The much-loved game of poker has evolved considerably over the last few years. Once a bricks-and-mortar favourite in casinos throughout the 1970s and 80s, it has now become a massive online market – and with so many operators offering video poker options, it can be tricky for punters to choose a site.
Video poker is a fantastic online casino game which consists of a blend of poker, a community card game involving skill, and slot machines, a single-player game with outcomes determined strictly by chance. To help you discover the wondrous world of video poker, our team of experts at Gambling.com wrote this complete guide to Canada's best online video poker sites. It includes things to consider when choosing a video poker site, video poker variants, odds and bonuses. Keep in mind if you are based in Ontario there are a whole host of new operatros available to you to play video poker. So, be sure to check out our top online casinos Ontario if based in that province.
As we constantly update this guide with new video poker sites, promotions and news, bookmark this page and visit us regularly to stay up to date.
Our team of casino experts and video poker enthusiasts find the best sites to play video poker online by implementing a strict review casino review process.
We look closely at each operator and recommend to you only the best video poker sites. Below are the factors we pay special attention to when reviewing online casinos:
No other topic in the online casino realm generates more questions that bonuses, because they can sometimes be confusing. We think casino bonuses are worth it, but only if you find the best promotions.
Our experts scour the internet to find you the best casino promotions. Since operators frequently change their bonus offers, it is worth checking our list of the best online video poker sites regularly to keep up-to-date.
When you visit one of our featured video poker sites, you will likely see the following bonuses:
Welcome Bonus: Welcome bonuses are promotions you will find at nearly every video poker site. It is used to entice new customers and typically consists of a deposit match bonus and free spins.
Deposit Match Bonus: A common bonus type used in welcome packages for new players and regular promotions for existing customers. When you make a deposit, the video poker site will match that deposit amount with bonus money up to a certain amount. For example, a 100% deposit match bonus up to $100 means that if you deposit $50, you will receive an additional $50 in bonus money, leaving you with $100 to play with.
No Deposit Bonus: Some video poker casinos offer the chance to claim a bonus without needing to make a deposit. It is worth noting the bonus amount is usually relatively small, and these bonuses will be hard to find.
Reload Bonus: A reload bonus is offered on subsequent deposits once the welcome bonus has been claimed. Reload bonuses can feature lower percentage amounts against the deposit amount. For example, a 50% deposit match up to $50.
Casino bonuses come in all shapes and sizes, and none are created equal. While the bonuses above are popular, you will also find other bonuses such as cashback, prize draws, and more. Whenever you visit one of the video poker casinos we recommend, it is worth checking out the promotions page to see what is currently available.
Remember that most online casino bonuses come with wagering requirements, which means you must wager the bonus value a specific number of times. You should always check the terms and conditions of a casino bonus for wagering requirements and other limitations. For example, which games you can play to redeem the bonus, time allowed to claim it, and any restrictions on specific payment methods.
Many of our recommended Canadian online casinos allow you to play video poker for free. Although you won’t win any cash, playing video poker for free is an opportunity to practice your strategy and try different games without spending your own money. If you want to spend less, you can also check which casinos are part of the Casino Rewards program.
There is no doubt real money games are more exciting and bring tension because you are risking something when playing. Also, you play for the chance to win real money, which cannot be underestimated. Playing for real money will also allow you to access all game variants and allow you to collect reward points.
Still, playing for free allows you to become familiar with video poker variations and features, test new betting strategies, and practice before committing your money. However, keep in mind that there are video poker variants that are offered only to real-money players and aren’t available in demo mode.
If you are looking for the best free video poker games in Canada, check out our list of the top video poker online casino sites.
Live dealer games allow you to have the best of both worlds: the realism of brick-and-mortar casinos and the convenience of playing online from anywhere. When you play live casino games, you join fellow players at a table staffed by a human dealer that presents the game from a live studio. The game is streamed to your device, and you can interact with the dealer and fellow players via chat.
On the surface, video poker and live dealer poker may appear to be the same thing, but there are some significant differences between the two, as each offers a different online poker experience.
Video poker is a machine-based game where the player tries to achieve a better hand than the computer. In some respects, it may seem similar to a slot machine in design and functionality. Live dealer poker focuses on classic poker gameplay with one or more players facing off against each other or the dealer.
Of course, the principles of both online video poker and live dealer poker are the same. Both games use the same hand rankings and winning cards (two pair, full house, etc.). While video poker is a fun and quick-paced game, you should also consider live dealer poker such as casino hold’em and other casino games for a more immersive, social experience.
Think of the big names of online casino software developers, and you also have a good idea of the leaders in online video poker. These include NetEnt, Games Global, Playtech, Play’n Go, and Novomatic, among others.
With more than 800 casino games in its portfolio, Games Global probably produced the most video poker games. NetEnt, another leading game developer, also released many interesting video poker online titles. As you can expect from NetEnt, its games have the usual visual flair the developer is known for.
As the biggest names in the industry create video poker games, you never have to look far to find a variant you will enjoy. You can check out our list of the best video poker casinos to see sites with games from all the major providers.
Most games are based on a five-card draw. What makes variations different is how they approach classic five-card draw with unique gameplay twists. There are plenty of video poker variations, but the most common ones are:
Possibly the most common and popular video poker variant.
Easy to learn.
Uses a standard deck of cards with a Joker included.
