Video Poker has only recently become available as a live dealer game.
Evolution launched their Video Poker Live table in 2023. Playtech introduced Who Wants to be a Millionaire Video Poker in 2024. Now that the template is out there, other providers are sure to follow in due course.
Live dealer video poker takes the very popular terminal game and adds a physical card deal to give it a live dealer feel.
On Evolution’s table, it’s the initial five card deal (or main hand) that is a physical deal, with all hands after the hold decision resolved from virtual decks. Playtech take a slightly different approach, with a physical card deal for the main hand and resolution of the first hand. All other hands are completed virtually.
Both versions allow you to play from 1 to 100 hands each round.
They both also allow you to choose from a range of well known video poker pay tables each round, as indicated in the below table. Playtech also offer a newly introduced Millionaire Aces pay table.
Live dealer video poker tables compared
| Playtech Millionaire Video Poker | Evolution Video Poker Live | |
|---|---|---|
| Play 1 to 100 hands. Main hand is a physical card deal. First hand is resolved from physical card deal. All other hands resolved from virtual deal. | Play 1 to 100 hands. Main hand is a physical card deal. All hands resolved from virtual deal. | |
| Jacks or Better |  | |
| Deuces Wild | | |
| Tens or Better | | |
| Bonus Poker | | |
| Double Double Bonus | | |
| Millionaire Aces | | |
| Bonus game | | |
How to Play Video Poker
Video poker is a casino game blending elements of traditional poker played on slot machine like terminals. The aim is to form strong poker hands to win payouts, with options to hold or discard cards for strategic advantage.
There are many different versions of video poker, with each version offering different payouts for particular hands. But regardless of version, game flow is the same. Here’s a breakdown .
- Initial Bet: The game begins with the player placing a bet, typically by inserting coins or credits into the machine (or using the bet selector playing online).
- Deal: The player is dealt a starting hand of five cards from a standard 52-card deck (some variants may include jokers). This hand is sometimes referred to as the main hand.
- Decision Time: After examining their hand, the player decides which cards to keep (hold) and which to discard. The discarded cards are replaced with new ones from the same deck. Invariably, there is an option to play multiple hands and all with be resolved using the same hold cards chosen from the initial deal, and random replacement cards.
- Final Hands: The player’s final hand(s) are then evaluated according to the game’s pay table. Payouts are based on the strength of the hand, with stronger combinations earning higher rewards.
- Payouts: If the final hand matches one of the combinations listed on the pay table (e.g., pairs, three of a kind, straight, flush, etc.), the player receives the corresponding payout.
The appeal of video poker lies in its blend of skill and luck. While luck determines the initial hand dealt, players can employ strategy by deciding which cards to hold and discard. This strategic element adds depth to the gameplay, making it more engaging than traditional slot machines for many players.
Another appealing aspect of video poker, are the games’ high theoretical returns or RTP rates. RTP rates will however be dependent on both:
- whether optimal hold decisions are made, and
- the payouts set on the game’s pay table.
As an example, a Full Pay Jacks or Better pay table, played optimally will return 99.54%.
What are Full Pay video poker pay tables?
Not all pay tables for a given version of video poker are identical. Some may offer slightly lower payouts for one or more hand combinations from those considered to be the Full Pay version (the best you will find).
As an example, payouts offered by Evolution and Playtech for Deuces Wild are slightly different to Deuces Wild Full Pay payouts (which are an impossible terminal to find these days).