Real Gaming Online Poker

There are three primary ways to play video poker online, depending primarily on in which state you live, but also based on the type of video poker games you are looking to play.

Real Money Poker Online casinos allow you to play your favourite games on the internet. This means you no longer have to visit a nearby casino just to play casino games. All it takes is your PC, laptop, or mobile device and a stable internet connection to get started. Real money casinos in NJ. New Jersey online casinos started it all, launching the first legal and regulated US casino games in November 2013. There are now more than two dozen licensed online casinos available via computers and mobile devices, online and mobile sports betting, and online poker rooms, all running across the state. Poker is the only legally allowed online gambling in this state so there’s a wide range of poker games online to play. Delaware – The First State launched legal poker cardrooms online in 2015. In fact, Delaware is the most permissive state in America when it comes to online poker real.

Whether you are an expert at traditional poker or just interested in learning the game, there are tons of options available online. Free video poker games give you the chance to play the game without depositing a cent, so you can enjoy a fun hobby without worrying about deposits and withdrawals. It also has the advantage of letting you play from home, rather than traveling to a casino that might be miles away from you.

  • Play free video poker online – Available in all states
  • Play video poker for cash prizes at online sweepstakes casino sites – Available in all states except Washington
  • Play video poker for real money – Available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia

Play Free Video Poker

Interested in playing free video poker online? Look no further – you can play right here on-site above. There is no download or sign-up necessary and it works on desktop along with mobile devices including iPhone, iPad and Android.

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Online Video Poker At Sweepstakes Casino Sites (Best Option For Most States)

Available in: All states except Washington state.

If you don’t happen to live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or West Virginia your best bet is a sweepstakes online casino where you can play online video poker for cash prizes.

How Sweepstakes Casinos Work

Online sweepstakes video poker is an alternative for those who aren’t in areas where real money poker is legal. These sites take old laws about sweepstakes and use them as a way to offer legal options for those who want to play poker recreationally.

Sweepstakes casinos use digital coins instead of real money as currency. Players accumulate digital coins by winning games and can later exchange them for cash prizes. Because sweepstakes casinos are not legally classified as gambling, they are popular among players who live in states that have not yet legalized real money online gambling. The sweepstakes format provides a similar, but legal alternative to the online casino experience.

In order to participate in a sweepstakes casino’s games, you must first buy their coins (or whatever they label as their sweepstakes currency). Your purchased coins typically come with a set number of free sweeps coins. You cannot directly deposit money into an account or withdraw money.

Your purchased coins are valid only for recreational gaming at the sweepstakes casino. Your free sweeps coins can be played on sweepstakes games, and your winnings can then be exchanged for real prizes.

Chumba Casino

Licensed by Malta Gaming Authority, Chumba Casino is arguably the most popular sweepstakes casino on the market. It has a large selection of slot games, blackjack, roulette, and video poker.

New players can take advantage of their no deposit bonus of 2,000,000 gold coins and two sweep coins. Additionally, the casino offers a first purchase deal of $30 gold coin package for only $10.

Chumba Casino is a great option as it offers both slots and table games. Its variety is what makes it a unique sweepstakes casino.

Playing Free Video Poker At Legal Online Casinos

When you want to play video poker for free at a legal online casino, you have a variety of options. There are tons of variations of poker, and you can find almost all of them in an online version so you can play from home. With the advent of free poker games, anyone who is over 21-years-old and in the United States can enjoy a game of poker whenever they feel like it.

Do Legal Online Casinos Offer Free Video Poker Games?

As more states legalize online casinos, having access to online video poker is becoming easier than ever. While most of these casinos offer real money games, there are also demo and practice modes where you can play without spending a single dime. Everyone can play free online slots, even those in states where online gambling is not yet legal.

The best option for choosing a reputable site for video poker is by looking at large brands you have heard of in the past. The websites that operate in partnership with physical casinos are an excellent place to start since they need to adhere to specific rules and regulations.

Do I Need An Account To Play Free Video Poker Games Online?

It depends on where you want to play. In some cases, you can play by just navigating to the site and clicking on a game. However, there are other instances where you must register to access the catalog of games at a poker site. If you prefer a quick and easy poker game, you’ll want to look for sites without registration.

Keep in mind that sites with registration may offer perks to those who become members, which can make signing up feel like less effort. When it comes to real money video poker sites, you must sign up to be a member just to play the practice games. If your privacy is important to you, you may have to use other websites for your video poker.

Is There Any Way To Win Real Money Playing Free Video Poker?

In most cases, the sites that have free video poker do not offer cash payments. Instead, you will typically be racking up virtual currency that cannot be turned into money. Free games are usually used by players who just want to have a good time or who want to practice outside of paid games to become better at a particular type of poker.

However, there are some exceptions in terms of free sites that offer real money. Most of them are going to be found in sweepstakes video poker sites, which we’ll look at in more depth below.

