Learn How to Play Jacks or Better Poker Online – Review + Free Demo
Written By Scott Lawson
There are lots of different options for video poker, many of which follow the same rules as Texas hold’em. You can expect a similar experience when you play Jacks or Better Poker online. This is a simple version of the game developed by Microgaming, which allows you to adjust your wagers and win with anything better than a pair of jacks. Stay Tuned for more details about the rules and payouts, as well as for a free demo. If you are confident to start playing with real money, you can find the game at our recommended casino site Ladbrokes.
This Jacks or Better Poker game review will cover the rules and the various payouts in the game, as well as the overall gaming experience from the audio and visual elements. We’ll describe the game mechanics, and will compare this title to other alternatives, so you could decide which online poker variation suits your style or budget best.
Playing Jacks or Better Poker for Free
Finding a free demo version is always a good idea when you are playing new games that you are not familiar with. This will allow you to compare new titles with familiar ones, and decide if they are worth playing with real money. Of course, the best thing about the demo is that it allows you to estimate the game without risking your own funds.
The appearance of Microgaming’s Jacks or Better Poker free play mode is quite predictable. Its layout resembles many other variations you can find online, featuring the traditional look and feel known from poker machines at brick and mortar casinos. Feel free to click on the demo below and see for yourself.
Jacks or Better PokerRight after opening the Jacks or Better Poker free play game mode, you’ll see the payout table and the row of five cards where your hand will be dealt. The game controls are placed under the dealt cards and are very intuitive. The graphics are not loaded with extensive visual effects. Sounds are also scarce, as there’s no background music. However, this simplicity is not necessarily bad, because you can focus on the gameplay.
How to Play: Rules and Features
If you have a basic understanding of Texas hold’em and the hand hierarchy, you won’t have any trouble playing video poker variations. The main difference is that in video poker there is no bluffing and no other players to beat. All you need to do is make a high-ranking hand that meets one of the payout criteria. Your win/lose status is based entirely on the strength of your hand.
You can begin by selecting your bet on the paytable, which highlights the column of payouts for each potential winning hand. Then all you have to do is click the “Deal” button. The cards will turn over showing the initial hand you can work with. For your convenience, any qualifying cards will be held automatically, but you can choose to override this. After selecting the cards you want to draw, just press the “Draw” button. The additional cards will flip, and if you hold a winning hand the prize will be highlighted in the payout table. Here, you have the option to either collect your winnings or play further in a double or nothing fashion.
- Developer: Microgaming
- Player Level: Beginner
- Jackpot: No
- Decks: 1
- Progressive: No
- Wild Card: No
- Gamble/Double: Yes
- Max Bet: 25
If you choose to double, you essentially risk the winnings you have for the chance to double the payout. You can double as many times as you want, until you either collect or lose. You will be given four randomly drawn face down cards to choose from. You must pick a card that’s higher than a face up dealer card. This means you shouldn’t double too often, as you risk ending up with nothing by overplaying your winning hands. Also video poker strategy only works for the standard five card hands and won’t help you when doubling.
The overall game can be completed in less than 10 seconds, and is suitable for beginners. It has a very good RTP of 99.54%, which means that it is fairly tested to pay out. There is also a very useful help section that provides more information about the hand rankings, should you be unsure from the paytable.
Where to Play for Real Money
There are dozens of online casinos that offer Jacks or Better Poker real money options, so how can you know if you’re onto something good, or merely mediocre? We’ve highlighted one of our favourite options of where to play Jacks or Better Poker online, which meets all of our criteria for being recommended. This includes far more than just offering the game. You can also find a fantastic collection of other games to support your entertainment, as well as a great list of trusted payment services and options across credit cards and eWallets.
Also, you can take advantage of the casino’s welcome bonus, which is a promotion that is running to entice new players to create an account. We have had a look to make sure it is eligible with Jacks or Better Poker online. We always recommend that players should do the same by checking the terms and conditions thoroughly. This way, before claiming a bonus you can evaluate if it suits you and your budget.
Other Video Poker Alternatives
Although pretty much all of the most popular video poker games follow the same general layout and gameplay features, there are variants in the rules and the qualifying hands. For example, there’s the exact same game as Jacks or Better Poker except with tens instead of jacks, if that sort of thing gets you excited. Check out some of our other reviews here: