Online Video Poker in New Zealand

What is video poker?

Video poker is a casino game with very simple rules that anyone can learn in a matter of minutes. Video poker is played with a standard 52-card deck, just like regular poker. However, some video games add a few joker cards – the exact number of these cards depends on the game; sometimes it’s just one card, while others include up to four.

The game begins with the player setting the betting limits – this can be a substantial bet, but the player must adhere to maximum and minimum betting limits. Once the bet is made, you need to click on the button marked “Deal”. After this, the game itself begins and the first five randomly assigned cards are dealt.

You can then mark one or more cards that you want to replace, but be very careful when doing this, as in some games, you do not mark the cards that the player wants to replace, but rather the cards that they want to keep in their hand. If you do not mark any cards, then all your cards will be replaced by other cards in the next round.

Why is online video poker worth playing?

Online video poker brings the strategy element of poker and the speed and ease of slots together, and it is a winning combination for players who want more control over their outcome than games of chance such as roulette or pokies.

Here’s why it’s worth your time:

• High RTP and low house edge: Most video poker games – especially titles like Jacks or Better (Full Pay) – offer one of the casino’s best RTPs, often 99.54% or higher with optimal play. That makes video poker a solid long-term option for bettors who want to extract the most value per dollar wagered.
• Skill-based gameplay: Unlike pokies, video poker pays back strategy. You get to choose which cards to hold and which to discard, determining the ultimate hand and possible payout. It’s best for players who like logic, probability, and making choices without having to contend with actual opponents.
• Transparent pay tables: Every video poker machine displays its pay schedule upfront, so you never have a surprise. There are no hidden odds, which adds to the integrity and faith of the game.
• Quick, lone action: Video poker is one-player only, so no waiting for others and no pressure from live dealers. You play at your own pace—whether you’re speeding through dozens of hands an hour or cruising along.
• Low stakes, high potential: The majority of NZ online casinos enable you to play video poker for a few cents per hand, but your winnings on high hands like Royal Flushes can be hundreds or thousands of your bet, especially playing max coin bets.
• Ideal for mobile: Modern video poker games are also optimized for smooth performance on tablets and smartphones with clean-looking graphics, tap controls, and rapid loading. That makes it ideal for short sessions on the go.
• Multiple game versions: From Deuces Wild to Bonus Poker to Aces & Faces, your choices are plentiful. Each variant exists with slightly varied rules and odds, allowing you to experiment and find a form that suits your risk tolerance and preferences.

Ranking video poker online casinos in New Zealand

Picking a great video poker casino isn’t just about graphics or speed of the game. For New Zealand gamblers, it’s more about trust, banking options, and whether the casino offers skill-based play at all. Here’s what to place first:

• Licensing & security
  A high-quality video poker casino should hold a recognised international licence, such as from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the UK Gambling Commission, or Curaçao eGaming. These ensure games are tested for fairness, customer protection rules are enforced, and the casino adheres to responsible gambling standards. You’ll also want to verify that the site uses SSL encryption and adheres to transparent data policies.
• Game selection & variants
  The more video poker games, the better. Look for popular versions like Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, Aces & Faces, and Tens or Better. A quality casino will offer several of these, ideally in a full-pay version with the highest RTPs. It’s also excellent if you can try them out in demo mode first before playing with real money.
• NZ player banking options
  A good video poker casino should offer payment methods that Kiwi players feel at ease with. POLi is preferred for direct bank transfers. Mastercard and Visa are apt for quick deposits. Skrill and Neteller e-wallets are suitable for players who prefer speed and privacy. For cryptocurrency lovers, deposit options for Bitcoin or Ethereum are increasingly available. Quick payouts — ideally within 24 hours — is a big bonus.
• Video poker bonuses that come with them
  Not all casino bonuses cover video poker, so there’s nothing like checking the small print. A good offer will have transparent wagering conditions, cover video poker in its bonus contribution, and carry affordable wagering requirements (ideally less than 30x). The best online casinos may even offer promotions designed explicitly for skill-based games, such as video poker.
• Mobile experience
  Because the majority of players enjoy video poker on the go, the experience on your phone must be smooth and responsive. The website must be accessible on tablets and smartphones, regardless of whether you use iOS or Android. You shouldn’t be forced to download an app to play the games, and it should load quickly and be easy to navigate.
• Customer support
  Reliable support makes all the difference. A top NZ casino should offer live chat around the clock, or at least quick-response email help. It’s a bonus if they also have a strong FAQ section and support for NZD accounts. Friendly service and Kiwi-specific support go a long way.
• Reputation & player reviews
  And finally, read what other people have to say. Reviews will indicate whether a casino pays on time, offers reasonable bonus terms, or inflames delays during the verification process. Reputable forums and review sites will usually point out things you won’t find in the small print, such as whether the video poker games are functioning as advertised.

