Poker is a popular card game that has only gotten better and better. Since it was invented, poker has evolved and changed into what we know today while birthing new ideas and variants that take poker to a whole new level.
Although there are multiple different poker games, we will take you through what we think are some of the most popular and best poker games in the industry and how to play them.
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM POKER
Texas hold ‘em is one of the most popular poker games in the poker world and is often compared to Omaha hold ‘em in terms of rules and gameplay. Poker games such as this one, along with many other poker games, are commonly featured in the World Series of Poker.
Unlike some of its counterparts, Texas hold ‘em is played with multiple opponents — one of which would be designated as the dealer.
In a home game, the button will also act as the dealer. The player to the left of the dealer must bet the small blind. The big blind is then bet by the competitor to the left of the small blind.
If you’re unfamiliar with these blinds, they are forced bets in flop-style poker, ranging from no blinds up to three. The values of these bets would be predetermined.
HOW TO PLAY TEXAS HOLD ‘EM ONLINE?
Texas Hold ’em poker is the most popular poker game in the world. It was designed to put your skills to the test as you play against opponents for a chance to win the pot. This poker game puts a fun twist on its traditional counterpart with gripping gameplay that many players can’t get enough of.
Like many other poker games, the main objective is to beat the dealer’s hand with the strongest poker hand you can create. However, online poker rooms offer slightly different gameplay than poker formats in traditional games.
Each player receives two hole cards face down in the first betting round (the preflop betting round). Three face-up cards will be placed on the table; these are the community cards (the flop betting round). Players can use the community cards in combination with their hole cards to create a five-card poker hand. Players may then choose to call, raise or fold.
Land-based card games will require players to take turns as they bet, as generally, the competitor to the left of the dealer will always act first. However, at online poker sites, players will only be competing against the dealer with no other opponents.
Two more betting rounds follow, where players are dealt two more community cards before the showdown. So, once the player has acted, the fourth community card is placed on the table (the turn betting round).
Active players will now try to make the best five-card hand from their two hole cards and the four community cards. After another round of betting takes place, the final community card will be placed (on the river betting round) on the table, and betting resumes.
At land-based cash games, if there is more than one player remaining after the final betting round, the last player to bet or raise will reveal their cards. If there was no bet on the final betting stage, then the player clockwise from the button will reveal their poker hand first.
When playing online poker games, players will simply reveal their cards at the end of the round. The player with the strongest poker hand wins the pot.
This poker game is played with a standard 52-card deck, which is shuffled after each game. If the showdown results in two identical hand combinations, the pot will be equally split between the tied finalists.
The poker hand rankings closely resemble those used for Omaha poker. If we had to rank them in ascending order, these hands would rank as follows: a high card, a pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, royal flush.
HOW POPULAR IS TEXAS HOLD ‘EM POKER?
Being the star of one of the most renowned poker tournaments in the world, it’s pretty safe to say that Texas hold ‘em is quite a popular poker game — probably the most popular poker game out of all poker variants.
It is easy to learn but challenging to master, so it’s easy to see why this game appeals to players. Not only does it make room for beginner players, but it also poses a challenge to those who have bet at a few cash games before.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
So, what are the pros and cons of playing the most popular poker game online? Well, we’re glad you asked! Take a look:
PROS
- Easy to learn.
- Easily accessible.
- Found at almost all online casinos.
- You might be able to win big over time.
CONS
- It is not the easiest poker game to get good at.
- Home games take a while to finish.
- Some variants do not allow an all-in bet.
WHAT IS A GOOD POKER STRATEGY FOR TEXAS HOLD ‘EM POKER?
A few notable strategies may help you in your poker game. When you play online, you won’t need to form a good bluffing strategy. You’ll only be playing against the dealer at online poker sites, so you won’t need to bluff at all!
Instead, you can utilise betting systems to potentially earn a short-term profit; just remember to always play responsibly. We don’t recommend heading straight to cash games when you’re still testing the waters. Instead, try out some RNG poker game demos for some practice.
Remember that strategies are not a surefire way of winning; they merely aid you in your poker endeavours.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEXAS HOLD ‘EM BONUS POKER AND ULTIMATE TEXAS HOLD ‘EM?
Texas Hold ’em Bonus Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em are two super entertaining poker games based on well-loved Texas hold ‘em. Here’s how they differ:
Texas Hold ’em Bonus Poker does not allow bets once the river card has been placed. On top of that, this game also comes with two side bets — the Bonus bet that pays 1000:1 and the First Five Progressive Jackpot side bet.
Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em, on the other hand, places the limelight on the Play bet. While it offers an optional Trips bonus bet, players may raise three or four times their Ante. But, if they wait until the flop betting round or river betting round, they can only raise once or twice their bet.
STUD POKER
Stud is not one game played online; it is actually a group of poker games in which players are dealt a mix of both face-up cards and face-down cards across multiple betting rounds. So, as opposed to forming the strongest hand out of hole cards and community cards, Stud players receive their own individual hand.
Stud games are often non-positional, which means the player chosen to act first does not depend on the position they are in at table. These games may include Casino Stud, Caribbean Stud, and Seven Card Stud Poker.
HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME ONLINE?
Since this is not one particular game, no one set of game rules is used. That said, let’s take a look at the gameplay of Seven Card Stud:
Before the first betting round begins, players must place an ante. Then, they will receive two face-down cards and one card dealt face-up (the door card). The player with the lowest face-up card will act first by placing a complete bet or a ‘bring-in’ bet.
In the next round of betting, players will be dealt another face-up card. The player with the best set of cards facing up will act first, followed by two more betting rounds in which players receive one more face-up card.
On the final betting round, players receive one last card face down, which is when they must form the strongest hand out of the seven cards they’ve been dealt. Again, this is based on Seven Card Stud, so other Stud games may have slightly varying rules.
HOW POPULAR IS THIS GAME ONLINE?
Although this game was once poker’s number one variant, it was kicked off the number one position by Texas hold ‘em.
While there are many highly-entertaining Stud tables available online, they simply do not measure up to the craze that was set off by Texas hold ‘em.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
PROS
- Highly entertaining.
- Relatively easy to learn.
- It is fun to have your own hand while also being able to see some of the cards of your opponent’s hand.
- Does not have complicated table positions.
CONS
- Capped profits due to the limit betting structure.
- Gaining an additional big bet holds a lot more significance than in other poker variants.
- Played as a limit game.
WHAT IS THE BEST POKER STRATEGY FOR THIS POKER GAME?
Although there is no perfect strategy that would guarantee a win, a good winning strategy to adopt is to review the dealer’s upcard. If this card is a king or an ace, this will give you a good indication of where the dealer may stand.
Remember that a king plus an ace card is needed for the dealer to qualify. Similarly, it is recommended that you call/raise on any hand with a pair or better and fold for anything less.
Make sure to thoroughly research any poker strategy that you wish to try.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CASINO AND CARIBBEAN STUD POKER?
In Evolution’s Caribbean Stud, the player must place an Ante bet at the beginning of each round and before the cards are dealt. The ante is similar to the small blind in Texas hold ‘em poker. Unlike Texas hold ‘em, though, the value of this bet is not fixed. In addition to the main bet, players can also place the optional 5+1 and Jackpot side bets.
Once the player has reviewed their five-card hand, they must decide whether they want to fold or continue the game by clicking on the ‘PLAY’ button after their five-card hand has been dealt. Caribbean Stud also only lasts for one single betting round. The dealer’s hand must qualify with ace/king or better to go head-to-head with the player.
Casino Stud also features an optional jackpot bonus bet. However, once you’re dealt your hand, you must decide whether to call or fold only. If you fold, both your ante and your side bet will be lost.
Like Caribbean Stud, the dealer’s hand must contain an ace and king or better to qualify for the final round.
SIDE BET CITY
Side Bet City is a unique variation of Texas hold ‘em poker. The objective of the game is to wager on a three-card, five-card or seven-card hand, built from a community pool of seven cards.
Players can also wager on All Lose, if they believe that no hands will be formed in the round. In this single-deck game, the dealer will draw seven cards in total.
HOW TO PLAY SIDE BET CITY ONLINE?
The first step in most poker games is to place your bet. Since this is Side Bet City, there are quite a few to choose from, including the 3 Card Hand, 5 Card Hand and 7 Card Hand bets, as well as the All Lose bet.
Once all bets are placed, the dealer will proceed to hand out a total of seven cards in specific intervals. The first three cards determine the results of the 3 Card Hand bet; the first five are used for the 5 Card Hand bet; all seven are taken into account for the 7 Card Hand wager.
Hands that qualify for the 3 Card Hand bet are any pair (1:1), three-of-a-kind (35:1), straight (5:1), flush (4:1), straight flush (40:1) and royal flush (100:1). For five-card hands, pair JJ-AA and above qualify, with payouts ranging from 1:1 for JJ-AA pairs to 1000:1 for a royal flush. A three-of-a-kind (3:1) or better qualify for the 7 Card Hand bet, where the royal flush pays 500:1.
