Is Poker Really Gambling

Red Dog Casino gives you a chance to play different video poker games online for money. Video poker can be considered a relatively late entrant in the list of the top online casino games. Initially, this game was played by people that were considered anti-social. That’s due to the fact that they spent a lot of time playing this game, sitting in front of game screens. And only in the 1980s, electronic devices began to replace mechanical slot machines, which announced a new era of video poker.
In the 90s, gambling analysts started using computers in their studies of the payment systems of video poker. They revealed to the broad public that video poker machines offered a low house edge. These were better than those offered by most of the games in casinos. Consequently, a mass movement ensued with more gamblers learning video poker strategies. Soon, land-based casinos realized that their secret has been exposed, and they eliminated most of the best pay tables. However, the game continues to offer great odds to gamers.
Today, people are playing video poker for money online across the globe. And, the experience is truly fun and exciting. Red Dog Casino offers a wide array of video poker games that can be played online at any time. You can play these games from the comfort of your home or office. What’s more, you can play mobile video poker for real money on the go. And you can even claim your bonus to start playing without spending your hard-earned money.

Real Money Video Poker vs. Free Video Poker

Real money video poker comes with games with some of the best casino bets online and can compete with them. Only different blackjack games can be compared to video poker when it comes to odds. But, you may wonder whether to play video poker for free or real money. Well, the answer is very simple. Video poker is among the best bets in an online casino for a player who likes to gamble for real cash. A player who wants to gamble for real cash should focus on games that have the best odds. These are video poker and blackjack. When it comes to gambling for free, a player should choose casino games that they find entertaining. Video poker can fall into the category of entertaining casino games. However, some players may find roulette and craps more entertaining. Nevertheless, playing video poker for free can be a great way to learn about this game. You can also try free video poker to test out specific casino software. That way, you can find out if the sounds and sights of the casino appeal to you before you start playing real money video poker games. This is very important because the software for online casinos do not offer a similar playing experience. Therefore, savvy online gamblers start by shopping around to find software that feels and looks great to stick with. Nevertheless, both real money and free video poker versions have their benefits. Free Video Poker Benefits

In Colorado, Pennsylvania and North Carolina judges and juries have determined that, in fact, the skill elements override the chance factors and that, in legal terms, poker is not gambling. That’s because poker is unique from most other forms of real money gambling in that you need other people in order to play. There are some USA poker sites that prohibit players from certain states from joining. And you’re not going to find many players from countries outside the US on these sites for various reasons. . The majority of poker players don't think poker is gambling because they are more skilled than the competition and in the long run will profit. The majority of poker players will not become professional and were wrong about the first statement. Real Money Video Poker vs. Free Video Poker. Real money video poker comes with games with some of the best casino bets online and can compete with them. Only different blackjack games can be compared to video poker when it comes to odds. But, you may wonder whether to play video poker for free or real money. Well, the answer is very simple.

• No registration or account setup requirements
• Can be used to practice different games or strategies
• Allows you to have fun without spending money
• Benefits of Real Money Video Poker
• Access to the best games and casinos
• You get free spins, jackpots, and prizes
• You get welcome bonuses
• You get better betting requirements
• Participation in ongoing tournaments and promotions
• Access to low-limit games

Video Poker Hands

Regular poker and video poker have almost the same winning hands. However, there are slight differences based on the chosen variation of video poker. Video poker hands have their rankings. However, knowing the rankings of video poker hands alone is not enough. The hands that bring winnings vary depending on the chosen game. As such, a player should start by learning about video poker hands before they start playing. This approach will enable a player to win money playing video poker online rather than end up with nothing and lose it.
Below are some hands that are likely to bring you a win instead of a loss when playing popular variations of video poker.

Winning Hands for Jack or Better Video Poker

• Pairs of jacks or better - These are all high pairs of Jack-Jack, King-King, Queen-Queen, and Ace-Ace, and you have to collect only one pair of them.
• Two pairs - These are two cards of the same kind and two cards of another kind. An example is 6-6 and 3-3.
• Three-of-a-kind - These are 3 cards of the same rank.
• Straight - This hand comprises five sequential rank cards like 7-8-9-10-Jack
• Flush - This hand comprises five cards of a similar suit.
• Full house - This is a combination of a pair and three-of-a-kind.
• Four-of-a-kind - This hand comprises four cards of the same rank.
• Straight flush - This is a straight of a single suit.
• Royal flush - This is an ace-high straight of a single suit.