Best Online Video Poker For Real Money

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BetMGM casino is brought to you by the same company that operates MGM casinos across the United States including Las Vegas. BetMGM offers over 100 casino games including slots, blackjack, roulette, and more! All of your Las Vegas favorites are there.

Playing Las Vegas-Style Video Poker Online For Free

If you’re searching for legal online casinos in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that have Vegas-style video poker, you have plenty of options. Both of the states have a wide variety of casinos that offer video poker and many of the games are based on Vegas poker options. Three of our options for playing video poker online in these states are listed below for your convenience.

BetRivers Casino is partnered with the land-based Rivers Pittsburgh Casino and offers a selection of video poker options. Users can log in to play practice games or deposit money to play for cash if they are located in Pennsylvania. In addition to providing video poker, this casino also has hundreds of slot games, as well as table games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

Hollywood Casino is another online legal casino in Pennsylvania that provides the option to play poker. This was the first online casino to launch in the state and it partnered with IGT to power the gaming options on the website and apps. This casino also offers dozens of slot games, roulette games, blackjack, baccarat, and more.

Those who are looking for New Jersey video poker will find it in various locations, including BetMGM. There are many variations of poker at this provider, including Regal Jacks or Better, Triple Play Draw Multi-Hand Poker, Bonus Poker, Texas Hold’em, and more. It also offers a variety of slot games and table games that you can peruse.

Playing Video Poker For Real Money Online

For those who want to spend money playing poker, there are several options available. However, this is only the case in states where you can legally gamble online. If you are not in one of those locations, real money gambling on video poker is not allowed. While more states are slowly allowing online real money poker, it’s a good idea to know what the rules are for your specific location.

States With Legal Online Video Poker

Before we delve into other specifics, knowing where online video poker is legal is essential. It might be surprising to learn that some states allow online poker but don’t allow online table games and slots, while others go in the opposite direction. Since it can be confusing to determine what states allow legal online video poker, we have provided a list of legal states below:

  • Delaware

If you don’t see your state listed above, playing video poker for real money is not allowed in your state. There are two alternatives available to you if you want to enjoy video poker. The first is to choose a free online site that has poker available and the second is to use a sweepstakes gaming site like Chumba Casino.

How Many Different Video Poker Games Are Available?

Counting up all the different video poker games would leave you with a number that might be mind-boggling. Many types of poker have been introduced in an online version that you can play on your own without other players. In fact, if it’s available in a land-based casino, you can likely find it in a video poker option.

However, different websites and apps are going to have different games, so finding one that has your favorite type might take time if it’s a lesser-known variation. Those who are fans of games like Jacks or Better, on the other hand, will find this kind of poker on nearly any site that includes poker.

What Are The Smallest Stakes You Can Play Online?

This is another question that will depend on the provider you use for your video poker. However, what you should know is that video poker typically requires bets that are much smaller than traditional poker in a physical casino. While some of these poker games have high payouts, they don’t always require you to empty your wallet to try to win.

Because these games have lower stakes than a typical poker table, they make an excellent option for those who are just learning to play. They also feature the opportunity to get better for those with some level of experience without spending too much. Once someone is happy with the progress that they’ve made with video poker, they can try live games or traditional poker with more confidence in their performance.

Fundamentals Of Video Poker Strategy

Just like other forms of poker, video poker has many different strategies that players employ to ensure they win more from their hands. Different people enjoy different techniques, so there are many to choose from. Having a basic strategy you can use will help you do better at video poker, whether you are just beginning with the game or have been at it for many years.

Video Poker Strategy Basics

While games like slots rely only on luck, poker is a casino staple where the players have a lot of impact on how the game ends. Since you have more choices in terms of what cards you keep, which you discard, and what hand you play at the end, you can learn to play a hand that is the most beneficial and likely to result in a big payoff. However, a lot of players continue to rely only on play streaks or hunches to decide how to play a game.

The strategies that can help you win are based on math, which is excellent for anyone who has excelled at this subject in the past. Some approaches focus on getting royal flushes as often as possible, which is the best hand you can have in most poker games. Others are going to have a focus on winning every hand, even if it’s by a small amount through a hand that has less optimal cards.

Video Poker Strategy Charts

Those who are interested in serious strategy in video poker may choose to use a video poker strategy chart to do so. These charts will show that cards you can have to get the most significant return on the match. Below the best return, it will show the next best and continue in this way until you should discard an entire hand rather than saving any of it.

For example, when playing Jacks or Better, the chart would show a royal flush on top, followed by a straight flush, four cards of a royal flush, a full house, and so on. If you’re looking to improve your ability to play poker, taking a look at strategy charts can put you on top of your game.

