Five Draw Poker
5-Card Draw is one of most basic forms of poker and it’s the kind of poker you’re used to seeing in movies and on TV. Because 5-Card Draw has been around for such a long time – there are a couple different variations. 5 Card Draw Poker – How to Play 5 Card Draw When learning to play poker, the most straightforward game to start with is 5 card draw. Many players learn this game well before they enter a casino, and it’s for a good reason.
If you’re a fan of video poker, you’ll be an even bigger fan of this IGT game – you’ll get to play five hands at once. Instead of just one video poker format, here you’ll get to choose from a selection of nine different games. So, whether you like Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild or Joker Poker they are all available to be played here.
As you get to know the different formats, you’ll be able to choose a balance between lower house edge and big payout opportunities which suits you best. Five Play Draw Poker includes popular games like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild – alongside bonus poker variants which offer multipliers for an extra credit.
IGT’s Five Play Draw Poker is now online in states with legal online casinos such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This guide starts by detailing exactly how the game plays out, before looking at each of the nine available games individually. The ‘Ultimate X’ version of the game, available in some casinos, is detailed at the end.
How to Play Five Play Draw Video Poker
The first thing you’ll need to decide when playing Five Play Draw Poker is which of the nine games you’d like to play.
Free Draw Poker Video Poker
All of the popular video poker varieties are in there. Having chosen your game, you’ll need to choose your stake. It’s always a good thing to play for the maximum bet size of 5 coins, as the house edge is smaller if you do (always play a bet size of 5 for $1, as opposed to a bet size of 1 for $5).
What sets this version of the game apart from other video poker varieties is that you will always play 5 hands at once. You’ll receive just one set of your original five cards, with the same ‘held’ cards appearing across all of your 5 hands. Then the discarded cards are then replaced across all five hands. The good news is that a good starting hand can ensure guaranteed wins across all five hands.
For example, if your original 5 cards included three 5s when playing Jacks or Better, you are guaranteed at least a 3 of a kind win on all hands. These hands can only improve too, with some turning into full houses, while others could improve to 4 of a kind wins.
When playing Five Play Draw Poker you have to bear in mind that you are paying 5x the stake over a standard game, due to playing 5 hands. You might therefore want to lower your stake to counter this increase.
Which Games are Available in Five Play Video Poker?
Here’s a list of each of the available games in IGT’s Five Play Draw Poker, with a brief explanation of each:
Five Card Draw Poker
- Jacks or Better – This is the most well-known of all the video poker varieties. In this game, as the name implies, you’ll need a pair of jacks or better to win.
- Bonus Poker – In this version, you’ll receive higher pay outs for select 4 of a kind hands, with 4 Aces being the highest paying hand.
- Bonus Poker Deluxe – This is the most straightforward of the bonus games, with an enhanced pay out for any 4 of a kind hands.
- Double Bonus Poker – The 4 of a kind wins are split into three groups here, with even bigger wins on the table.
- Double Double Bonus Poker – With more chances for big wins, the kickers that go alongside your 4 of a kind wins can make a big difference to your pay out.
- Triple Double Bonus Poker – Once again kickers come into play in this high-volatility game. Land the right combination of 4 of a kind and kicker and you can win as much as you do for a royal flush.
- Deuces Wild – Another popular form of the game, where all 2s that are dealt become wild. This makes for an entertaining game, where bigger hands are the order of the day.
- Deuces Wild Bonus – This enhanced version of Deuces Wild offers increased prizes for 4 and 5 of a kind wins.
- Joker Poker – Similar to deuces wild, except this time, the single joker in the pack acts as the wild card.
While all of the games play in a very similar way, the pay tables will differ in each. In deuces wild, for example, it is that much easier to land a big hand than it is in Jacks or Better, simply due to the addition of those 4 wild cards. This is reflected in those pay tables, where you’ll win more for the same hand in Jacks or Better.
There are minor variations in strategy for the bonus games. When it comes to the games with wilds (Deuces Wild and Joker Poker), your strategy on which cards to hold will change significantly when your initial deal includes a wild.
Ultimate X Five Play Draw Poker
If you play this version of the 5 Play Draw video poker, you can enable a side bet which is equal to the bet amount in play. If you land a winning hand, award multipliers are applied to the next hand which can greatly increase the win amount.
For example, if you land a full house when playing Jacks or Better, not only will you win the standard 9-coin win, but any wins on the next hand will be multiplied by 12. This is a high volatility version of the game, which can add some extra excitement into the mix.
Final thoughts
If one hand simply isn’t enough for you, Five Play Draw Poker from IGT is the perfect video poker game to play – whether at the casino or online. With five hands in play each time you deal, the action is fast, and if you’re lucky you could win big on each of the hands. If you’re feeling like fortune is on your side, play the even higher volatility Ultimate X version of the game – where you could be in multiplier heaven.
Five Play Draw Poker is now available online in a number of states (NJ, PA, MI and WV are all regulating real-money casinos). As long as you are within the state lines, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from all the most popular video poker variations.