Best Video Poker Games for Australians



Video poker occupies a strange corner of the Australian online casino world. It looks like a pokie, plays like a card game, and offers some of the tightest house edges available anywhere on a gaming floor. For players who want strategy rather than pure luck, it is arguably the most rewarding option in the lobby. Discover further information on top online casino australia.

The catch is that payout percentages swing wildly between variants. A Jacks or Better machine set to a 9/6 paytable returns 99.54 per cent with optimal play, while a poorly configured 6/5 version of the same game drops to roughly 95 per cent. That gap of more than four percentage points matters far more than any bonus offer.

Which Video Poker Variants Offer the Best Returns

Jacks or Better remains the benchmark. The full-pay 9/6 version, where a full house pays 9 credits and a flush pays 6, sits at 99.54 per cent return to player. It is the game every Australian player should learn first, because the strategy carries across to almost every other variant.

Bonus Poker pays more for four-of-a-kind combinations, with four aces returning 80 credits on a standard 8/5 paytable. The trade-off is a slightly lower base return of about 99.17 per cent. Deuces Wild pushes volatility higher still, sitting near 100.76 per cent on the best paytables, but the strategy is far more complex and mistakes are costly.

Double Double Bonus is the popular choice among players chasing big hits. Four aces with a low kicker pays 400 credits, yet the standard 9/6 version returns only 98.98 per cent. It rewards patience and punishes sloppy play.

• Jacks or Better (9/6) , 99.54% RTP
• Bonus Poker (8/5) , 99.17% RTP
• Double Double Bonus (9/6) , 98.98% RTP
• Deuces Wild (full pay) , up to 100.76% RTP

Staking, Volatility and Practical Play

Most Australian-facing sites run video poker on a five-coin maximum bet structure. The royal flush bonus, which typically pays 4,000 credits, only activates when you bet the full five coins. Betting four coins cuts that payout to 1,000 , a 75 per cent reduction for a 20 per cent saving. Never short the bet.

Volatility varies enormously. Jacks or Better is the gentlest, with frequent small returns that stretch a bankroll. Double Double Bonus can swallow 200 hands without a meaningful payout, then deliver a 400-credit hit. Set your session budget accordingly and treat the royals as a bonus rather than a plan.

Deposit methods matter too. Prepaid vouchers such as Neosurf remain popular because they cap spending before money reaches the account, which suits the disciplined approach video poker demands. Withdrawal processing across the roughly 200 brands accepting Neosurf is inconsistent, so check cashout terms before committing funds.

Learn one paytable properly before moving on. Strategy charts are freely available, and mastering Jacks or Better takes a few hours of practice. That knowledge converts directly into money saved on every hand you play.