Online Casino and Gambling Site Reviews

Playing a video poker game requires only a basic understanding of the composition of various video poker hands. The game itself is simple.

Decide on the coin size you wish to play with by going to the Coin Size menu.

Decide how many coins you wish to bet by clicking on the appropriate column on the payout schedule or by using the Increase and Decrease buttons

Click Deal to start the game.

Your first hand of cards will appear in the play area. Examine them carefully. You should compare the cards in your hand with the payout schedule on screen. Any winning hands in your first hand will be indicated on the payout schedule and, if automatic hold is enabled, the cards will automatically be held for you.

You can hold a card by clicking on it and unselect a card by clicking on it again. When the cards are held they will be marked to indicate this.

Choose the cards that can potentially give you the highest payout.

When you are ready click the Draw button to get your new cards. The cards you have not held will be removed and replaced with fresh cards from the deck. If your cards make up a winning hand you will be offered an opportunity to Double your money or to collect your winnings.

Once you have collected your winnings you can begin another hand of Video Poker by clicking the Deal button again.

Natural Royal Flush

This is the highest hand in standard Poker and consists of the following cards: A K Q J 10 all of the same suit. Please note this is a natural hand and can not contain the Joker. If four of the cards necessary for a Royal Flush are present along with the Joker then this is called a Joker Royal Flush (see below).

E.g. or

5 of a Kind

This is a hand containing four cards of identical value and the joker.

E.g. or

Joker Royal Flush

This is any hand where one or more of the cards needed for a Natural Royal Flush have been substituted with one or more jokers.

E.g. or Straight Flush This is a combination of five sequential cards all of the same suit. E.g. or

Four of a Kind

This is a combination of four of the same cards.

E.g. or

Full House

This is a combination of three cards of one denomination and two cards of another denomination.

E.g. or

Flush

Five cards all of the same suit.

E.g. or

Straight

Five cards in sequence of any suit.

E.g. or

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same denomination and two unmatched cards.

E.g. or

Two Pairs

Two different pairs and any fifth card.

E.g. or

Kings or Better

A pair of Kings or Aces and three unmatched cards

E.g. or

If you wish, you can choose the 'Allow Double' option in the 'Options ' menu of the game. It is on by default. This toggles the doubling option on or off. If this option is not turned on the game will not allow you to double on a winning hand!

The doubling option gives you a chance to further increase your winnings! After completing a winning hand you will be given the chance to double the payout or to collect your winnings. The 'Double' and 'Collect' buttons will be highlighted. To collect your winnings, click the 'Collect' button. The game will then be finished and you will have a chance to play again. If you want to try and win even more, click the 'Double' button.

When you click the 'Double' button, the cards will be removed from the screen and a further five cards will replace them. The dealer's card will be exposed, while the remaining four cards will be left face down. Select one of the 'face down' cards by clicking on it. The four cards will flip over to reveal themselves. The card you selected will be highlighted. If the card you chose has a rank greater than that of the dealer's card, you will win an amount double that of your original payout. You will then be given the chance to double your payout even further or to collect your winnings. If your chosen card is of an equal rank, it is a tie, and you will have a chance to collect your original winnings or to double up. If the card you chose is of a lesser rank, you lose and will not receive any payout.

Each doubling action gives you the chance to double the current value of the payout at the risk of receiving no payout at all, should you lose. You will not be given the option of doubling if your current payout equals or exceeds the Casino's limit on doubling. To determine what the doubling limit is please consult the Casino's web page.

If you are disconnected from the Casino or shut down the Casino software before choosing your card the Casino will automatically randomly select a card for you. If you are using a Real Account you will able to see the amount won (or lost) by this random decision and the cards of your original winning hand when you return to the game. If you are using a Guest Account your Credit balance will have been adjusted but the cards will not be displayed.

Here is a list of some of the best online casinos we can recommend for practising your skills at for free or for playing for real money:
> Platinum Play
> 7 Sultans
> Intercasino
> Colosseum Casino
> Desert Dollar