Best Canadian Online Casinos to Play Poker for Real Money
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How to Play Video Poker for Real Money
Getting started playing video poker is pretty easy once you know what to expect. The idea here is that you want to try to make winning hands with five card poker hands in a single player environment. However, generous video poker bonuses and other things come into the mix like strategy and choosing where to play. The process largely looks like the following, which can be used as a quick start guide to help you out.
- Sign Up - After picking out a site from our recommended list, you'll click through and sign up for an account.
- Deposit - With your account created, make your way to the cashier section and choose a banking method and amount for your deposit.
- Claim Bonus - You'll also be given the opportunity to put in a bonus code or to select a bonus option from the ones available for your account.
- Choose Games - Pick out which title you want to enjoy from the list of available choices.
- Cashout Winnings - Once you're ready to put in a withdrawal for your winnings, you can do that straight from the cashier section.
Bonuses to Claim in 2024
One of the great things about online real money casinos is that they tend to have some good bonus and promotional opportunities. This helps to add more to your bottom line to boost your chances of having an overall win with your sessions. It's also one of the key components we recommend in our video poker strategies. In what follows, we'll show you some of the more popular options for this genre of game and what you can expect from them.
No Deposit Bonus
Many players seek out no deposit bonuses for any type of game they get interested in because the concept is so rewarding. Essentially, the casino gives you a bonus with no deposit required, and in exchange, you have chances to turn that into real money payouts. It's somewhat rare to get these types of deals, but they do sometimes exist, and if you can find them here and there, they can be a viable option to enjoy the games without any risk.
Signup/Welcome Bonus
One thing all of our recommended real money video poker casino sites have in common is a sign up bonus that can be used to play this type of game. Several of them are available for Canadian fans, so we've made sure to lay out exactly what you can expect from them in our reviews. These are so important because they give you value on at least one (but sometimes multiple) deposits when you first create your account. Percentage matches of 100 percent are pretty common, but you'll sometimes see higher.
Reloads
When it's time to "reload" your account, that's where a reload bonus comes into play. This is when you add more money to your account after your initial deposits. These are pretty commonly available for this genre, but they're typically intended for smaller amounts than their welcome package cousins. Nonetheless, they're great for players who add a little at a time to their accounts since they typically have lower match maximums.
Cashback
Some but not all real money video poker casinos have cashback bonus options. These work by giving you a percentage back of your previous deposit if you run your account all the way down. In a way, they're similar to reload bonuses except the amount you get back is a smaller percentage since you aren't having to deposit again to take advantage. However, they do offer a real value since it's much like getting a second chance to score some winnings.
Regular Video Poker Promos
Other types of regular promotions can run that don't necessarily fit into one of the above categories. For example, you may see leaderboard competitions in play where whoever can get the most winning hands in a period of time gets a bonus. Each of the operators reviewed and listed on our site can come up with their own terms for these types of promotions, so there's not really a standardized approach. Nonetheless, you can evaluate them on a case by case basis to see if they work for you.
Our Featured Real Money Video Poker Casino Bonus - Royal Vegas
Our featured recommendation is Royal Vegas Casino because of their sizable game selection and solid bonus opportunities. You can get 100 percent up to $300 on all four of your initial deposits for up to $1200 in total bonuses. Additionally, their selection includes titles like Split Way Royale, Bonus Poker and Tens or Better all coming in with payout rates of more than 99 percent with correct play. They've also been around since 2000 with multiple licenses in reputable jurisdictions. Add that to quick withdrawal times and plenty of real money banking methods, and you've got the perfect site to play these games online.
Play Free Video Poker
One really cool thing about playing at new online casinos in 2024 is that you can always opt for the demo or "free play" mode. As a result, you don't have to risk anything to enjoy the strategic complexities and action that this genre has to offer if that's not what you're feeling at that particular time. This can be a great option for players who are on a budget or who are just warming up before they start wagering for real.