Winning Video Poker Hands for Deuces Wild

• Three-of-a-kind- This hand comprises three cards of the same rank or one kind.
• Straight- This hand comprises five sequential rank cards like 7-8-9-10-Jack
• Flush- This comprises five same suit cards
• Royal flush- This hand comprises an ace-high straight of a single suit.
• Full house- This is a combination of a pair plus three-of-a-kind.
• Four-of-a-kind- This hand comprises four cards of the same rank or one kind.
• Five-of-a-kind- This is a two and four cards of the same rank or kind.
• Straight flush- This is one suit straight.
• 4 deuces- This hand consists of four 2s.
• Deuces royal flush- This is a royal flush hand, plus one of the cards can be changed to deuces.

Differences in video poker games for various games are because players follow special rules while using several wild cards. Wild cards provide an advantage in video poker games. Therefore, the lowest winning hand rank is higher than that of the games that do not have wild cards.
Players should note that a natural hand or a hand that doesn’t have wild cards can have a higher rank than a respective hand with wild cards. Therefore, a natural hand like a Royal Flush might give a higher payout than a hand with wild cards like a Wild Royal Flush.
Also, though table poker gamers move cards in hands to form specific orders, the case with video poker is different. That’s because cards can be presented on their display screen in no specific order. For instance, a player can have a Royal Flush with cards appearing from the left side to the right side. And, they can’t be placed in a specific order. As such, a player needs to focus after the cards have been dealt. This will enable them to identify a potential winning or a winning hand when it occurs. It will also enhance their chances of winning real cash video poker.

Types of Video Poker Games for Real Money

Several video poker games can be played online for real money. Here are the major real video poker casino games that you can play online.

• Deuces Wild- This video poker game is based on the standard 5-card draw. It gives players a twist that helps them win more money. Having all 2s in a deck is a wild that creates a winning hand. The RTP of this game varies between 97.69% and 98.91%.
• Jacks or Better- This is the original version of video poker. It’s a popular best real money video poker version for most gamblers. That’s because its winning strategy is straightforward and playing process is easy. It comes with 52 cards on the deck but only when a single pair is queens, jacks, aces, or kinds the player can win. That’s where its name comes from. This game has an RTP of 99.54%.
• Loose Deuces- This game is the same as Jacks or Better. However, it’s a wild card game with slight differences in the paytable. A Royal Flush bonus is the greatest real money reward in this game. This is available when playing for a maximum of 5 coins with the desired bet of a gamer. This game has an RTP of 99.07%.
• Joker Wild- Some people and casinos call this game Joker Poker. When playing a video poker game for real money, a gamer should focus on finding a joker because it can substitute all the other cards. Otherwise, this game has similar rules with Jacks or Better. But, the paytable for the top coin is better and the RTP for this game is 100.65%.
• Bonus Deuces Wild- This can be described as a deuces wild game with a more complex paytable. A hand with 5s of a kind gets the player a bonus. Forming hands is easier with wilds. The most payout is achieved by forming 5 true aces. Having wilds in the same hands is also easier. This game has an RTP of 99.15%.
• Bonus Poker- It’s no secret that the popularity of 5 card draw variants is increasing. The major difference is that independent hands give better payouts. In most cases, the highest rewards are achieved by combining 4s of a kind. This is the incentive for drawing four quads. The RTP for this game is 99.64%.
• Aces and Eights- The tweaked paytable makes this variant the favorite game for most players. Its RTP is around 99.78%. A player gets the top prize when they get 4s of a kind in eights or aces.

Tips to Increase Your Chances of Winning at Video Poker

For some players, video poker is a simple, straightforward game. However, some players do not find it as easy to play as roulette or mini baccarat, for instance. That’s why they need tips to enhance their winning chances when they play video poker for money. Here are simple but effective tips for winning video poker online.

