However, not everyone enjoys playing against other competitors, something that comes with social interaction and high anxiety levels. Therefore, online casino game developers have come up with their perfect solution to this problem. Namely, they have created casino poker games whose outcomes are determined by an RNG and are played solo. As such online casino poker picks are the point of interest in this guide, we will provide you with casino poker rules, gameplay and variations.
Poker Games for Online Casinos
First, let’s learn more about poker games for online casinos or online casino. Well, there are many variants of online casino poker, which generally use the basic poker hand rankings and rules. The main difference between regular poker and casino poker is the fact you play alone rather than against other players. Namely, every game comes with predetermined rules and payouts. So, you simply get cards, make your moves and either lose or win a prize in accordance with your final hand.
As you play “against” the software, online casino has no dealer. Instead, the software deals the cards, whose values and suits are generated by a random number generator (RNG). RNGs at top-rated casinos are regularly tested and therefore always provide 100% fair and unpredictable outcomes. Also, you’re not trying to beat someone, but to score the best hand possible. Thus, after your final move, the strength of your hand and prize size are determined by the payout table.
Online Casino Hand Rankings
Before staking real money on poker at online casinos, a player must learn the basic hand rankings. Namely, different hands have different strength. Usually, the stronger hand you end up having, the better payout you can expect. While in regular poker you may win the game with a stronger card only, earning prizes on online casino like this is highly unlikely.
Low-Paying Hand Rankings
Therefore, the fun for online casino poker players starts only after they score at least a pair. A pair is when you hold two card of identical face value, like two Aces or two eights. Next on the list comes two pairs, which is self-explanatory. You have two pairs when you’re holding two separate pairs of cards i.e. for example, two fives alongside two Jacks.
High-Paying Hand Rankings
Three of a kind is the following on the strength ladder and refers to three cards with identical face value. Next come a straight and a flush. A straight is having a string of consecutive cards, while a flush is having cards of the same suit only. These two are followed by a full house (a pair + three of a kind) and four of a kind, respectively. Finally, the strongest casino poker hands are straight flush and Royal flush. Both combine the concept of a straight and a flush, with the latter including the strongest cards only (10-A of the same suit).
Player Actions on Online Casino Poker
There are three basic online casino poker player actions. The first one is “call” and refers to the player staying in the game, but not increasing their initial bet. If a player has a strong hand and want to increase the bet, then they can go for the second basic action called “raise”. Finally, the last option a player has is to “fold” in case their hand is too weak. In other words, folding is essentially surrendering.
How to Play Online Casino Poker
Playing online casino this game is quite simple if you know the game rules and types of actions available. If you play for real money, you will have to register with the gambling operator and fund your account before selecting a poker game. The system will load the playing screen within seconds and then you simply use the buttons on the screen to place bets and make actions. You should know that online casino poker games come with top-notch graphics and realistic sounds. So, the experience is quite authentic.
A thing to keep in mind when playing online poker is the table limit. Namely, every game has its limits i.e. a minimum and maximum amount of cash players can place. Minimum bets usually start at £0.10 on low stake tables and go up to £25. Maximum betting amounts, similarly, vary between £100 and £500, depending whether the table targets low or high rollers.
Popular Online Casino Poker Variants
Finally, it’s good to mention a few popular online casino poker variants. After all, casino game developers try hard to keep their offerings fresh and innovative. Therefore, players can stick to fan-favourite variants like Texas Hold’Em and Casino Hold’Em. However, there are many other options as well, including Red Dog, Caribbean Poker, Tequila Poker and Pai Gow Poker. Each of these games come with certain rule variations that make that particular variant special in its own way.