Playing Real Money Video Poker vs Free Games
Some people prefer playing one way or the other. Alternatively, some like to mix in both back and forth even during the same sessions. With that said, there are advantages of playing in these two available ways, and here we want to make sure you understand what's involved in each of them so that you can more easily decide which of these options is right for you.
Pros for Real Money Video Poker
- With cash on the line, the game can be a bit more exciting for some players.
- Allows you to take advantage of more bonus opportunities.
- Playing in this way allows you chances to hit jackpots and run up serious winnings.
Pros for Free Video Poker
- Playing for free allows you to try out different strategies without worrying about the consequences so much.
- This can be an excellent "warm up" before you start playing like you normally would.
- It's a great way for Canadian players to try out new titles they haven't played much before without risking anything.
Real Money Online Casino Video Poker Games
One of the beautiful things about this genre is that it includes tons of games. They have strong similarities overall, but the truth of the matter is that it's their differences that we celebrate the most. Here we want to show some of the most popular titles available and what sets them apart from each other. You can also learn how to play each of these variants by taking a look at our all-inclusive guide to video poker rules.
Deuces Wild
Known as the most popular title that uses wild cards, Deuces Wild is set up using a 52 card deck where all of the "two" cards are wild. This leads to making better hands on average, which the pay table accounts for. Additionally, non-standard hands are added to the pay table like getting five of a kind or a wild/natural royal flush. If you like a lot of action and more of a depth of strategy, this is a game to enjoy.
Double Bonus
Double Bonus is perhaps the most played of each of the "bonus" style of games, which are variants of Jacks or Better. What sets this title apart, however, is that it has a top-heavy payout schedule based on giving special wins for different four of a kind hands. That adds more action and more opportunities for larger payouts. With that in mind, it's not hard to see how it's such a popular title.
Triple Play
Triple Play is actually a format more than a specific type of game. As such, you can use this format with a number of titles including names on this list like Deuces Wild. The idea is that you play three hands simultaneously, all of which are dealt from their own separate decks. It's a faster and more convenient way to play for some players who like to move things along a bit quicker. With that said, if you aren't a fan of being overwhelmed with multiple hands at once, that's completely fine because the individual titles available can be played one hand at a time as well.
Jokers Wild
The idea of Jokers Wild is that you have the standard 52 card deck, used in plenty of games in Canada, and then you add a single wild joker to it. With 53 cards total, this is a non-standard deck that leads to a game with three versions: Kings or Better, Aces or Better or Two Pair or Better. These three version names correspond to the minimum hand required to get a payout in these games, and they each have slightly different strategies involved.
Multi Play
The Multi Play format works differently than the Triple Play option despite the similarities in name. However, it's also similar in that you can use it with various styles. In this format, you play a single hand, but you get paid based on the results of multiple draws to that hand based on your discards (or lack thereof). Up to 100 draws can be played at a time for a single hand, but you can also find versions that give as few as ten.
Progressive Jackpot Video Poker
Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild are the most popular styles of this game that can be found with progressive jackpots. With that said, the exact way they can be awarded can vary a bit. Some have special cards that need to show up, but others might just require a specific hand. For example, you may need to make a royal flush in a way that the cards are in order from left to right, or you may need to get four of a kind with a special card as a kicker.
Most Popular Real Money Casino Video Poker Games Online
- Jacks of Better - This is the title that most other non-wild games are based on, so it's easy to see why it's so popular.
- Joker Poker - If you take Jacks or Better and add a single wild card, you mix things up and get this title.
- Aces and Faces - This game isn't much different than Jacks or Better but has a particularly generous payout rate that's well over 99 percent.
- Bonus Poker - Players who want more opportunities for big payouts will love this top-heavy variant.
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RNG, RTP, and Odds
Since strategy is a big part of the genre, knowing a bit about the odds and how payouts work at casino sites online can be the difference between winning and losing. This also includes understanding how the randomization works and what you can expect when drawing from the deck. In what follows, we'll break down the major terms that you'll want to know and what they mean for your play.
What is RNG Software?
