Poker online

Why should I play online poker?

Online poker can offer you a fast and exciting way to participate in poker. The internet gives you the freedom to play when you have the time and opportunity, making it easy to participate in online tournaments, ring games, and cash games. Online poker rooms also offer many more social and playing options than traditional poker clubs. Online poker is a very competitive activity, and it allows you to develop your skills as a poker player while socializing and having fun playing with other players. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to online poker. It’s important to make sure that you’re comfortable with betting and that you understand the rules of the online poker room you’re playing on. Once you have understood the basic rules, you can start developing strategies and techniques as you gain experience and develop your skills. When you reach a point where you feel confident enough, you can start participating in tournaments at Norwegian casinos. This is a great way to challenge yourself and have fun, as well as a chance to win big prizes. When you become comfortable, you can also try some higher levels, such as VIP poker or high stakes games.

Disadvantages of online poker

• As with all casino games, there is always the possibility of losing money.
• Online poker can also be quite stressful and demanding, so you need to take breaks when necessary to avoid mental stress.
• Online poker can be susceptible to fraud and hacking, so you should choose poker rooms with good security.

Once you are familiar with the above precautions, you can start playing online poker and enjoy the social and competitive aspects of online poker.

Advantages of online poker

The advantages of online poker are obvious:

• Fast and adaptable gameplay – you can play at multiple tables simultaneously, and there is a wide variety of real money games available.
• You can find blinds ranging from $.01/$.02 to high stakes ($3000/$6000).
• There are countless variations to choose from, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, Draw, and Razz.
• You can also play lesser-known games, most of which are mixed, such as HORSE, HOSE, OA, OE, SE, HERO, and others.
• The fee per game (rake) is usually lower online.

In the same time it takes for someone to play one hand in a live poker room, that same person can play at least five hands online. This makes it much easier to earn a lot of money in a short amount of time if the player has a good poker strategy and has invested the time needed to learn to play well.

Freerolls and Free Play

For players who want to play online but don’t want to spend money, there is also a wide selection of tables with play money and freerolls (free tournaments with cash prizes).

Bonuses and Promotions

What sets online poker rooms apart from live poker rooms the most are the bonuses. Most poker rooms will offer at least a 100% bonus on any first deposit. Since online poker is so fast-paced, it’s easy to meet any wagering requirements. Many gaming sites also have daily, weekly, and monthly promotions in addition to welcome bonuses. Many of these promotions include free poker tournaments, deposit bonuses, and cash or material prizes. Check out our list of recommended poker rooms above to see what promotions are available.

Poker Strategy

There is a lot to consider when developing a good poker strategy. You need to focus on your starting hands, your position at the poker table, and poker odds. A good poker strategy for a beginner is to limit yourself to hands that have 9 or higher on each card. Don’t fall for the temptation to pay to see the flop, as you will end up losing a lot of money, even when you only pay blinds.
The easiest way to calculate odds is by using an online poker odds calculator. All you have to do is enter your cards, and if you’re unsure about your opponents’ cards, choose random cards for them. The calculator will determine your odds at any given point in the game: before the flop, after the flop, turn card, or river card.

If you want to determine your own hand odds without a calculator, you need to count how many remaining cards there are (the number of cards that will give you the best possible hand). So if you’re on the flop and you have 4 cards for a flush (2♥8♥K♥6♥), you need one more card to complete your flush. There are an additional 9 hearts that can complete your flush. You can calculate the odds of getting a heart at the end of the game by multiplying your remaining cards by 4 (9×4=36). Therefore, you have a 36% chance of getting the hand you want.

If you multiply your remaining cards by 2, you calculate the chance of getting a heart on the next card (9×2), 18%. The method of multiplying the remaining cards by 4 and 2 can give you a good estimate of your hand odds. Compare these odds with the pot odds (the ratio of the pot to a potential call, e.g. $50 to $10= 5 to 1 pot odds) to determine whether it’s worth calling, folding, or betting. Calculating poker odds can be confusing at first, but if you incorporate them into your poker strategies, you’ll be a much better player.

Omaha

Omaha is considered the second most popular poker game in the world, with Texas Hold’em being the only game played more frequently.

