Joker Poker Video Poker
Joker Poker is a variation on Jacks or Better, using a 53-card deck with the added Joker acting as a wild.
This popular online casino game takes the basics of video poker and adds a wild joker to the mix, creating more opportunities to hit a winning combination. And, of course, also a whole new strategic approach.
If you're looking for a new casino poker game, this one could be one of the best options, offering plenty of fun and a whole new approach to video poker machines.
Don’t know what Joker Poker is and how to play the game? Let’s look at all the details together and find out why this game is worth your time at PokerStars Casino.
What Makes Joker Poker Different?
If you know how to play the classic 5-card draw poker, you will also be familiar with how Joker Poker works, as these games follow the same set of rules and gameplay. The key difference, however, is that Joker Poker introduces a joker card that acts as a wild card.
In Joker Poker, the Joker can stand in for any card, which means it can be very useful to build those elusive winning combinations we all try to hit when we play video poker games online.
Unlike other games of the same category like Jacks or Better, where you only need a pair of jacks to get paid, Joker Poker usually requires at least a pair of kings to win. The stakes are a bit higher here because that wild joker boosts your chances of hitting strong hands.
Joker Poker uses a 53-card deck (that's the regular 52 deck of French cards, plus the joker), and this small one-card change really shakes up the odds and strategy. That’s what makes learning how to play Joker Poker so much fun for our video poker players.
Joker Poker Paytable
The payouts in Joker Poker vary depending on which version you're playing, but here's a typical structure you might encounter when you play Joker Poker online at PokerStars Casino:
- Natural Royal Flush: 800 to 1 (with max coins)
- Five of a Kind: 200 to 1
- Wild Royal Flush: 100 to 1
- Straight Flush: 50 to 1
- Four of a Kind: 20 to 1
- Full House: 7 to 1
- Flush: 5 to 1
- Straight: 3 to 1
- Three of a Kind: 2 to 1
- Two Pair: 1 to 1
- Kings or Better: 1 to 1
Notice something interesting? The addition of the joker creates an entirely new hand: the Five of a Kind.
This impossible hand in standard poker becomes a possibility in Joker Poker and that's part of what makes this game so fun to play.
How to Play Joker Poker
If you've played any video poker before, the Joker Poker game will feel familiar as the rules of the game and the moves available stay the same here. Here's a quick refresher on gameplay:
- Place your bet
- Receive your initial 5-card hand
- Choose which cards to hold and which to discard
- Get replacement cards for discards
- Collect winnings based on your final hand
Joker Poker Strategy
The best way to play Joker Poker is all about switching up your strategy compared to other video poker games.
Since the wild joker changes the way the game works, here are some useful strategy tips to keep in mind when you play this game.
- Having a wild card often means you’ll break up hands you’d usually hold in other games. For example, if you have a pair of kings but also four cards to a royal flush with the joker, it's usually best to go for the royal.
- Drawing to a royal flush is more doable in Joker Poker since the joker gives you two chances to hit each card you need.
- It’s always a good idea to keep a joker if you get one.
- When a player gets a joker, it is advisable to focus on drawing to royal flushes, straight flushes, and four of a kind.
- Without a joker, the strategy is similar to other games like Jacks or Better, but give more weight to high cards.
- It’s advisable not to break a paying hand (Kings or Better) unless you have solid draws to better hands.
Comparing Joker Poker to Other Video Poker Variants
If you enjoy Joker Poker, you might want to try these other video poker games available at PokerStars Casino:
Jacks or Better is the classic video poker variant with simpler strategy but lower top payouts. If Joker Poker seems too complex initially, this might be a better starting point.
Deuces Wild and Deuces & Joker offer even more wild cards, creating even more possibilities but requiring significant strategy adjustments.
Triple Bonus video poker and Double Double Bonus video poker offer enhanced payouts for four of a kind hands, while Tens or Better lowers the qualification for the lowest paying hand.
Other interesting variants include Aces & Eights (with bonus payouts for specific four of a kinds), All American video poker (with altered paytables that emphasize flushes and straights), Double Bonus video poker, and Aces & Faces video poker, each with their own strategic nuances.
Is Joker Poker Right For You?
So should you play Joker Poker? If you're the type of player who enjoys:
- More frequent strong hands than in basic video poker
- The possibility of unusual hands like five of a kind
- A good balance of simplicity and strategic depth
- A moderate level of volatility
...then yes, Joker Poker is definitely worth checking out.
It doesn’t matter if you have played a lot of video poker games already or just getting your feet wet, Joker Poker offers an entertaining experience with enough strategic depth to keep you engaged.
The joker adds just enough unpredictability to make each session exciting without completely abandoning the interesting elements that makes video poker so appealing in the first place.