A winning message will be displayed every time you win. Once all cards have been dealt and a winner is determined, the game will begin again with a reshuffled deck and a new round of betting.
HOW POPULAR IS SIDE BET CITY ONLINE?
While Side Bet City is a newer poker game, it is also one of the only games of its kind. It provides an all-new take on traditional poker gameplay by putting an unconventional yet tasteful focus on the side bets rather than the gameplay itself.
Side Bet City was also released by one of the leading Live Casino providers in the industry, so it comes as no surprise that this game took off without a hit.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SIDE BET CITY ONLINE
PROS
- Unique gameplay.
- Easy to understand.
- Fun setting and studio design.
CONS
- Betting rounds are short.
- Players go through game rounds quickly.
- The minimum bet starts at €0.50 as opposed to other games that offer a €0.10 minimum bet (or currency equivalent).
- Side Bet City is not suitable for those looking to learn the general gameplay of poker, so it is not ideal as their first poker game.
WHAT IS THE BEST POKER STRATEGY FOR SIDE BET CITY ONLINE?
Although there is no perfect strategy that will help you secure a win, there are a couple of tips and tricks that may help boost your odds.
At the end of the day, practising the game is one of the best ways to learn how to make better decisions in poker. Once you have a solid grasp of the poker hands, you will learn which cards to discard and which of those to keep and potentially build the best hand.
The best advice we can give you is to, first and foremost, learn the poker hands and how they rank — knowing what beats what will help you realise which cards you need to discard, when to call and when to fold. Minimise your losses as much as possible and become a top poker strategist.
As with all Live Casino games, poker is primarily based on luck, so losses are to be expected as much as we all want to win. Don’t let this bring you down, though! Whether you win or lose, there will always be a lesson to be learned.
HOLD ‘EM POKER
As opposed to stud games, where players receive their own individual hands, hold ‘em games are a variation of poker where players are dealt two cards face down, and five cards face up.
The two cards facing down are known as hole cards — each player receives them before the first round of betting begins, and they are unique to each player. The other five cards, however, are known as community cards — cards that all players at the table may use.
The aim in hold ‘em card games is to form the strongest five-card hand out of the two hole cards and any of the five community cards.
HOW TO PLAY HOLD ‘EM POKER ONLINE?
There are a few variations of hold ‘em games out there. The most popular variation is Texas hold ‘em, which we picked apart earlier in this article, but it is not the only hold ‘em variant out there.
Casino Hold ‘em and Grand Hold ‘em Poker are two well-loved tables that more than a handful of players frequent.
Like Texas hold ‘em, the aim is to build the strongest hand and beat the dealer. The betting rounds are also similar, so players can expect no surprises during gameplay. That said, the betting structure may differ from one hold ‘em game to another — especially in No Limit Hold ‘em.
If, at any point, players are unsure of the game rules, they can always look for the ‘information’ button on the game interface to take a look at a detailed explanation of anything they need to know.
HOW POPULAR IS HOLD ‘EM POKER ONLINE?
Hold ‘em games are practically everywhere, so when you go to play poker online, it is pretty likely that you’ll stumble across these tables at almost every online casino. Watch out for Texas Hold ‘em Bonus Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em, Casino Hold ‘em, and Grand Hold ‘em.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HOLD’EM POKER ONLINE
PROS
- The rules of Texas hold ‘em have become the standard rule set for poker.
- Players will find multiple variations available online.
- Since their rules are taken as the global standard, hold ‘em games are suitable for those looking to learn how to play online poker.
CONS
- The rules may take a second to get used to, even though they’re easy to understand.
- Knowledge of hand rankings is key in games like these, so players won’t get very far without having a solid grip on the hand ranking system.
WHAT IS THE BEST POKER STRATEGY FOR HOLD’EM POKER ONLINE?
As we pointed out previously, knowing your hand rankings is the fundamental rule to developing a good strategy. This is because hand rankings will give you an idea of which cards to discard and which to keep to make room for higher-ranking hands.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CASINO HOLD’EM AND GRAND HOLD ’EM?
Casino Hold ‘em features a bonus wager that pays out when a pair of aces or higher is dealt in the first five cards. On top of that, players can also try their hand at the Jumbo 7 Jackpot Prize bet, which pays out on a seven-card straight flush and grows until it is hit. This side bet also offers lower fixed prizes on other hands.
While Grand Hold ‘em allows players to bet on a pair of aces or better, it does not feature the progressive jackpot bet — this is a wager frequently found on tables designed explicitly by Evolution. Also, once the ante is placed and the first card is dealt, players must then decide whether to call or fold.