Rules of Omaha Hold’em

Omaha Hold’em is played similarly to Texas Hold’em. As in Texas Hold’em, there are five community cards that are dealt in three rounds. Players also receive hole cards, but instead of two as in Texas Hold’em, each player receives four hole cards.
Here is an overview of the game:

• The first player to the left of the dealer puts out the small blind (half the minimum bet).
• The second player to the left of the dealer puts out the big blind (the minimum bet).
• Four “hole cards” are dealt to each player.
• The first betting round begins.
• The flop, the first three community cards, are dealt.
• The second betting round follows.
• The turn card, one community card, is dealt.
• The third betting round follows.
• The final community card, the river card, is dealt.
• A final round of betting.
• Then the cards are shown and the winner is determined.

In Omaha, the rules for players’ hands are as follows:

• Players must use exactly 2 hole cards.
• Players must use exactly 3 community cards.
• That’s the basics of Omaha Hold’em. The two versions of this game are Omaha High and Omaha High Low.

Video Poker

Video Poker is the successful cross between five-card draw poker and slot machines. It is extremely popular at online casinos and is offered in various versions at all online casinos. The game’s fantastic odds, along with other video and slot machines, have made it one of the biggest draws to casinos.

Video Poker Rules

The rules of video poker are easy to understand, largely thanks to all the information you get on the screen in addition to the cards you see. You simply need to have cards that are recognized as good hands in the game of poker to win, so the rules and strategies are very easy to grasp before you start playing. The goal is to get the best card combination that gives the highest payout.
You play video poker on a machine where you bet money. You choose the cards you want to keep and those you discard are replaced with new ones. This is common for all variations of the game.

Winning Hands:

• Royal Flush: The five highest cards, all of the same suit: 10, J, Q, K, A
• Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence and of the same suit: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 all in for example hearts
• Four of a Kind: Same rank, four out of five cards: 9, 9, 9, 9, K
• Full House: A pair and three of a kind: J, J, 7, 7, 7
• Flush: A hand of five cards where all the cards have the same suit, but the order doesn’t matter: 4, 5, 8, Q, K in for example diamonds
• Straight: A hand of five cards where all the cards are in sequence, but the suit doesn’t matter: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Three of a Kind: Same rank, three out of five cards: 9, 9, 9, 7, 3
• Two Pair: Two different pairs of five cards: 4, 4, 8, K, K
• Jacks or Better: Pair of jacks or higher out of five cards: J, J, 3, 5, 2

Progressive Video Poker

As with regular slot machines, progressive jackpots also exist in video poker where the main prize just keeps growing and growing. In these machines, a small percentage of the bet is put into a jackpot account every time someone plays the game. This effect is amplified when the machines are networked with many of the biggest casinos participating.
To win, you usually need to have a Royal Flush or a specific Royal Flush with a specific suit, such as spades. These games are controlled by an RNG generator that makes the deal of cards random. In addition, machines with progressive jackpots typically have high volatility. This means that a lot of time and money may need to be invested before a win shows up.

Popular Video Poker Games

Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better, also known as Draw Poker, is the most popular version of video poker in casinos and online. It’s the easiest version to learn, making it great for beginners. As the name suggests, the first winning hand that earns you money is a pair of jacks or higher (Q, K, and A). It’s played with a 52-card deck, and the best machines with the highest payouts are still found in many casinos.
The best machines to play are full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better. The 9 refers to the number of coins you get for a Full House, and 6 refers to the amount of coins you get for a Flush. This version has a theoretical return of 99.54% when played with perfect strategy and maximum bet (5x the machine denomination). This means that if you bet $100, you will likely lose less than $1 in the long run.

General tips when playing Jacks or Better:

• Play with maximum bet! The expected return decreases if you play with a lower bet.
• If you have a 4-card Flush and a 4-card Straight in the same hand, keep the 4-card Flush.
• If you have a pair and a high card (e.g. J, Q, K, or A), discard the high card.
• If you have a 4-card Royal Flush, continue playing for a Royal Flush.
• Do not keep a 3-card Straight or 3-card Flush unless all three cards are high cards (e.g. J, Q, K).
• Only split a high pair (e.g. K, K) when you have a 4-card Straight Flush or a 4-card Royal Flush.

Deuces Wild

This is the most popular wild card variation of the game. You still play with a 52-card deck, but all twos or deuces can be played as wild cards. This variation also has more winning hands with payouts, such as Five of a Kind, Wild Royal Flush, and Four Deuces. But what this game is most known for is its payouts of over 100%, which means that the player can have an edge over the house. If you play with maximum bet, your payout percentage can be as high as 100.76%.
General tips that should always be followed when playing Deuces Wild: * When you have Two Pairs without a deuce, get rid of one of the pairs. * Never get rid of Five of a Kind. * If you have a single high card (J, Q, K, or A), get rid of it. * Remember that it’s better to have a pair than a 4-card Straight or a 4-card Flush * Keep all deuces. Never get rid of a deuce.