Video Poker: The Five Minute Guide

No matter what kind of poker you like, you’ll find it in an online video poker version. This kind of poker involves one player against a computer dealer, rather than having several players at a table who are competing against each other. While the most common poker variations are Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, you can also find a selection of different games to play.

Basic Rules Of Video Poker

Since there are dozens of video poker variations, going through the rules of each one would require a long article all of its own. However, since Jacks or Better is one of the most popular options, we’ll use that as an example to explain the rules of video poker.

The basic idea behind this kind of video poker is to acquire a five-card poker hand with a winning combination. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. Other combinations that can win a hand include the following:

  • Two Pair – Two card pairs that have the same number or symbol
  • Three of a Kind – Three cards with the same symbol or number
  • Straight – Five cards that make up a sequential order of numbers
  • Flush – Five cards that have the same suit
  • Full House – A pair along with a three of a kind
  • Four of a Kind – Four cards with the same symbol or number
  • Straight Flush – Five cards of the same suit that are in sequential order

The Royal Flush is the best hand you can get and consists of cards of the same suit that go from 10 to Ace. The idea behind the game is to get the best hand possible to earn the most points. You are dealt cards and choose which to discard before being dealt more to make up your final hand.

Common Video Poker Variations

We already mentioned that Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better are two variations of video poker, but there are dozens of others. Aces and Eights is another version where you get additional coins or money for having Aces or Eights in your hands. Double Bonus is a video poker game where you get massive bonuses for four of a kind hands. Some of the other games you will commonly see include:

  • Bonus Deuces Wild
  • Deuces and Joker
  • Double Double Bonus
  • Jokers Wild
  • Tens or Better

The House Edge In Video Poker

One of the reasons that so many people enjoy video poker is because the house typically has an exceedingly small edge. While a slot machine might return only 70 to 90 percent of what you spend on it, video poker at an online casino is more likely to offer a return of 95 to 99 percent. This means that playing video poker is going to be better for your wallet than many other online casino games.

However, keep in mind that different casinos have different odds and may have a unique house edge. This is also an excellent reason to choose a reputable site or app that lets you know what you’re getting into when you sit down to play a game.

Free Video Poker Online Play FAQ

Can I play free video poker without creating an account?
Gaming

Yes. Some websites that offer free video poker will allow you to play without making an account. However, other websites and apps may require you to register before you take part in games. In most cases, if you do register, you will get some kind of reward for doing so. If you prefer to play without registration, make sure that’s an option at the site you are visiting first.

Can I play video poker online for free but win real money?

Yes. With sweepstakes video poker sites, you can often win real money or other premium prizes even though you are playing for free. At websites like Chumba Casino, you can earn coins that may be turned into real money for playing particular games, taking advantage of promotions, or making deposits to play additional games.

Can I learn video poker strategy by playing free games?

Yes. One of the best ways to get better at video poker is by playing free games. You can enjoy learning all the best strategies without worrying that you’re going to break the bank. Since these games are often the same as real money poker, you can take the knowledge you gain and use it to win cash once you’re happy with how you are playing.

Do I need a flash player to play free video poker games?

No. Most of the free video poker games online do not require a flash player, although there are some exceptions. If you aren’t interested in a flash player, you will have no issues finding games that don’t require it. However, having one available may make your options more robust if you want to play a specific game or use a particular website.

Things are changing fast for online poker.

There are four states that have regulated games — Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania – plus legal, sweepstakespoker games in other areas. While the boom of 10 years ago is over, online poker for real money in the US is on the rise again.

Real Gaming Online Poker Games

This is a detailed guide to legal poker sites in the United States. We’ll provide you with information on the current legislative landscape, the best sites to play online poker and the different types of poker bonuses.

Best US Poker Sites in 2021

Free poker vs. real money poker

As soon as real money is at stake, the game of poker transforms.

Poker

Play money poker involves seeing a flop, hitting hands and never folding when there is even a shot at winning the pot. With no incentive to fold or think strategically, it provides light entertainment at best.

Once real cash is involved, poker changes into a mental battle. Playing every hand and trying to hit, will quickly become a losing strategy.

Conversely, playing too few hands becomes predictable and easy to exploit. You’ll need to play a position, work out what your opponents’ bets mean and understand math concepts like odds and equity.

You can play online poker games for real money or for free. I can assure you that once you try for real money, free games will quickly lose its appeal. The beauty of real money poker is that you’ll never stop learning.

Even the biggest stars of the game are working on their strategy; poker takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master.

Is online poker legal in the US?

Poker has a long tradition in the US, from boom to bust. There is a new era in real money USA poker games as individual states license and regulate the games.

Poker Real Money Games

So far, there are four legal states for real money online poker: Nevada, Delaware, Pennsylvania (where PokerStars launched in 2020 and PartyPoker is expected to follow) and New Jersey. These states require that a brick-and-mortar casino licenses the poker sites.