How to get started playing video poker for real money?

If you’re new to video poker and want to try your luck (and skill) for real money, getting started is easier than you might think. With the right casino, a secure deposit method, and a basic strategy in hand, you can go from beginner to confident player in minutes. Follow these simple steps to begin your video poker journey at trusted NZ-friendly casinos:

Time Needed: 10 Minutes Tools Needed: Laptop/Mobile Software Needed: Email

Step 1

Choose a casino from our list

There are countless casinos, but we're here to help if you're at a loss. In our list of casinos, we have selected the ones where you get the best game of video poker for real money.

Step 2

Choose a good welcome bonus

A good welcome bonus is always nice to have, and optimally gives you up to double your deposit to play with. Remember to check the wagering requirements of a bonus before depositing money.

Step 3

Make your deposit

To start playing video poker for real money, you must first make a deposit, which also gives access to a bonus.

Step 4

Choose your game and wait for your cards

From here, simply sit down at the virtual poker table (or machine) and wait for your cards to be dealt. If necessary, plan a strategy in advance.

Step 5

Get a win!

If you have familiarized yourself with the rules and ensured you are both patient and proactive, it is only a matter of time before you secure your first win.

Top video poker casinos in New Zealand 2025

Play video poker online and win money

The key strategy for any video poker game is knowing which cards to keep and which to fold. There are two basic video poker strategies. You can choose to play it safe and win small amounts with pairs, or you can aim for higher-paying hands like a Full-House or a Straight, with a higher risk of not winning anything at all.

There is no definitive way to play, but in general, you need to make the best possible hand. For example, let’s say you are playing Jacks or Better and are dealt JJA 2 3, with 4 cards of the same suit. You can try to play it safe with one pair, or you can decide to take a risk and wait for a straight flush. The difference between a sure win and a risk is up to 25 coins. That’s why it is essential to look at how much you get paid for each hand at the table, especially if you want actually to make money with video poker.

Best online casino to try video poker for real money

Play video poker online for free

Since its introduction in casinos, video poker has become one of the most popular versions of slot machines. With new technologies, this type of poker has now spread to the Internet, and you can play online video poker in almost every online casino. Video poker attracts poker players who lack the time to sit at a table and play long games. Instead, they can play a poker-themed slot machine, where they try to create different combinations of cards in the same way. Video poker will also impress any slot machine fan, as creating different combinations of special symbols is great fun. However, it can sometimes leave a person feeling tired and wanting to play a machine that simulates a real casino game.

Video poker may not be the most popular game in the world, but there is no denying that players who enjoy it are particularly passionate about playing these machines. It is no wonder that many online casinos offer the opportunity to play online video poker for free. Simply register on the website or in the online casino app and you can play video poker for free. However, do not expect such games to bring you any cash winnings. However, they can be a great way to practice your strategies and techniques, which you can then apply in video poker at the real-money tables.

Best online casino to try video poker for free

Best bonuses for people who play video poker

As with all other casino games, different bonuses can be obtained depending on the machine. It can be several free credits, a free spin on the house, or, of course, the classic jackpot, which can be progressive. We have provided an overview on this page to help you quickly find the best video poker bonuses. They are updated frequently, so please stay in touch with us regularly.

Video poker rules

The earliest models of video poker appeared around the same time as the first personal computers were produced in the mid-1970s, although they were primitive by today’s standards.

The rules of video poker haven’t changed much since then. The player is dealt 5 cards and has the option to discard one or more of them in exchange for new ones. At the end of the game, the machine pays you based on the winning combination you have in your hand, as published in the paytable. The odds of winning are based on the probability of obtaining that specific combination of cards and the game’s rules and operator. The lowest combination that can win you money is a pair of Jacks. The card combinations are the same as in classic poker, with the highest being a Royal Flush.

Some video poker pokies also offer progressive jackpots or other unique bonuses, encouraging players to bet more coins and play more frequently.

There are many variations of video poker. These include Deuces Wild, where the two-card serves as a wild card, and Joker’s Wild, where the joker serves as a wild card. In games that do not have a wild card, the player will receive four cards of the same value on average once every 500 hands. The popularity of video poker is certainly due to its high return percentage, which in some variants is as high as 99.54%.

