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Many newbie players think that video poker and slot games are quite similar and might not differ as such. These games have video screens. They are single-player games initiated at the push of a button and are coin-operated. If you look around in a casino, you will assume that both these games are similar, as they have a lot of things in common. But once you learn about these games in detail, you know that things are quite different.
Ordinary things in Slot Machines and Video Poker Games
So, to start with the similarities, both slot games and video poker are single-player and coin-operated video games. Both these games allow you to alter your betting options, mostly from one to five coins in case of video poker, and up to a specified maximum amount in slot games, which differs depending on the individual slot machine. The games offer an excellent, entertaining alternative to more traditional casino table games such as poker, roulette, or blackjack, as there’s no dealer or any other player interaction needed.
How are Slot Games and Video Poker Different?
Slot games and video poker games are fundamentally different in their strategy, the rules of the game, and the possible outcomes. So, let’s see some key differences between these two types of games:
- Slots have a lower house edge as compared to video poker: The typical house edge for slot games ranges from 2% to 9%, which means that in the long run, a player could lose anywhere between 2% and 9% of his balance. No slots ever offer a negative house edge. However, the video poker games with the best payouts (full-pay Deuces Wild) provide you a negative house edge of 0.76%, meaning that if you adopt the right strategy, you will increase your balance to some extent over time. The right strategies for all video poker variants are quite well-established and free over the Internet. But they are very complicated, and a player needs to spend some time mastering them.
- When playing Deuces Wild, a player needs to master the strategies and rules to win more often: In slot games, you have to hit the Spin button and then quit while you’re ahead. In the games like Jacks or Better, you first need to decide which cards to withdraw and which should be left. For this, you need a set of skills and a complete understanding of the winning strategies that teach you how to win video poker games. That is why it is essential to learn some basics before you start to play.
- Slot games offer higher jackpots: That is undoubtedly a significant advantage of slot games; you will not get a $10 million jackpot in any video poker game, but in slots, these kinds of wins happen quite often. Some slot games also offer progressive jackpot systems, in which a percentage of each bet made by all the players across the world goes into increasing a jackpot. The highest-ever win in slot games was almost €19 million. But in full-pay Deuces Wild, you cannot get more than 800 times your bet, which would mostly be $4000, because 800 times the bet win is usually offered for five coins.
- In slot games, RTP stays the same irrespective of the size or amount of your bet, but it would vary in video poker. The standard Deuces Wild pay table displays that if you bet 5 coins, the dimension of the royal flush payoff would quadruple, as compared to the payoff in case of a bet of 4 coins. It means a video poker game would be only advantageous if you bet max coins. The overall situation with payouts is much better than in the usual slots. For example, full-pay Deuces Wild would pay back around 100.76%; 10/7 Double Bonus has around 100.17% payout rate, and Jacks or Better has approximately 99.54% RTP.
- There are no bells and whistles in video poker: Yes, you won’t get much of that in this game. Here you don’t get flashy animation and bonuses and get only cards, which means just math and strategizing. However, in modern slots games, you can enjoy a big spread of bonus games, multipliers, achievements, wild symbols, and additional goodies that make your gaming experience a lot more interesting. Explore now!
- Winning at video poker requires playing many hands: If you wonder about how to win at video poker, there is a chance to perform multiple hands. When comparing with regular slots, in the case of video poker, everything is dependent on your speed and how you react. Usually, the online slot machines for real money would have the same rules and logic. However, slot games and video poker machines differ in their core.
- Slot machines are designed to be more entertaining: Slot games include 3D graphics, bright animations, and various themes that make interfaces more customized as per the needs of players. Whereas, the video poker machines are usually determined to be more challenging. Before playing, you need to decide what kind of player you are. It’s usually seen that newbies opt for classic slots rather than video poker. But the players who like to challenge themselves mostly choose the latter.