• Choose your pay tables wisely- Start by learning how to read and comprehend pay tables. For instance, find out about hands that are variable from full pay and short pay versions.
• Learn the strategy of each video poker game- Learn how you can become a great player at the very beginning. Get cheat sheets for your favorite video poker games and use them. Start here and master all the fine points later.
• Master your skills to perfection - You can use free video poker to practice at online casinos. This is a good way to start before you venture into real money video poker gambling. That way, you will learn how the buttons of the games work and card combinations to avoid simple mistakes when playing for money.
• Study other games strategies- Some games have pay tables with better odds. But, this depends on where you opt to play. However, when you learn to play different games properly, choosing a game whose odds are better will be easier. And, you will do this only when you know about different strategies.
• Join players’ clubs- You don’t have to be a highroller to join a club of professional players. You can start by joining a club of players immediately after signing up at a casino. Video poker is a low house edge game. A combination of low house edge with 0.4% or 0.3% gets a player back from belonging to a slot club and turning negative expectations into positive expectations. And inserting a slots club card when playing won’t hurt your winning chances.

Why Play Real Money Video Poker at Red Dog Casino

Red Dog Casino is the best place to play video poker games for real money. Here are some of the reasons to play video poker on this platform.

• Legitimacy- Red Dog Casino is under the jurisdiction of Curaçao. It has legit games powered by major providers like RealTime Gaming. This combined with the fact that the casino uses modern technologies like SSL encryption makes it a legit place to play video poker online.
• Video poker games variety- Red Dog Casino features a wide range of video poker games that can be played online with ease. If you’re looking for specific casino-style games that you can play in one place online, this is the best casino for you. We feature video poker games like Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, Aces and Eights, Loose Deuces and many more.
• Lucrative welcome bonus- Everyone wants to play internet video poker for money at a casino that welcomes players with a bonus. We know this, and we are ready to invite you with a fancy bonus once you sign up for an account with us. We want to welcome new customers and make them feel like they have always been our existing players. Get a free bonus and use it to practice or even learn more about our software.
• Big payouts- The major reason to play video poker online for real money is to win. Red Dog Casino is the place where you can win big prizes when playing video poker. Our video poker machines give players big payouts and your loyal clients know that firsthand. Nevertheless, your payout size will largely depend on the amount you wager for every hand.

Red Dog Casino website is an easy to access and navigate gaming platform. Playing video poker at this casino gives you a chance to have fun and make real money.

FAQ

Is there an app required to play video poker?

No. You don’t have to download any app to venture into real video poker gambling online. You just need to sign up or register at a mobile-friendly website like Red Dog Casino. Another requirement for playing video poker online is probably having the right browser and stable internet connection. Most mobile casinos are optimized for video poker. That means you can gamble or play video poker on the go using your smartphone or tablet.

Is playing video poker online safe?

The idea of playing online video poker may seem unnerving. That’s particularly true for offshore, unregulated sites. However, choosing a reputable online casino like Red Dog Casino which is licensed and regulated by a reputable organization is safe.

Is there a guide for every video poker game?

In most cases, a video poker game will show you how to play it. Most higher-paying games do not provide advice to players. That’s because doing so would be showing players how they can beat the online casinos. Moreover, it’s possible to find the game with live dealers and bankers on the web.

Can I get huge jackpot wins by playing online video poker?

Providers of video poker games are starting to include progressive jackpots to their games. However, these titles come with low RTP. Therefore, weigh the available options before you choose a video poker site for real money that features progressive jackpots.

Final Thoughts

Video poker is a great game to play for real money or for fun. With some luck and a few tips, you can win big rewards. Follow the tips provided here to play best real video poker options online for fun or real money.

Online poker in the United States has changed drastically in the last decade. There was once a time when the biggest and best poker sites were open to US players. That’s no longer the case.

American poker players have a difficult time finding a safe real money poker site to join these days, especially one that has plenty of banking options, games that run, and reasonable promotions.

Since it’s so tough to find a legit site, we suggest you save yourself the time and headache by using our recommendations instead. We’ve listed the best USA poker sites below.

