The question of the day is, ‘is video poker better than slots?’ This poses a difficult one as both games are part of popular gambling games. That said, the two casino games are frequently compared in many different ways.
Most gamblers that don’t take a beating on slot games tend to become a bit curious about video poker because of the game’s strategic element. Likewise, players that don’t want to bother themselves with video poker strategies tend to find interest in slots because of their simplicity.
Is Video Poker Better Than Slots? – Differences
Our expert team of gamblers has compiled some of the main points that’ll help you understand which of the two games is better to play than the other. They are as follows:
Video Poker has More Game Strategies than Slots
One main difference between online slot machines and video poker games is that the latter has a lot to do with intricate strategies. When the game starts, you will have a hand with 5 cards. From those 5, you have to strategically decide which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to discard.
Remember, every decision you make when playing video poker will have an impact on your payback. Contrary to this, with slot machines, the only biggest strategy is bankroll management and selecting games that have high payouts. Once you master these two, there’s literally nothing else you have to do apart from hitting that ‘Spin’ button.
Slots have Bigger Progressive Jackpots
Slots online are known for providing progressive jackpot games that are worth millions of dollars. Yes, only a small percentage of online slot games offer this much money. However, at the end of the day, the main point is that with slot games, you have a chance to make a fortune just by winning a huge jackpot.
One of the historic biggest slots payouts was worth US$39.7 million, which was won at Las Vegas’ Excalibur Casino by a 25-year-old engineer. On the other side of the coin, video poker games are famous for offering a royal flush payout worth about 4 000 coins. The biggest payout we’ve heard of in this game so far was worth $670 000.
Slot Games are Much More Relaxing to Play
Earlier in our guide, we mentioned how slots are much easier to play as they don’t require much strategy. But, it’s essential to know that they are much more relaxing to play, specifically for gamblers that don’t care much about a higher return or strategy. To exemplify this, let’s have a look at the process for playing both video poker and slots:
Slots:
- Choose your bet size.
- Spin the reels and wait for the results.
Video Poker:
- Choose your bet size
- Receive your 5-card hand.
- Strategically decide on which cards to keep and remove.
- Click ‘Draw’ to complete the hand.
Once again, if you are more of a casual gambler who just wants to play casino games while-up time, then slot games are a great choice.
Slots Payout More Online than in Land-based Casinos
Online slots typically have higher payouts than at local casinos. Though there are no uniform figures on the differences, below are some estimates:
- Slots Online: on average, they have a return-to-player (RTP) ratio of 96%.
- Land-based slot machines: their RTP, on average, is 93 to 94%.
Then, compare the two to video poker, whose RTP doesn’t change it at a local casino or online.
Overview
Although slot machines and video poker games share similarities, the two are also different in diverse aspects. The differences between the games define what the game is about, which makes them appealing to certain players.
Those who love using skills to increase their chances of winning will certainly appreciate video poker. While gamblers who are in it to win it, don’t have time to strategize, are chasing big wins will probably go for slots.