Joker Poker (Joker Wild)

Joker Wild uses a 53-card deck, 52 cards plus a joker that acts as a wild card. Players have better odds of winning than in Jacks or Better.

Tens or Better

Tens or Better is similar to Jacks or Better and is played with a 52-card deck. The main difference is that players can win with a pair of tens or higher instead of a pair of jacks or higher. This makes it easier to win with a pair. However, the payout table is not as generous as Jacks or Better because the best machines only offer 6/5 (6 times your credit for a Full House/5 times your credit for a Flush on the payout table).

Double Bonus

Double Bonus is similar to Jacks or Better, but it includes two additional payouts for Four of a Kind. At max bet (5 coins) or a 10/7 machine (10 for a Full House, 7 for a Flush), you can win 800 coins for four aces and 400 coins for four 2s, 3s, or 4s. It is important to note that even though Double Bonus has a higher payout percentage (up to 100.17%), it is harder to play and win.

Double Double Bonus

This variant is a more complicated version of Double Bonus. It offers a total of five different payouts for different variations of Four of a Kind. The best payouts are on 10/6 machines (10 for a Full House/6 for a Flush) with a payout of 50 coins for a (5 kings) Four of a Kind on minimum bet (1 coin).

Deuces and Joker

Deuces and Joker is also played with a 53-card deck. It is the only variant of video poker that has a higher payout for Five Wild Cards (four 2s and a joker) than a Natural Royal Flush. Look for machines with an 8/6 payout table (8 – Five of a Kind/6 – Straight Flush) for the best possible odds.

All American (Bally’s All American)

All American is also similar to Jacks or Better, but it has a higher payout for a Flush, Straight, and a Straight Flush (8/8/200 on a payout table). However, the payout for a Full House and Two Pair (8/1 on a payout table) is lower than in Jacks or Better. It is played with a 52-card deck and there are no wild cards or bonuses.

Video Poker Odds

If played correctly, video poker offers some of the best odds of all casino games.

Jacks or Better

Play the 9/6 full pay version for the highest expected return percentage. 9/6 refers to the payout for a Full House (9x credit) and Flush (6x credit). Also, make sure the payout for Two Pair is 2 coins. If it is lower, it is not a full pay machine. If you play with max bet, you have a return of 99.54%.

Deuces Wild

If you play with perfect strategy and max bet, you have an expected return of 100.76%! For Deuces Wild, it is important to note the payout for Four of a Kind. If it is lower than 5, you are not playing on a full pay machine. It can be difficult to find a full pay version of Deuces Wild. In that case, you can play “Not So Ugly” Deuces Wild, which offers an expected return of 99.73% which is still higher than full pay Jacks or Better.

Double Bonus

You can recognize full pay Double Bonus if you see a Full House that pays 10 coins, a Flush that pays 7 coins, and a Straight that pays 5 coins. Note that Double Bonus has two extra winning hands of Four of a Kind, which helps increase the player’s odds and raises the expected return to 100.17%.

Double Double Bonus

To find full pay versions of Double Double Bonus, make sure you see a payout table that pays 10 coins for a Full House, 6 coins for a Flush, and 50 coins for a Straight Flush.

Joker Poker (Jokers Wild)

The best payout table is the Kings or Better variant where you have an expected return of 100.64%.

Tens or Better

The best Tens or Better machines pay 6 coins for a Full House, 5 coins for a Flush, and 25 coins for Four of a Kind. Although it may seem like your odds would be better with the first winning hand in Tens or Better than in Jacks or Better, the payout for each winning hand in Tens or Better is less than in Jacks or Better. Because of this, the expected return for a full-pay machine of Tens or Better is 99.13%.

Deuces and Joker

The full-pay machine pays 9 coins for Five of a Kind and 6 coins for a Straight Flush. Note that there is no payout for Four Deuces & Joker if you are not playing with maximum bet.

Full Pay 9/6 Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy

Most video poker variations are based on Jacks or Better, so this strategy is a good example to start with. The strategy for each game may vary slightly, especially if it is a variant that has different rules, extra winning hands, and wild cards. If you follow this strategy, you will likely achieve a 99.54% expected return from this variant.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions