Can’t decide between online slots and online poker? Why not both? Playing video poker, whether online or in-person, allows you the luxury of playing the best parts of both games. This is possible as the top video poker variations offer bonus features typically seen during slot games, such as progressive jackpots. Lean on our video poker strategy guide, designed to help Canadians play better video poker at the best online casinos available.
- Superb live casino streams
- Terrific mix of standard and innovative casino games.
- Over 300 popular casino games
- Outstanding array of slots
- Superb live casino streams
- bet365 operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario
- Covers all the popular types of casino games, including bingo.
- Excellent variety of table games, including live games.
- Doesn’t directly support Bitcoin or cryptocurrency.
- Over 300 popular casino games
- Android & iOS apps for mobile gaming
- Free demo options for playing for fun
- Superb live casino streams
- Terrific mix of standard and innovative casino games.
- Over 300 popular casino games
- Outstanding array of slots
- Superb live casino streams
- bet365 operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario
- Live chat and phone support available 24/7
- Mobile friendly design
- Huge collection of casino and live casino games
- Over 300 popular casino games
- Android & iOS apps for mobile gaming
- Free demo options for playing for fun
Best Video Poker Online Casinos in Canada
There are many worthwhile Canadian casinos, but we’ve gone ahead and highlighted the best sites where you can play video poker online. Some of the top online casinos even have a modified live dealer option for video poker. All of these sites are highly recommended, offering everything from classic video poker games to free video poker games — for those looking to try a sample.
1. 888casino
888Casino has a fairly good selection of video poker games, including rarer titles like ‘Fortune Pai Gow Poker’ and ‘Multi-Hand Jacks or Better’. In total, there are 20+ poker variations to choose from, and live ‘Millionaire Video Poker’ is also available. It’s easy to navigate between games as well, thanks to a comprehensive search bar.
888casino helps new users start strong through its welcome offer, which is a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000 on your first deposit. There is a $25 sign-up credit that can be redeemed as well, with $15 awarded after registration and the other $10 given after your account has been verified.
✅ Pros:
- 20+ video poker titles
- Rare variations of video poker
- Live video poker
❌ Cons:
- Limited payment and withdrawal options
- Small selection of ‘bonus’ and ‘live’ video poker games
- 30x playthrough requirement
2. Betway Casino
Betway Casino is one of the giants that sits atop the online casino world for a reason. Its video poker catalogue is very impressive, with a dedicated tab featuring 24+ titles including multiple live video poker variations. There’s some bonus choices as well such as ‘Bonus Poker Deluxe Power Poker’.
If you’re new to Betway, be sure to claim the welcome offer — a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000. With only a 10x playthrough requirement, you don’t have to worry about spending as much time turning your bonus credits into real money either. From there, play in daily tournaments and scale the leaderboard for a chance to win instant cash prizes and other bonuses.
✅ Pros:
- 24+ video poker games
- Good range of ‘bonus’ and ‘live’ video poker games
- 10x playthrough requirement
❌ Cons:
- Video poker titles only satisfy some of the playthrough requirement
- Games can sometimes lag on mobile
- Lack of daily tournaments for poker
3. Casumo Casino
Casumo Casino will appear on many different ‘best of’ casino lists, and for good reason. This award-winning online casino generally has thousands of games to choose from, but unfortunately its selection of video poker titles is fairly limited. Still, there’s a handful of popular video poker games to choose from, and those looking to switch things up and play live dealer poker games are also in luck. It’s a great place to play free video poker games as well, with demo versions available.
If you’re new to the site, don’t hesitate to take advantage of Casumo Casino’s current welcome offer: a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $2,000. This promotion is spread across the first three deposits, with the first two deposits matched up to $500 and the third matched up to $1,000. You will also be awarded 99 free spins for ‘Gates of Olympus’ once your first deposit is confirmed.
✅ Pros:
- Large overall selection of online casino games
- Well-organized live casino
- Free video poker games available
❌ Cons:
- Limited video poker selection
- Few variations of video poker and live poker games
- Search bar lacks filtering options
4. PartyCasino
PartyCasino has a video poker game selection that somewhat rivals its top competitors, including 15+ popular titles like ‘I Luv Suits Poker’ and ‘Game King Video Poker’. You’ll also find ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Video Poker Live’, which is one of the best live video poker games available in Canada. There are site exclusives for other table games like blackjack, but this doesn’t seem to exist for poker yet.
PartyCasino gives you a decent boost if you’re just getting started. New players can claim a welcome offer in the form of a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000. Additionally, you’ll receive a ‘Party Pack’ with $30 worth of extra goodies including 50 free spins, a $5 (sports) bonus bet, and tickets to enter poker tournaments hosted by PartyCasino (7x $1 ‘SPINS’ tickets and 1x $5.50 ‘MTT’ ticket). Keep in mind that the poker tournament entries only apply to live dealer poker and not video poker.
✅ Pros:
- Popular video poker titles
- Live casino promotions
- Plenty of withdrawal options
❌ Cons:
- Slightly below-average video poker selection
- Lack of live video poker options
- No exclusive poker games
How We Rate the Best Canada Online Casinos for Video Poker
Video poker titles may not be as abundant as slots, but it’s a casino game niche that is steadily growing. Games like ‘Jacks or Better’ are helping to move things along by offering simplistic gameplay and favourable RTP% (return-to-player percentages). Read on for a full breakdown detailing what we’re looking for whenever we rate a video poker online casino.
📺 Variety of Video Poker Games
Many video poker games follow the same conventional rules, each with its own unique twist. This can create even more excitement by offering additional ways to win, enhanced payouts, and other bonus features. Live video poker games are starting to rise in popularity as well.
Any online casino offering a wide variety of both virtual and live video poker games is going to score highly. Especially if there’s a good selection of bonus video poker games featuring progressive jackpots and other incentives. We also appreciate casinos that provide free video poker games, allowing users to try a demo before wagering their hard-earned real cash.
Video Poker Bonuses & Other Promos
Many Canadian online gambling sites hook players in with a generous welcome bonus, and the best online video poker sites are no different. Variations like ‘Jacks or Better’ can often be played by using the bonus coins obtained from welcome bonuses.
For example, the deposit match bonus you can receive from any of the above online casinos we’ve recommended. Ongoing online promotions like ‘cashback’ and ‘reload’ bonus may qualify for video poker play as well. If a casino is constantly giving you bonus credits that can be used on video poker, you can play a lot of different titles without staking any real money.
🔒 Safety & Security
Legal Canadian gambling sites must uphold strict cybersecurity measures and adhere to fair gameplay standards in order to secure and maintain licensing. SSL data encryption is how online casinos ensure the privacy and protection of your personal information. To ensure fair play, reputable games will use a certified random number generator (RNG) to ensure a true, random result.
📱 Device Compatibility
The ability to play a popular video poker game from anywhere on any device makes a huge difference. The quality of mobile play is a big deciding factor for many Canadians, as its now more common to play casino games from a smart phone or tablet as opposed to a laptop or desktop computer. As such, video poker casinos with dedicated apps for iOS and Android will be more popular than those with poor functioning apps (or mobile browser only).
💳 Payment Methods
Most online casinos offer a wide range of payment methods, with common options including debit, credit, and various digital wallets like PayPal and Skrill. Some may even offer cryptocurrency payments, allowing users to complete transactions without incurring fees. We also look at factors such as withdrawal times, ensuring you’ll receive payouts within a reasonable timeframe.
Real Money Video Poker vs. Free Video Poker
Some online casinos will offer free video poker games. This is a great way to develop a clear understanding of how a specific video poker variation is played, and you’ll be able to hone your skills without staking real money. Unfortunately, you can’t win any real money while playing free video poker. Here’s a list outlining the pros and cons of both real money video poker and free video poker.