Video poker hands

As with regular poker, video poker is all about having the best possible hand to throw. Again, it’s not possible to read your opponent, so it’s all about math skills – and luck.

In video poker, there are the following possible hands you can fold. They are listed here in priority order, ranking from best hand to worst.

5 of a Kind (e.g., 5 4s, which can only be done if there is a joker in this form of video poker)

• Royal Flush
• Straight Flush
• 4 of a Kind
• Full House
• Flush
• Straight
• 3 of a Kind
• Two Pairs
• Pair (usually a pair made up of face cards). This is typically the smallest win you can get if you play “Jacks or Better”.

Video poker payouts

To know what you can win on a given hand, you need to keep an eye on the paytable, which shows what you will win at any given time.

Below, you can see the table that you can refer to while playing video poker.

Paytable comparison (9/6 vs 8/5 vs 10/6)

• 9/6: 9 coins for Full House, 6 for Flush (ideal for players).
• 8/5: 8 coins for Full House, 5 for Flush (common in low-paying machines).
• 10/6: Even higher returns, rare but very player-friendly.

Video poker odds, RTP and house edge

The online casino tends to know that you should always keep that in mind. But can it vary from machine to machine? Yes!

It is essential to keep in mind that you can see what a given video poker machine offers in terms of return on investment. This refers to the average amount you can expect to receive back if you play 100 NZD. It will typically be around 99% on a game of video poker.

The remaining percentages make up the house edge, i.e., how much the house gets back out of the 100 NZD. You may think that this is too much, but consider that on a regular, physical machine it would be an even lower RTP, and thus more money that the casino keeps for itself.

Main video poker features

Video poker is not particularly advanced in its layout. The casino has every interest in making it as easy as possible to play on their machines. Therefore, it is always good to keep track of the buttons, which are almost always in English. The buttons on the video poker machine replace the answers that the player himself has to pronounce in regular poker. Here, you will find a brief description of the meanings of the different buttons in video poker.

Buttons

To properly control a video poker machine, it is essential to have a good understanding of what is happening on the screen. Below you will find a description of what each button on the machine does. Fortunately, it’s not that difficult, but you need to know when to press which buttons.

• Bet 1 – With this button, you choose the bet you want to play with. Bet 1 will always be the smallest possible bet.
• Deal or Draw – With this button, you are assigned cards.
• Keep – Here you choose which cards you want to keep.
• Max bet – With this button, you play the maximum bet on this particular game. It can vary from machine to machine.

Display

When playing video poker, it’s essential to understand what’s happening on the screen so you know where you stand in the game. Here’s a brief overview of the display’s functions.

• Coin – This indicates the number of coins you have inserted into the machine.
• Credits – Here, you can view the number of credits you have earned so far.
• Bet – Here you see what you have bet on the current hand.
• Paytable – Here you can quickly see how much you can win on a given hand on this machine.
• Win – It goes without saying, here you know if you have won the hand!

Most popular video poker varieties

Video poker is one of the few casino games where strategy plays a role, and its biggest appeal lies in the variety of game variations. Each version of video poker has unique payout systems, wild card behavior, or bonus structures, which make the game even more interesting for both amateur and professional players. The most popular and utilized forms of video poker at New Zealand’s online casinos are as follows:

• Jacks or Better
  The original and most well-known video poker game. You are rewarded with a pair of Jacks or higher, and it has some of the best RTPs (up to 99.54% in the 9/6 full-pay version). It’s good for beginners because its strategy is easy.
• Deuces Wild
  All 2s are wild cards, so there are plenty more hand possibilities — including Wild Royal Flush and Five of a Kind. But the lowest winning hand is usually Three of a Kind, so strategy and willpower become even more important.
• Bonus Poker
  A Jacks or Better variant that offers bonus winnings for different Four of a Kind hands. For example, Four Aces pays out more than Four 2s. It has lower RTP compared to full-pay Jacks or Better but offers exciting mid-level payouts.
• Double Bonus Poker
  A more volatile version of Bonus Poker, it pays out even higher for Four Aces and other premium hands but lower on smaller wins like Two Pair. It’s best played by players who’ll tolerate a greater volatility in return for bigger hits.
• Double Double Bonus Poker (DDB)
  A typical high-variance version of Double Bonus. You get bigger bonuses for specific Four of a Kind hands with matching kickers (Four Aces with a 2, 3, or 4, for example). Extremely exciting, but it requires a good bankroll and almost perfect strategy.
• Tens or Better
  A relaxed version of Jacks or Better with the lowest winning hand as a pair of Tens. It’s perfect for those who prefer more frequent wins, although the total payout is less.
  Aces and Faces
  Includes generous Four of a Kind hands, especially Aces and face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings). It’s similar to Bonus Poker but with slightly adjusted payouts and strategy.
• Joker Poker (Joker’s Wild)
  Includes one joker in the deck as a wild card, increasing your chances of big hands. It generally requires a pair of Kings or better to win and introduces Five of a Kind hands. The strategy here is more complex due to the wild card factor.

