Video poker has been one of the most popular types of casino gaming for decades. That’s in part because playing a standard video poker machine is a lot like playing a slot machine. In other words, it’s private—just you and the machine.

But newcomers to video poker might be surprised to learn that the game has some definite advantages over slots. Depending on the game, you can employ some basic poker strategy (it helps if you know the poker hands) to increase your chances. More importantly, each type of video poker game offers a different pay table—or the amount winning hands pay. Combine a good pay table with sound strategy, and you can reduce the house edge on the machines to zero and sometimes even get a slight edge.

OK, so why the video poker plug? Because New Jersey’s online casino sites are in love with video poker.

Most casino sites offer half a dozen or more options for video poker. There are games with wildcards, games that offer bonuses for hitting high hands and games that just add extra elements of fun. And there are a lot of variations.

GoldenNuggetCasino.com, for example, has 21 different video poker options. Other sites such as BetfairCasino.com, CaesarsCasino.com and PlaySugarHouse.com have eight to 12 different types of the game.

The most universal games are Jacks or Better (no wildcards), Jester Poker (one wildcard) and deuces wild games. There are also many variations of Regal Poker from Spin Games, which is basically a Jacks or Better game that offers special payouts for hitting four of a kind and straight flushes. Another popular bonus title for video poker is IGT’s Game King.

Other game types offer different types of bonuses for hitting certain hands. PalaCasino.com even offers a deuces and Jokers wild game with five wildcards.

That’s a lot of different choices. And, it also gives players the option of changing games frequently to look for a “hot” machine. OK, that’s not really proven as most games on a site are set to pay out at the same rate, but, hey, video poker players can be a superstitious lot.

You can also check out many of the online video poker options for free at Borgata’s social casino site at freeslots.theborgata.com.

Here’s a quick look, and a little strategy, for the most popular online video poker games:

Jacks or Better: Basically, the game pays for any hand above a pair of jacks. However, hitting a high pair is usually just a push where you win back your bet. Still, those pushes can help extend your session. Without wild cards, the basic game usually has the highest payouts for winning hands.

Jester Poker: That one wild card does make the game more fun, but wipes out the Jacks or Better push. Usually that’s bumped to two pair. Payouts are lower for other hands, but the game does allow for a five of a kind jackpot, which can usually be set at a very high jackpot.

Regal and Bonus Poker: Basically, these games offer up higher jackpots for four of a kind. Those bonuses can be split up, with higher bonuses for hitting four lower cards—say four deuces—over hitting four higher cards. The Royal Flush is still usually the highest jackpot.

Stay up-to-date with the latest bonuses and deals at sportsquare.com’s Promotions page.