💵 Real Money Video Poker | 📺 Free Video Poker | |
✅ Pros | 👉 Win real cash and jackpots 👉 High-stakes betting 👉 All poker games available | 👉 Stress-free gaming 👉 Try many video poker variations 👉 Learn game and develop strategy |
❌ Cons | 👉 Comes with financial risk 👉 Minimum skill requirement 👉 Not all games have demos | 👉 Can’t win real money 👉 Limited free video poker games 👉 Not as competitive |
Popular Online Video Poker Game Variations
Canadian casinos strive to offer a compelling, diverse range of video poker games for players of all skill and budget levels. For example, ‘Jacks or Better’ is ideal for beginners, whereas Double Double Bonus is better suited for those who prefer higher stakes. Discover the video poker variation that’s best for you.
👑 Jacks or Better
‘Jacks or Better’, like other video poker games, begins by dealing you five cards. Once received, decide which cards (if any) you’d like to trade for new ones. After the exchange, the best five-card hand is declared the winner. To be eligible to win, you must have at least a pair of ‘Jacks’ or ‘better’ (aka a pair of ‘Queens’, ‘Kings’, or ‘Aces’).
♠️ Deuces Wild
‘Deuces Wild’ is very similar to most other video poker games, with the twist being that ‘deuces’ (aka 2s) are wild cards — meaning they can mimic any card you may need. For example, if you’re a nine of clubs away from a straight flush and you have a two in-hand, it would qualify as a nine of clubs.
💰 Double Bonus Poker
‘Double Bonus Poker’ simply doubles the amount of profit you’d normally earn for winning a hand with four-of-a-kind. As such, your potential profits are directly tied to the quality of your hand. For example, winning with four-of-a-kind kings would be much more lucrative than winning with four-of-a-kind 2s.
🤑 Double Double Bonus Poker
‘Double Double Bonus Poker’ is just like Double Bonus Poker, only taken a step further. The max payout for certain winning four-of-a-kind hands is even greater. For example, four Aces would payout more than four 5s.
🃏 Joker’s Wild
‘Joker’s Wild’ is as it sounds, with the ‘Joker’ cards acting as the wild cards. Like Deuces Wild, the Joker can take on the form of any other card in order to form the strongest-possible winning hand. For example, if you need one more diamond to make a flush, you can sub a Joker for any suit card.
💸 Video Poker Jackpot
Some games will have a fixed or progressive jackpot that will trigger once certain conditions are met. For example, if a video poker jackpot is set to activate for winning hands that bet a $5 stake or more, a winning bet of $4 or more would not result in a jackpot win. Sometimes, further conditions must be met, such as needing a royal flush to trigger a jackpot win.
How to Play Video Poker Online Canada
Video poker offers similar payouts to that of traditional poker, but without needing strategies of the same intensity. For example, there’s no need to bluff or to worry about other players and what cards they might have in their hands. If you want to play video poker online in Canada, read on to learn how to get started.
📋 1. Create An Account
Before you can dive head first into the exciting, vast world of online video poker, you’ll need to create an account with an online casino that carries video poker games. To register, simply follow one of the links from our list of recommended casinos at the top of this page. Enter all required information, verify your account, and make your first deposit.
♣️ 2. Choose A Video Poker Game
Each video poker variation requires different levels of skill. If you’re about to play video poker for the first time, we’d definitely recommend starting with an easier video poker game like ‘Jacks or Better’. This will allow you to get a feel for the different types of possible hands. If you’ve been playing free video poker, or have some experience playing other kinds of poker in the past, feel free to try something a bit more challenging.
🪙 3. Set Stake Amount & Click ‘Deal’
It’s important to remember that video poker is actually far more similar to slots than it is traditional poker. As such, it’s important to not get carried away by predominantly staking high amounts if you’re looking to stretch your bankroll. Once you’ve decided on a reasonable stake amount, tap or click ‘Deal’ as you would ‘Spin’ if this were a classic slot game.