RNG stands for "random number generator," and it's one of the key components of the software that makes up the games at real money video poker casinos. The idea is actually pretty simple. Since you can't shuffle a physical deck of cards, you need some way to shuffle a virtual deck without it yielding the same result each time. That's where an RNG comes into play by using sophisticated algorithms to determine how that deck is shuffled each hand.
Understanding RTP in Casino Games
One of the most important numbers you can look at when picking real money online video poker games to play is the RTP. This return to player percentage in this genre represents the highest payout rate a player can get with perfect strategic play. As such, playing titles with a higher RTP is a critical component to the game selection side of strategy. In general, you should aim for titles with an RTP of more than 98.5%, but plenty are available that are well over the 99% mark.
Best Odds for Online Casino Video Poker
Your chances of winning ultimately come down to a combination of how well you play and the RTP of the title you choose. As such, going for titles with a higher RTP gives you better odds of winning in the grand scheme of things. All Aces by Microgaming is a good example with a 99.92% RTP, and Jacks or Better with the 9/6 pay table gets you 99.54%. These games are good examples of having higher odds of winning through game selection alone.
Real Money Video Poker Strategy
Aside from game selection, strategy centers largely around how you play the discard and which pay table you get in a particular game style. In short, you want to pick the best option for each of these based on straightforward principles. Here we'll give you a quick overview of what to look for.
- Pay Table - Different pay tables have different payout rates, even for the same game, so look for the most favorable ones.
- Held Cards - The combination of cards you hold helps to determine your average win for a given set of dealt starting cards.
- Final Draw - When this draw happens, you'll have chances to make different types of hands, and you want to maximize the value of those possibilities.
Using a Basic Chart
To help with the strategic elements of picking which cards to keep and which to discard, basic strategy charts are there to show you what to look for. While they vary from game to game in some cases, the most basic elements of strategy stay the same. That's especially the case for non-wild card titles. In what follows, we'll show you what this type of chart looks like based on using the first case that describes your hand, starting from the top.
- With a made hand of four of a kind or better, always hold.
- Whenever you have four cards to make a royal flush, draw to them, even breaking a straight or flush.
- Hold onto any made hand three of a kind or better.
- Four cards to a straight flush should be held (don't break straights or flushes).
- With a single pair of jacks or better, or two pair hands, hold.
- Three cards to a draw to a royal flush are the next thing to hold.
- That's followed by four card flush draws to hold.
- Holding all low pairs from 2-2 to 10-10.
- Four cards that make a normal (outside, not inside) straight.
- Two suited high cards are what to hold next.
- From there, three to a straight flush regardless of their rank will be held.
- Two off-suit high cards followed by a single high card are held from there.
- With none of the above, discard all five of your cards.
Play for Real Money on Mobile Casino Apps
Each of the Canadian real money online video poker casinos we recommend allow for mobile play. This puts you in a situation to shoot for the strongest hands you can while you're out and about. In fact, it's one of the most popular ways to play since the number of wagers in this genre made via mobile is higher than playing on a computer. Nonetheless, you can play however you want and whenever you want using both.
Real Money Apps for iPhone and Android
Our reviews and ratings show players the absolute best mobile apps available for these games. That includes playing on iOS or Android devices, but it also includes enjoying yourself on tablets or smartphones. A great thing about mobile sites is that you don't have to worry about the games not fitting on the screen. This genre is perfect for even smaller smartphones that use the "mini" style and a screen that's not as large.
How We Rate & Review Real Money Video Poker Casino Sites
When we review the top casino options out there for online video poker, we want to make sure that players get the most fun and exciting experience they can. This is why we use our own rating and review system based on putting together you may want to know about these brands. From there, we have rankings to help players get started somewhere that will meet their wants as well as possible. As a part of this system, we use the following.
- Game Variations - If they don't have a lot of different types of video poker, then we can't really rate them highly for players looking for this specific genre.
- Licensing - It's critical that the casinos that we review have current licenses in good standing.
- Reputation and History - The reputation of the site and the operating company that runs it are both factored into our reviews and rankings.
