Poker

One of the most popular online casino games across the globe is online poker. This is a skillful game that allows players to practice their strategies. If Lady Luck is on your side, you will be going Gaga for all the possible wins - just employ your best Poker Face and get playing.

Here at LeoVegas, we have some of the best online poker games out there, where you can chat and interact with the most glamorous and professional dealers. So read on to find out our most popular games, how to play poker - and how to increase your chances!

In order to play poker online - you need to know the best hands. Here are the possible hands, from best to worst:

1. Royal Flush: This is the best possible hand when you play poker. To get a Royal Flush you need five cards of the same symbol and at the same time in ascending order, starting from 10. Here is an example: 10, J, Q, K, and A of spades.
2. Straight Flush: This is the second best hand. To get a Straight Flush you need five cards of the same symbol in sequential order. Here is an example: 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of spades.
3. Four of a Kind: To get this hand you will need four cards of the same number, in the four different suits. The higher the four numbers, the better the hand (four Ks would be better than four 8s).
4. Full House: To get a Full House you need three cards of one value, and two of another. Here is an example: J, J, J + 5, 5. If there are more Full House hands, the player with the highest three cards of one value will win.
5. A Flush: This is when you get five cards of the same symbol - and they don’t need to be in any particular order. Here is an example: 3, 5, 9, J, and K of spades. If two players have this hand, the one with the highest card will win.
6. A Straight: To get this hand you will need five cards in ascending order and different suits - an A can be high or low. For example, you could have 3, 4, and 5 of spades + 6 and 7 of diamonds.
7. Three of a Kind: This is simply a hand with three cards of the same value. For example, you could have: 7, 7, 7, 9, and J.
8. Two Pairs: This is a hand that contains two pairs (for example 4, 4, 8, 8, and Q).
9. Pair: This is a hand that has one pair of matching numbers with different symbols (for example 8, 8, 4, 9 and K).
10. High Card: If no one has a hand as above, then the hand with the card of highest value will win. For example, a hand with the King of Hearts beats a hand with the Queen of Diamonds.

When entering the live casino game, you will see the dealer and the table. According to the rules of that particular game, you will either play against the dealer or other players. Here are the rules to play basic poker games.

Taking Your Position and Placing Your Bet

The first step is to take your place at the chosen online poker table. At the table, you will see several different positions / seats available. These are based on the position of the dealer (you will seat on their left or right).

Before the dealer deals the cards, you will place your first bet. According to the type of online poker, players either bet the same amount, or follow the blinds (in this case, the bets are set in ascending order, starting from the left side of the dealer; you will need to bet higher than the player on your left).

The Small Blind is the player sitting clockwise to the dealer. This is the player who places the first bet before the cards are dealt.The Big Blind sits clockwise to the Small Blind and has to double the bet of the Small Blind.

Other positions at the table include:

• The Early Position: Players that have to post both the Small Blind and Big Blinds - the player/s that are sitting at the left-hand side of the Big Blind.
• Middle Position: These are the next two or three seats at the table.
• Late Position: These are the last seats on the table, and include the button (the latest position), cut-off (the right-hand side of the button), and hijack position (on the right-hand side of the cut-off).

The positions available depend on the type of online poker you are playing and the number of players in your game.

The Deal

Players will then be dealt two cards face down (these are called hole cards). You will need to decide whether you will check (decline the chance of starting the bets), call/bet (make the first bet or match another player’s wager), or fold (if you have a weak hand).

When a player checks, the chance to make the first bet is passed clockwise - and this continues until one player makes the first bet. Once this is done, all other active players need to call and match that first bet.

After the betting has concluded, three face-up cards are dealt (the flop). This will give players a better idea of how strong their hand is. This is followed by another round of betting.

Then comes the turn round - and a fourth card is dealt face up. Players can use this to make an even better hand (using five of the six available cards) if possible. Again, this will be followed up with another betting round.

The next step is where hands are finalised. A fifth card (The River) will be dealt face up, and all active players will see the strength of their hand. There is then yet another round of betting - the final one.

We will then have The Showdown - where the winner is revealed. All active players will reveal their hands to see who has the best hand and who won the pot. If necessary, a kicker (highest card) will be used to determine the winner in the case of a tie.

A game of live online poker works in the exact same way as it would at a real-life casino. When you open up the online poker game, you will see the table in front of you and all the different betting options based on the table. You will then be able to see how many chips you have - and using the buttons, you will put the number of chips you want to stake on the table. If you need to talk with the dealer for assistance, there will be a live chat box so that you can communicate quickly and easily.