🎴 4. Choose Which Cards to Keep
This step is another reminder of just how important it is to understand how a variety of video poker works before hitting that ‘Deal’ button. You don’t necessarily have to memorize the order of hands based on strength, as cheat sheets are allowed. Don’t be afraid to reference it every round if you have to. Many video poker games will also have a handy ‘pay table’, detailing the different possible hands and what the payout will be for each one. Often times, the hands with the best payouts are the strongest, but this isn’t always the case.
⚡ 5. Start New Round
If you’re fairly new to video poker, be sure to start each new round manually. The ‘Autoplay’ feature is no doubt convenient, but it’s also a fast way to run through your bankroll. Play each round intentionally, truly thinking about the stake amount you’ve decided upon and whether or not you have the bandwidth to wager that much each time.
Important Video Poker Terms to Know
For those who have been playing since in-person video poker machines were first made available, these terms are likely second nature. If not, be sure to familiarize yourself with video poker terms that are essential to the understanding of most video poker variations.
📘 Video Poker Term | 📖 Definition |
---|---|
👉 Ace-high | When your highest card is an ‘Ace’ and you have no other type of poker hand. |
👉 Action | A player’s turn to ‘act’, meaning when it’s your turn to choose cards from your hand to hold or discard. |
👉 Credits | Virtual currency used to play video poker games. |
👉 Discard | Choosing to get rid of a card from your hand means you’ve decided to ‘discard’ it. |
👉 Draw | You must ‘draw’ any card you receive. |
👉 Face Card | A card that depicts a person as opposed to a number. For example, a ‘Jack’, ‘Queen’, or ‘King’ is a face card. |
👉 Hold | When you ‘hold’ a card, you’ve decided to keep it in your hand. |
👉 House Edge | The odds advantage that favours the house. |
👉 Max Bet | The maximum stake amount for each betting round. |
👉 Multi-hand | Playing multiple hands at once during the same game. |
👉 Pat Hand | When you ‘stand pat’ aka you keep your entire hand instead of drawing or discarding. |
👉 Pay Table | A guide detailing the strength and odds of each type of hand for a specific variation of video poker game. |
Which Hands Win in Online Video Poker
Online video poker is just as thrilling as its traditional counterpart. Some hands are more valuable than others, and it’s important to recognize when you have a hand with good winning potential — in order to bet accordingly. Refer to the pay table below for a quick review of each possible hand, and how strong it is in proportion to others.
📈 Hand Rank | ♦️ Hand Type | 📖 Description |
---|---|---|
1 | Royal Flush | 10-Ace straight with all five cards of the same suit. |
2 | Straight Flush | Any five-card straight of the same suit. Ex. 4-8 of clubs. |
3 | Four-of-a-kind | Any four of the same card. Ex. four 3s. |
4 | Full House | Three-of-a-kind and one pair. Ex. five 7s and two jacks. |
5 | Flush | Any five cards of the same suit. Ex. five hearts. |
6 | Straight | Any five cards in a straight sequence. Ex. 9-king. |
7 | Three-of-a-kind | Any three of the same card. Ex. three 2s. |
8 | Two Pairs | Any two pairs. Ex. a pair of fours and a pair of eights. |
9 | One Pair | Any pair. Ex. a pair of threes. |
10 | High Card | The highest card in your hand. Ex. one ace is an ‘ace-high’. |
Top Tips to Win at Video Poker in Canada
As a close cousin of traditional poker, real money video poker games also require skill, patience, and a sound strategy. From free online video poker demos to strategic cheat sheets, put yourself in the best position to win a video poker jackpot by following our expert tips.
🃏 Play Free Video Poker Games As Practice
When first starting out, it’s always a good idea to get some practice in by playing free video poker games. Casumo Casino is one example of an online casino offering free video poker. Once you’re ready to play using real money, minimize risk by considering video poker games with a low house edge.