- Banking Options - We like to see a number of different types of payment methods available to make sure you can have primary and secondary choices.
- Bonus Offers - Our priority and highest ratings go to places that can give you solid bonuses and promotions for playing these titles.
- Quick Withdrawals - Players don't want to be left waiting an unnecessarily long period of time to receive their cash outs, so processing speed is important to us.
- Software Providers - The providers available are important for this genre because some of them have different versions of the same type of game (ie: Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild) with slightly different pay tables, some of which have higher RTP percentages.
How to Signup for a Real Money Casino Account in Canada
The process of landing and cashing out real money casino winnings begins with signing up for your account. Some players assume that this would be a difficult process that takes a long time, but that's not the case at all. In fact, you can be signed up and ready to jump right in within just a few minutes. Here's how to get signed up.
- Pick out a place to play from our recommended options. You can either use our ranking system or take your time reading individual reviews for a more detailed look.
- From there, click or tap the button to create an account for that particular casino.
- Make sure to fill in all of your details correctly. Failure to do so can lead to your account being closed.
- You will typically be asked later to send in verification of your identity. Going ahead and doing that after signing up can speed things up for your withdrawals later on.
Deposits and Payouts at Canada Online Casinos
Getting your account funded and having your real money video poker online casino winnings cashed out all come down to which payment options you choose. A variety of these banking methods are available with different advantages and disadvantages. The key things to decide on are convenience, fees and how quickly the transactions are processed. Here we'll break down each of these criteria and show you what can be expected for each of the major options.
Credit and Debit Cards
For many people, it's difficult to get more convenient than a debit card or credit card. This is simply because so many people have them already. They're used much like making any other online purchase, making them one of the more popular options. Overall, the fees come in around average or slightly below, and transactions come pretty quick. As such, they're one of the most used and most well-rounded options available.
E-wallets - Instadebit, PayPal, eCheck
Another popular option is to use electronic wallets. These are accounts that you hold separately that you'll fund and then use for deposits. Additionally, your winnings can be withdrawn straight to this account as well. The most popular of these in Canada is InstaDebit, which is available at all of our top recommended sites. Note that PayPal is not an option, however, because it's not allowed for online casino transactions for Canadian players. Also, eChecks can function similarly to e-wallets but are actually not a separate account and instead processes payments straight from your checking account.
Use Your Bank with Interac
Interac is a payment method available and popular in Canada that works a little differently than other options. This is an electronic transfer option that allows you to easily make instant payments from your normal bank account. A huge selection of banks work with Interac for this purpose, including HSBC, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, ATB and a lot of different credit unions. Since you can use Interac for deposits and withdrawals, it can be a one and done type of option for many players.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency options have been available for quite some time. However, they're easier than ever before in 2024 and no longer have much of a learning curve. Specific options like Bitcoin and Ethereum are accepted at a number of real money video poker casinos, and they have lower fees and faster transaction speeds than most other methods. That makes them stand out for players who are willing to take the time to learn about how to use them.
How to get the Fastest Withdrawals on Your Winnings
To maximize your withdrawal speed, the most important thing you can do first is to verify your identity with the site in question. You can do that at any point after creating your account, and it's really best to do it as early as possible. From there, choosing an option like crypto or Interac that have some of the fastest withdrawal times can help as well. While electronic wallets and credit/debit cards aren't always quite as quick, they don't have unreasonable wait times either.
Best Real Money Video Poker Casino Awards for 2024
Different types of players are generally looking for specific but different things in the places they choose to play. One player might think that the mobile interface is the most important thing while another might be focused more on bonuses, for example. In what follows, we have picked out the video poker sites that are what we believe to be the best in a number of specific areas to help you to find whatever it is you're focused on.
Best for Mobile: Yukon Gold
When you play at Yukon Gold, you're put in a position where more people are playing using their mobile apps than playing using a computer. As such, their mobile options have been maximized as much as you can imagine. Additionally, they also have a great welcome bonus where you can land 125 free spins as well as a 100 percent match worth up to $150 across your first two deposits. Their selection of titles is pretty wide, including a sizable number of games as well.
