Five Big Differences Between Video Poker And Live Poker

Lots of casino players are tempted to make the jump from live poker to video poker. Or vice-verse. But there are some subtle-but-major differences you need to know about before you dive headfirst from the felt to the video poker games online and back again.

Bluffing
In live poker, whether at a home game or at a brick and mortar casino, it’s possible to win a large pot while holding the absolute worst hand. That’s all thanks to the magic of bluffing. When you bluff, you’re hoping that other poker players drop out of the hand, thinking that you’ve got them beat. But in all likelihood, they’d crush you if they stay in the hand. In video poker, there’s no opportunity to bluff. But that can actually be a good thing because it eliminates the chance of being pushed out of a hand while you have something close to unbeatable.

Hand Rankings
Depending on the video poker variation you’re playing, the hand rankings could differ from what you’re used to live. For example, in Three Card Poker, a three-of-a-kind beats a straight. That’s not true in Texas Hold’em, which is clearly the world’s most popular poker variation, whether you’re talking about online casino card games or Vegas poker room games.

You know what a hand is worth
In video poker, you get paid based on how your hand ranks. That means if you’ve hit three-of-a-kind, you know exactly what you’re about to win. In live poker, that’s not the case. How much you win (or lose, more specifically) depends on whether other players push you out of the hand by showing better cards or raising you.

You can use cheat sheets
Sit down in a live poker game with a hand ranking sheet and the dealer will kick you off the table. You’ll also become the laughing stock of the casino. But not in video poker. Hit a real money online casino with a hand ranking cheat sheet and no one will know.

If you leave the table, you risk losing your chips
In a live poker games, you’re free to get up from the table and take a break. But as the blinds come around to your seat, you’ll be dealt in. That means you risk losing money if your chips are still on the table. Not so in video poker. Whether at a real money online casino or at a video poker machine in a real casino, you’re free to get up—and keep your money.

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