DEUCES WILD
Deuces Wild is a video poker variant. Video poker is a cross between regular poker and slots in that it offers standard poker gameplay with several slot-like elements.
In this iteration of video poker, all two cards act as Wild cards that substitute for any other card in the deck.
HOW TO PLAY DEUCES WILD ONLINE?
Deuces Wild is super easy to play and only requires clicking one of two buttons found on the user interface.
A bet will be placed before the first round begins, and players will be dealt five cards at once. Players must then decide which cards to hold and which to replace — all five cards may be discarded. Remember, all twos act as Wild cards.
HOW POPULAR IS DEUCES WILD ONLINE?
Deuces Wild has easily become one of the most-preferred video poker games found online; however, it is not so commonly offered.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DEUCES WILD ONLINE
PROS
- It offers Wild cards that give players the chance to form higher-ranking hands.
- Easy to play.
- Quick-paced gameplay.
CONS
- Not super common.
- Does not offer any other bonuses aside from Wild cards.
- Gameplay may be too fast for some players.
WHAT IS THE BEST POKER STRATEGY FOR DEUCES WILD ONLINE?
The thing about video poker is that, with an optimal strategy, it can potentially be beaten. Here are a few points to keep in mind when playing Deuces Wild:
- Hold all five cards when dealt four deuces.
- Keep four cards to a royal flush when holding two deuces.
- Hold any three cards to a royal flush.
- Hold any four-card flush.
- Always hold deuces.
- Keep any pair unless you are one card shy of a Straight or Flush.
- Discard all five cards if you do not have a deuce, a Pair, or any other paying hand.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEUCES WILD AND BONUS DEUCES WILD?
As mentioned, Deuces Wild features standard video poker gameplay, except that all twos are Wilds.
Bonus Deuces Wild is a blend of Bonus Poker and Deuces Wild in that it also features Wild cards and offers extra-large payouts on high five-card hands.
MINI GLOSSARY OF POKER TERMS
Here are a few poker terms to keep in mind as you play:
Ante: A mandatory bet placed during the first betting round. May vary depending on small and big blind.
Betting structure: The rule set that controls the amount a player can bet or raise.
Big blind: The larger of the two mandatory bets on the preflop. It sits on the direct right of the small player and is first to act.
Calling: Placing a bet that matches an existing wager made by another player in the same round.
Check: Passing the action without making a bet. If a bet has been placed, players cannot check.
Door Card: The face-up card dealt in Seven Card Stud.
Pot Limit Omaha: A poker variant that plays with four hole cards. With a pot limit game, players can bet up to the value of the pot.
Raise: Increasing the size of a previously-made bet.
Small blind: The position to the left of the button. One of the two mandatory wagers in the game.
2-7 Triple-Draw Poker: The 2-7 Triple Draw Poker table is a game where players must form the lowest-possible hand.
WHEN DO BETTING ROUNDS END IN POKER?
A betting/drawing round ends when all players have acted. In live games, each draw round will come with a time limit.
CONCLUSION — CHOOSE THE BEST POKER GAME AND WIN REAL MONEY
Choosing the right poker table for you can make or break your online experience. Every player has their personal preferences, so it is important to check out the rules of play to ensure you know exactly what you’re in for. The more comfortable you are with the rules, the better your experience will be, and the more likely you are to win real money!
FAQ
✅ CAN I FIND TRADITIONAL POKER AND LIVE POKER AT LV BET CASINO?
Yes! There are hundreds of First-Person and live tables you can try at LV BET. Check out 3-Draw Poker Single Player, Casino Hold ‘em and more!
✅ HOW TO START PLAYING POKER ON THE MOBILE APPLICATION?
Kicking off your mobile gaming journey is super easy. All you have to do is download our app (no installation required), log in to your account using a compatible device, and you’re good to go! Read more at: https://lvbet.com/en/mobile-application/.
✅ WHICH POKER GAME IS BEST FOR A BEGINNER?
If you want to learn the standard rules of the game, Texas hold ‘em is the best game for the job. Chinese Poker is also said to be a good way to get to grips with hand rankings — Open-Face Chinese Poker (OFC Poker) is a popular variant.
✅ IS IT WORTH USING WILD CARDS?
Definitely. Wild cards substitute for any other card in the deck and can easily make room for higher-ranking combinations.
✅ WHAT IS THE FLOP AND FINAL BETTING ROUND?
The flop is the second betting round, following the preflop betting round in variants like Casino Hold ‘em and Pot Limit Omaha Poker. The final betting round is known as the river.