Joker cards replace any other card in the deck to help form the best winning combination.
The lowest possible win is a pair of jacks, hence the name (this means lower ranked pairs do not count as wins).
Jacks or Better, but with a twist.
A pair of jacks remain the lowest possible winning combination.
Double bonus adds higher payouts for four-of-a-kind winning hands.
A four-of-a-kind combination of aces would payout higher than the same hand with kings.
Double bonus has a higher variance than Jacks or Better.
Often known as Jokers Wild online video poker.
Like in Jacks or Better, Joker Poker games feature a deck with a joker card.
However, this variant can appear in games that allow winning pairs lower than a pair of jacks.
The joker wild substitutes other cards to form a winning combination.
Joker cards also include the payout on some winning hands.
Played with a standard deck of cards without the joker.
Cards with a two (deuce) value are wild cards.
Twos substitute for any other card to form winning hand combinations.
There are four wild cards in total, providing more chances of getting a wild card.
A four-of-a-kind hand of twos is the second highest-paying winning combination in the game.
Three of a kind is the lowest winning combination.
As your security is our highest priority, all the online video poker casinos we recommend match our strict security and safety criteria.
We also look at the site’s encryption certificates and data-protection policies to ensure that your personal and financial information is never shared with third parties.
To ensure game safety, we only feature casinos that offer games from the leading software providers. These are certified by regulatory bodies and independent testing houses, ensuring that games are always safe and fair.
The Canadian online casino market is dynamic, and new casino sites and games are being launched constantly. Keeping track of all these changes isn’t easy, and knowing which video poker games and sites are the best is even more challenging.
We constantly scour the internet for the newest video poker additions. When we find a new site that we think you will enjoy, we add it to our list of recommended sites. So visit our pages of the top casinos to always stay up to date with the best video poker sites in Canada.
Most video poker casinos and games are built with HTML5 technology, making them responsive and optimised for mobile devices. It means that you can access the best video poker mobile casinos from the browser of your Android, iOS, or Windows Phone device.
Some casinos also offer a native app, offering better connectivity and enhanced mobile usability. In addition, you can set app notifications that will allow you to stay up to date with the newest casino games and promotions. Whether you would like to play video poker on an app or browser client, some mobile casinos are better than others. So check out our featured mobile video poker sites to find the best option for playing video poker on the go.
Online casinos in Canada offer video poker players many payment options for depositing and withdrawing funds. When you visit one of our recommended video poker casinos, you will find a diverse range of payment methods, including:
Note that online casinos usually set limits on deposit and withdrawal amounts. Also, bonus eligibility, transaction fees and limits, and processing times vary across payment methods. Therefore, it is recommended to read the casino’s terms and conditions before selecting a banking option.
A game’s Return to Player (RTP) is the percentage of total wagers paid back to players in winnings. For example, a game with an RTP of 96% will pay back to players $96 of every $100 wagered. However, because each game outcome is random, the RTP is a statistical payout over time, which means that some players will win whilst others will lose.
The house edge is the casino’s built-in advantage over the game, which is how the casino generates a profit. Simply put, the house edge can be calculated as 100% of the wagers less the RTP. So in the example above, in the long run, the casino will keep $4 of every $100 wagered.
As every outcome of a video poker game is random, odds will vary across different hands dealt, and bets made. Still, the average house edge for video poker is considered low, making it a high-yielding game compared to other casino games. For example, the RTP for Jacks or Better 9/6 video poker is 98.181% and 99.543% for a four and five-credit bet, respectively. This translates to a respective house edge of 1.819% and 0.457%.
Our featured online casinos offer the best selection of video poker games. Still, as video poker is considered somewhat of a niche, the choice of games may be limited. The good news is that you are spoiled for choice with thousands of other exciting casino games offered at Canadian online casinos if you like video poker.
Exciting card games like online poker, casino hold'em, online blackjack and baccarat are available in both live dealer and classic online mode. Or, you can play online roulette and slots in a dizzying array of styles, themes, jackpot sizes, and gameplay features.
No, as video poker is based on a single-player playing against a machine, it is not offered in a live dealer setup. in contrast, live dealer poker offers a community game that involves punters playing against other players and a dealer. However, as some software developers already offer live online slot tournaments and live dealer game shows, we can possibly see live dealer video poker in the future.
You can find the best video poker games right here in our guide. Our team of casino experts constantly look for the best sites to play video poker and other casino games. Every casino we recommend is fully licensed, 100% reputable, and has a wide selection of video poker games.
No, not all online casinos offer video poker, but it is available at most casino sites. The best way to play video poker online and get the best games is to check out one of the casinos on our list. We recommend online casinos that host video poker games from leading providers like Games Global, NetEnt, and Playtech.
You should try online video poker because it is exciting and fun, and you may win some money too! Video poker is one of the most popular online casino games because it provides a fast-paced version of poker. It takes one of the world’s most popular games and makes it accessible to everyone.
Yes, as most video poker casinos are built on HTML5 technology, they are responsive and optimised for use on mobile browsers. Some video poker sites also offer a native mobile app that can be downloaded and installed on Android and iOS devices.
The odds of winning an online video poker game depend on the variant you play and the hand you are dealt. For example, the odds of a Royal Flush, five-credit bet at a Jacks or Better video poker game are 0.002%, while the odds of a Two Pair at the same game are 12.928%.