Free online video poker, as it turns out, is a bit of a misnomer. While you can sign up for trial memberships with some casinos, you almost always must commit actual money to your account if you want to keep playing. The term "free" is generally used to lure in new users who then get the "bug" and decide to play for real stakes.
Free Online Video Poker is a popular alternative to the poker table, which requires some concentration, bluffing technique, and plenty of strategy. While strategy is still important in online video poker, there are fewer variables to contend with. Once you understand the ranking system of hands you're well on your way to becoming a seasoned video poker champ.
How Free Online Video Poker Works
As with regular poker, video poker deals you five cards from a standard deck. It's important to note that different machines will use varying numbers of decks in their virtual "shoe." While these are typically four, six, or eight decks, there are some casinos that offer five, seven, and even nine. Typically, the more decks in a shoe, the greater the house advantage since it's increasingly difficult to count cards. But there's little card counting in poker, so the totla number shouldn't really matter.
Unlike standard poker, you can choose five new cards when gambling online. If you've been dealt no better than matching jacks, it's usually advisable to start afresh with five new cards. If you have a ranking pair, however, you may draw one, two, or three new cards in order to assemble the best hand possible. You're then awarded points based on the strength of that hand, which translate into different cash amounts.