hands you get, so it changes game to game. When you use a sound strategy and play a variation such as Jacks or Better, you can be playing with a 99.5% RTP – meaning the house edge is only 0.5% and € 99.50 returned from every € 100 wagered – making it one of the highest RTP casino games you can play!