We’ll explain how we came up with our recommendations in the next section.

Following that, we’ll explain what kinds of games, software, and promotions Americans can expect to find at US-facing poker sites. We’ll also share some of the biggest pros and cons to playing at these poker rooms.

The goal here is to educate you on what you can expect if you choose to play online poker from the US, which can be a gray area for many players. And we want to make sure you join the only safest and best real money poker sites.

Is Poker Really Gambling Losses

Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

Choosing which real money USA poker sites to recommend is no easy task. While there are several sites that accept US players, only a few of them are worth your time.

What we want to do now is give you a brief explanation of why we selected the top online poker rooms to recommend to our readers. The goal is to show you that there was real effort and thought put into our reviews and ratings.

However, the following information will also help you find a real money online poker site if for some reason you don’t want to choose from one of our recommendations.

Okay, so when selecting a USA poker site to join, what variables or attributes should you look for?

We believe the following three factors are the most important.

We use multiple sources to determine a site’s reputation. This includes poker forums, industry insiders, our own contacts, firsthand experience, and more.

We specifically make sure that they are properly licensed to provide online poker for real money, and that they’re regulated by a reputable gambling authority.

Is Poker Actually Gambling

There are two things we look for here.

The first thing we look for is whether the poker site has banking options that we can use to make a deposit. The best options today for US poker players is a credit card or Bitcoin.

The best options for cashouts are Bitcoin, followed by wire transfers, paper checks, or money transfers.

The second thing we look at is whether the poker room has a reputation for cashing out US players within a reasonable timeframe.

Traffic or player liquidity is the next important attribute to look for. That’s because poker is unique from most other forms of real money gambling in that you need other people in order to play.

There are some USA poker sites that prohibit players from certain states from joining. And you’re not going to find many players from countries outside the US on these sites for various reasons.

This leads to most poker websites having hardly any traffic. These rooms aren’t worth joining.

The attributes above are the most important. However, they’re not the only ones we consider when ranking the best USA poker sites. Nor should they be all the you look if you’re deciding where to play real money online poker yourself.

We also recommend you consider the following.

This encompasses everything from the types of games and formats the room offers to the variants and stakes that you can play.

You’ll obviously want to find a site that caters to your specific interests, whether that’s playing mixed game cash games or deep stack Hold’em tournaments.

Can you play poker on a mobile device? What’s more, is the room compatible on your specific device?

The top online poker rooms, for the United States or anywhere else, should all be compatible with a wide range of mobile devices nowadays.

Do you have to download the software, or do you play from your browser? Do you have a preference?

Beyond that, you also want to look at the features the software has. For example, can you use four-color decks, auto-top off your stack, and do you have the option to set up your table layout however you want?

• What kinds of deals can you claim?
• Can you claim a deposit bonus?
• Do they have leaderboard contests?
• Do they have free plays?
• Can you earn extra rewards through a VIP program?

The leading real money poker sites for the USA are all generous in terms of the extra value they offer players.

• What kinds of tournaments can you play?
• Are there guaranteed tournaments?
• Does the poker room offer satellites to live events?
• Do they have satellites?

We also recommend looking at previously scheduled tournaments. Did the guaranteed tournaments get enough registrants to meet the guarantee or did the poker room have to cover the difference for most of them?

If it was the latter, which is called an overlay tournament, then you should strongly consider joining. Those are valuable tournaments to play since you’ll have fewer players to fight through for the same prize pool.

Does the poker room offer any kind of poker education or training? Are there any tools or resources to help you learn the game and get better at it?

This is a general idea of what we look for and the questions we ask whenever we review a poker room. We recommend you do the same. It’ll ensure that you enjoy whatever US poker site you join.

One of the challenges to playing real money poker online from the US is that there’s a shortlist of quality sites for you to join.

However, does that mean your options are short? Are you automatically limited on the games you can play, the features available to you, and the stakes you can play for?

That’s what we want to explore in this section.

You won’t have a problem finding Texas Hold’em. That’s the most popular poker game in the world. You’ll also find Omaha games running too, depending on the site you join.

However, you’re going to struggle to find other games such as Stud, Razz, and mixed games. These games aren’t nearly as popular and there’s not enough player liquidity for them to run often.