Best for Live Dealer: Leo Vegas
The variety of live dealer titles found at Casino Leo Vegas is so great because they have tables from multiple top providers. With high definition streaming from multiple studios across the globe, they have one of the largest game selections available. You can also earn up to $1450 in bonuses across your first four deposits, all of which are playable with your favorite games. Strong customer service and a large variety of playing options make this a popular destination online.
Best for Bonus: Jackpot City
Jackpot City has been known for their bonus promotions for a pretty long time, and they still hold the spot as our favorite for bonus seekers. Their welcome package gives you 100 percent matches on your first four deposits up to $400 on each of those. This comes to a total of $1600 in potential bonuses at JackpotCity when you get started. Additionally, you'll get 50 free spins on your initial deposit as well, and the winnings from that are added in to your total bonus balance. Having so much padding for your account balance means that your chances of running up and cashing out real money online video poker winnings are increased substantially.
Best for Fast Cashouts: Captain Cooks
If you like to get your real money video poker winnings back as quickly as you can, then Casino Captain Cooks is the place to be. While they have an awesome game selection with hundreds of titles from top providers, they also have several banking methods with particularly fast withdrawal times. Additionally, their welcome bonus package is pretty solid as well. Inside of your first five deposits, you can be granted 100 free spins as well as up to $475 in match bonuses.
Online Video Poker Real Money Winning Tips
Due to the strategies involved in the game, knowing some strong tips that you would otherwise have to learn from experience can help you out a lot. We want to give you a number of these tips to help you have the best real money video poker experience that you can. While not all of these will necessarily be new to every player, we think that most people can learn something from the list as a whole.
- Specializing in one or two variants and learning strategies particular to those can have you playing better than trying to bounce around to all of the games.
- In most titles, you should play with five coins on each hand, even if that means you need to play with a smaller individual coin size. This maximizes your RTP because of the larger win for royal flushes in proportion to your bet size.
- Having a good understanding of the pay table and what makes it different from similar titles can help you to have a better idea of what you're trying to accomplish with your play.
- Using solid bankroll management to withstand the swings can be particularly helpful in games like this where you're essentially making the same types of decisions over and over.
Alternative Games to Play at Real Money Casinos Online in 2024
While video poker is incredibly popular in Canada, other genres have their own followings as well. This includes online slots, roulette and blackjack, all of which can be played for real money at our recommended online casino brands. While some players prefer to stick to one particular type of game, others like to move around and try different things at different times. We believe that all play styles are equally valid, and that means players should feel free to move between titles as they wish.
FAQs
Over the years, we have seen certain questions asked pretty often. As such, we like to go ahead and answer these questions since it will help a disproportionate amount of players to get their main questions out of the way as quickly as possible. Here our online casinos Canada team will offer some of those questions and our answers to make it easy to get the information you need to decide if these games are for you.
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Where can I play video poker online for real money?
All of our recommended brands allow you to play this popular casino title. -
What are the best online casinos with real money video poker?
We recommend Jackpot City and Yukon Gold for players starting out among a few others in our recommended rankings. -
Is playing online video poker for real money legal in Canada?
Yes, these sites are completely licensed. -
How can I win real money playing casino games online?
Sign up for an account at one of our recommended brands, make a deposit and enjoy a variety of games. -
Is there a video poker app for Canada?
Yes, mobile apps for iOS and Android are available at all of our recommended casinos. -
What is the best video poker game to play for big winnings?
Progressive jackpot titles offer the largest individual jackpots. -
Can you play online video poker using Paypal?
No, PayPal is not available for online casinos in Canada. -
Are my video poker winnings taxable?
This depends on exactly where you're playing from, and you'll need to consult your local and provincial laws. -
Can I play free video poker games?
Yes, free play and demo versions of most of these titles are widely available. -
Is video poker rigged?
No, these games are audited by regulatory and licensing bodies for fairness.