Best online video poker games in New Zealand

Video poker fans in New Zealand can choose from a variety of exciting formats, each offering unique strategies, bonus payouts, and win potential. Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned grinder, the table below showcases the best video poker variants, their developers, and trusted casinos where you can play them for real money.

Video poker strategies

Since there are many variations of video poker online, let’s briefly summarize the individual strategies and best picks for each variant.

• Best strategy for Jacks or Better
  Jacks or Better – sometimes referred to as regular video poker or cartoon video poker. This type of video poker is specific in that the weakest winning combination is a pair of J, J. So, once you have pairs of lower value in your hand, you can safely have them replaced.
• Best strategy for Deuces Wild
  Deuces Wild – the specificity of this video poker variant is that any card with a value of 2 is also a wild card, and can therefore be used in place of any other card to improve the combination you have in your hand. The disadvantage of this variant is that the weakest combination a player must create is a three of a kind; otherwise, they win nothing.
• Best strategy for Joker Wild
  Joker Wild – This video poker variant also features joker cards in the card game. This joker can help create different combinations if players are missing their last card (similar to Deuces Wild). In this video poker variant, you need to have at least two pairs or a pair of kings to win anything. A good strategy for this game is to play for a Full House, which brings good rewards and the probability of having it in your hand is high.

Few tips for video poker players

Unlike pokies, video poker is a game of both chance and skill, which means your decisions can significantly impact your long-term results. Whether you’re playing “Jacks or Better” or a more complex variant like “Double Double Bonus,” following a basic strategy can reduce the house edge and increase your chances of walking away with real winnings. Below are some core video poker tips and tactics every NZ player should know before hitting the deal button:

1. Play the maximum number of coins
   Video poker caters to high rollers, so when you place your bets, play high. However, be sure to play within your bankroll’s limits – managing it is a crucial part of playing video poker.
2. Keep an eye on the payout table
   Here you can see how much you will be paid depending on which hand you have. This is always important to consider when deciding whether to stand or not.
3. Opt for low variance games
   Low variance is an expression that you need to know your visiting time. Variance is how much you win or lose, and if you hit a long streak of losses, take a break.
4. Stop guessing – learn basic poker strategy
   Poker is not for the lucky ones. Suppose you want to be a winner in poker. In that case, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the basic strategies of a skilled poker player, including those used in video poker.
5. Use a basic strategy chart
   Each game has an optimal way to play every possible hand. For example, in Jacks or Better, you should hold a high pair over four to a flush, or keep a low pair over three high cards. Strategy charts are available online or built into some advanced apps and training tools — using one is essential for consistent play.
6. Bet max coins for the Royal Flush bonus
   If you’re playing for real money and chasing big wins, always bet the maximum number of coins (usually 5). This unlocks the full 4,000-coin payout for a Royal Flush, instead of just 1,000 with four coins. The expected value of betting max is mathematically higher.
7. Don’t always hold a winning hand
   Just because you’re dealt a low pair doesn’t mean it’s always best to keep it. In Bonus Poker, for instance, Four of a Kind hands pay differently, and you may benefit more by aiming for high-value quads instead of playing it safe. Learning which hands are worth breaking up is key.
8. Find the best bonuses
   There are plenty of casinos, as we have mentioned. Therefore, there are also various bonuses and promotional campaigns that can make your trip to an online casino a little more lucrative.
9. Control your bankroll
   Keeping track of your bankroll is the alpha and omega for a gambler. Never spend more than you can afford to lose, and adjust your bets according to how much you have available.

Final thoughts on online video poker in New Zealand

Each of these video poker variants has one thing in common – namely, that if the correct video poker strategy is used, the return on these games exceeds 99% and every player who knows how to play video poker machines has the opportunity to win interesting prizes. Therefore, it is not so important which video poker variant you choose in your favorite online casino. After all, they are all the same, at least in terms of the probability of winning, with only slightly different rules. However, it is essential to use the right strategy for each. And now we wish you only a lucky hand, strong nerves and big wins!