That’s assuming the poker websites you join even offer them. Not all of them do.

As for stakes, most cash games will start at $0.01/$0.02 or $0.02/$0.05. The stakes don’t peak as high for US players as they do players around the world. That’s okay, because you’ll find most games running at the micros and small stakes.

The tournaments that you can buy into cost about the same as other major tournaments at European poker sites. The difference between these tournaments, though, is that the guarantees usually aren’t as large at US poker sites.

For example, you can buy into a $100k guarantee for $162 on Bovada where first place will receive around $20,000. This pales in comparison to the Sunday Million on PokerStars that you can buy into for $109 and possibly win more than $100,000 for taking the whole thing down.

The point? Well, you’re risking more to win less money. That said, the upside is that we’d expect Bovada’s tournament to have a smaller and softer field compared to PokerStars. That should help balance it out.

Overall, players in the United States will have a smaller selection of real money poker games to choose from. There will be fewer tournaments running and the guarantees will be smaller, too.

However, that’s to be expected, considering the player pool is much smaller compared to the player pool outside the US. We don’t think it’s that big of a downside in the grand scheme of things anyway.

This is one area where US players won’t have to compromise too much on. Several of the top US poker sites have done a great job updating their software. They look modern and offer plenty of features.

Is Poker Really Gambling No Deposit

Here are a few examples of what you can expect.

• The ability to scale your tables to fit your screen. You can also tile, cascade, or stack your tables, which is handy for people who multi-table.
• You’ll have the option to play five to ten tables simultaneously, and some sites allow for more.
• Most top poker sites will offer features such as four-color decks, different card designs, easily readable pot and bet sizes, multiple languages, hand history replayer, and more.
• Some rooms offer anonymous tables which is great for recreational players. You don’t have to worry about sharks preying on you.
• Most sites offer built-in casino games and sportsbooks.
• You can use third party software at some poker rooms.
• You can play from your browser or download their software. Either option will be compatible with PCs AND Macs.

And more. The bottom line is that you’re not getting short-changed here. The best USA poker sites for real money have done a great job with their software.

US poker sites offer plenty of promotions, too. The following are a few examples of promotions you’ll be able to claim.

• Deposit Bonuses – Some of the deals we’ve seen include a 100% match up to $1,000 and a 100% match bonus up to $500.
• New Player Freerolls – These are tournaments that cost nothing to enter and offer a real money prize. Entry is limited to only those who signed up and made a deposit recently.
• Free Play – Get a free tournament ticket or free money to use in the poker room’s casino or sportsbook.
• VIP Program – Many sites will reward you for your loyalty. Perks can include exclusive bonuses, cash back, tournament tickets, and more.
• Bad Beat Jackpots – Play on a BBJ table and you can win a piece of a jackpot if your hand (usually quad 2s or better) lose to a better hand.

And so on. The one thing you’ll want to pay attention to when it comes to promotions are the playthrough terms. Specifically, you want to look at how much money you need to spend to clear every $1 or $10 of your bonus, and if there’s a timeframe you need to do it in.

There are some sites that make it incredibly difficult to earn their promotions. It’s one of the biggest downsides to poker promotions but you can usually avoid it if you stick with the top poker sites and do your homework first.

Is Poker Really Gambling Games

We also cover this information in detail in our reviews.

It’s not easy to play real money poker online in the United States when compared to playing poker online elsewhere in the world. However, it’s not impossible, especially after reading this guide.

While you might not have all the options that other players have, such as high stakes action, tons of games running, and enough traffic for games like Pineapple and HORSE to run, there’s still plenty of action to be had.

Is Poker Really Gambling

For example, you can play Hold’em and Omaha cash games and tournaments at the micro and small stakes levels. The software you’ll play on is top-notch and both serious and recreational players will be able to find a site that caters to them.

If that sounds good to you, then the first step to getting started is to find a site to join. To ensure you enjoy playing online poker for real money, join one of the best USA poker sites.

Here’s a reminder of our top recommendations. Remember, each one has been thoroughly vetted and we’re confident you’ll have a good experience.