Whilst online casinos offer their members many variations of Video Poker, the basics are essentially the same, with all being based on a simple game of five card draw. Video Poker games are generally fun and easy to play and are a great way for beginners to learn the basic Poker hands. They are also popular with more experienced players as a long term pay back of over 100% is achievable.

Before the cards are dealt, the player must pay their bet 'into' the machine. The player is able to gamble a minimum of 25c or a maximum of $25 at a time, though some games allow more. Having placed their bet, five cards are dealt from a shuffled deck and shown face up on the video screen. After the first deal, the player is able to 'hold' the cards that they wish to keep in an attempt to better their hand. The cards that they wish to discard are then replaced by new cards taken from the top of the pack. The aim of the game is to get the highest Poker hand possible after two deals. The winning hands and their odds are always displayed on the front of the machine.

The odds at which winning bets are paid out very much depends the hand and can vary from game to game. The lowest winning hand is usually a pair of Jacks. Whilst the odds can differ according to the game, the following is a guide to the odds that a player can expect:

Royal Flush, odds of 800 to 1.
Straight Flush, odds of 50 to 1.
4 of a Kind, odds of 25 to 1.
Full House, odds of 9 to 1.
Flush, odds of 6 to 1.
Straight, odds of 4 to 1.
3 of a Kind, odds of 3 to 1.
2 Pair, odds of 2 to 1.
2 Jacks or better, odds of 1 to 1.

Some online casinos also offer Progressive Video Poker. The only difference between the standard machines and the progressive machines is the way in which the higher winning hands are paid out. Every time a player plays a progressive machine, a percentage of their wager is paid into the 'pot'. The amount of money in the pot increases as more wagers are paid into it by yourself and other players. In order to win the pot, or a percentage of it, players must get a Flush or better after two draws. The amount paid out for a Flush, Full House or 4 of a Kind varies from casino to casino depending on the size of the pot. However, Straight Flushes will nearly always win 10% with a Royal Flush winning 100% of the pot. The value of the pot can be anything from a couple of thousand dollars to over a million depending on when it was last won.