Throughout most of Canada (excluding Quebec), social casinos are another great way to play free online video poker. Social casinos, or ‘sweepstakes casinos’, use ‘Gold Coins’ (GC), which is a virtual currency with no monetary value. As such, it’s perfect to practice with.
📄 Use A Video Poker Cheat Sheet
Video poker is far from the only online casino game that uses a cheat sheet. For example, blackjack players use a strategy guide to help them figure out whether to ‘hit’ or ‘stand’. For those playing video poker games for the first time, a cheat sheet is essential to deciding which cards to keep for real money play, and how to get the highest payouts.
Many video poker games like ‘Jacks or Better’ and ‘Deuces Wild’ play using the ‘Five Card Stud’ model. With a thorough, easy-to-read cheat sheet, you can always ensure you’re striving to achieve the best five-card hand possible. Another version of a cheat sheet is a video poker game’s pay table. For example, a royal flush has the longest odds because it’s the strongest possible hand, but also the most unlikely from a statistical standpoint.
Popular Online Video Poker Payment Methods
Once you’ve had your fill of free video poker and wish to move onto real money video poker games, you’ll need to make a deposit at one of our recommended sites. Refer to the table below for some of the most popular payment methods available to Canadians who play online video poker.
🏢 Logo | 💵 Payment Method | ⬇️ Deposit Time | 📋 Read More |
---|---|---|---|
Debit | Instant | Sites Accepting Debit | |
Instadebit | Instant | Sites Accepting Instadebit | |
Apple Pay | Instant | Sites Accepting Apple Pay | |
iDebit | Instant | Sites Accepting iDebit | |
Mastercard | Instant | Sites Accepting Mastercard | |
Visa | Instant | Sites Accepting Visa | |
Paysafecard | Instant | Sites Accepting Paysafecard | |
PayPal | 1 Minute – 5 Days | Sites Accepting PayPal | |
Skrill | 1 Minute – 5 Days | Sites Accepting Skrill | |
Payz | Instant | Sites Accepting Payz | |
Click2Pay | Instant | Sites Accepting Click2Pay | |
e-Transfer | Up To 30 Minutes | Sites Accepting E-Transfer | |
Wire Transfer | 1 Minute – 5 Days | Sites Accepting Wire Transfer |
Online Video Poker & Responsible Gambling
Being able to play video poker online 24/7 is quite convenient, but with it comes an increased risk of players developing gambling addictions. We implore you to take problem gambling seriously, as it can ruin your life if not properly treated.
Your video poker budget should only consist of disposable income that you can afford to spend on entertainment.Never play any online casino games with the goal of turning a profit. To help Canadian players navigate such a serious subject, the top Canadian online casinos offer a dedicated responsible gaming section.
Please don’t hesitate to use any and all responsible gaming tools at your disposal. Examples include setting limits on play time and money wagered. If you still find yourself struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out to these credible organizations:
- Gamblers Anonymous: http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
- Gambling Therapy: https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/
- Responsible Gambling Council: https://www.responsiblegambling.org/for-the-public/problem-gambling-help/help-for-canadians/
Video Poker Online FAQs
Review our FAQs below for key information regarding video poker online in Canada.
No, video poker online is not rigged, so long as you choose a licensed Canadian casino from our recommended list. Reputable online casinos regularly undergo audits in order to guarantee compliance and fair gameplay for all users.
All of the online casinos mentioned on this page are among the best online video poker casinos in Canada. In particular, Casumo Casino is known for its free video poker games whereas Betway Casino is known for its video poker game variety.
You can play video poker for real money at any of the online casinos we’ve mentioned above. If you opt to play elsewhere, always make sure you can confirm whether or not the casino has received a license to operate.
Some Canadian casinos, like Casumo Casino, offer free online video poker. Social casinos are another great way to play video poker for free (in all provinces except Quebec).
The best online video poker strategies centre around understanding the strength of different video poker hands, and how they relate to the game’s pay table. Be sure to have a firm grasp of these concepts before engaging in real money play.