Remember, the dealer is there to help. Not only will the dealer move the game along, but they will also be able to answer any queries you have. The dealer will announce when it is time to bet, what round of the game it is, what bets you need to make, and the outcome at the end. Players can write to each other or the dealer to make it an even more interactive experience.

There are many types and variations of online poker. Here at LeoVegas, we have a mix of the most popular ones. Check out the games that you will find in our live poker lobby and their brief description:

Texas Hold ‘em

Firstly, we have Texas Hold ‘em - one of the best online poker games in the world. There are two types of cards in this game. The first ones are your personal hands (hole cards), and the second ones are board cards (community cards). The players can use board cards to help make a hand - with or without their own personal cards (playing the board).

The game begins when you are dealt two down cards. These will be your personal hands (hole cards). The first round of betting will begin. Next will come the flop, where three board cards will be turned at the same time. Another round of betting will begin. The next two board cards will then be turned one after another - and another round of betting will occur after each round.

Stud Poker

The goal of Stud Poker is to win the kitty - which contains every player’s bets. All players will be dealt two cards that won’t be revealed, and one card face up. There will then be a brief interval, where players make their initial bets (or fold).Each player will then be dealt three more revealed cards and another card face down. There will be a round of betting after every round of cards has been dealt. After this, there is a showdown, where all players turn over their face-down cards (hole cards), and choose five of their seven cards to make up a hand. The other two cards are discarded. The winner is the player with the best hand.

3-Card Poker

To start, all players need to place a bet that their hand will be at least a pair or better. Three cards will then be dealt to all players plus the dealer - face down. The player will look at their hand and decide whether or not they should place a ‘play wager’ (equal in value to their initial bet), to put their hand against that of the dealer.

If the player chooses not to (fold), then the hand is over, and the player loses their initial wager. If the player chooses to place a ‘play wager’, the cards are turned over to see whether the hand is better than the dealer’s.

If the dealer’s hand is Jack-high or lower, the play wager will be returned to the player. If the dealer has a Queen-high hand or better, both the initial bet and play wager will be paid out to the player at odds of 1:1 if their hand is better than the dealer's. However, if the dealer has the better hand, the player loses both bets.

Poker online is a game of skill, luck, and strategy. All casino games are based on the luck of the draw, but poker is the game that gives players the best chance of being able to improve their chance of winning - by practising and strategizing. Although there are no fool-proof ways to win, here are some tips to give you the best chance:

Start with a Low Stakes Game

If you are getting to know the game, start out playing low stakes so that any mistakes you make won’t be too costly. When playing low stakes, you will usually find yourself playing against other lower-skilled players. This can help you improve your skills and gain more confidence. It is also crucial to set a budget before entering the poker room and to stick to it. Don't bet more than you afford, and never chase wins or losses.

Don’t Get Distracted

Make sure there are no distractions, as these can lead to mistakes. It may be something as subtle as having the email or message notifications turned on - which could distract you if they pop up. Also, avoid having the TV on or distracting music. A quiet and comfortable playing environment will help you play at your best level.

Try a Mix of Standard Games and Tournaments

These are very different types of poker play. You can play in tournaments and even numerous tables at once. In standard games there’s less variance, which means you can better predict what will happen - and what to expect. However, if given the opportunity, it’s a great idea to try both options. You could try poker online, a few cash games, and even tournaments to see what they're about. It’s always good to check variations and ways to play card games.

Expect Bad Beats Every Now and Then

A Bad Beat is when a strong poker hand ends up losing to a competitor who is considered unlikely to win. This usually happens when a player gets lucky with the cards - and ends up walking away with the lot - more through luck than judgement. You can practise, play, and strategize, but you can do nothing to avoid a Bad Beat. However, this is the best way to deal with it:

• Expert a Bad Beat and understand that this can work both ways. If you keep track of how often it happens to you, you can accept it easier when it goes against you.
• If it happens, relax. Maybe take a break, chill out, and only play again when you have a clear mind.

Hopefully, this will help you understand how online poker games work - and how to get started. Join our top live poker games here at LeoVegas!

The basic rules are the same, but you’ll need to check the specific features of the table you are joining. At LeoVegas, you will find special variants with extra bets and prizes apart from the classic games, so it’s important to check the details before playing.

Yes, you play poker in your browser or by downloading the LeoVegas app.

You can see the minimum bets right from the lobby. Each game displays the minimum bet at the bottom of the image.