Blackjack vs Video Poker – Which Game is Right for You?
A big part of the online casino gaming experience is submerging yourself into a world of entertainment and spending a few hours in the chill zone. You can enter the Zone through pretty much any game in my ever-growing catalogue at Joe Fortune casino. But, can any old one of my games lead to sky-high returns as you evolve into a master player? You have to be more selective here, my friend: the games that will definitely take you there are Blackjack and Video Poker.
While these two games might not have much in common other than the fact that they’re played with cards, they both offer enticing benefits that wink at you from across the room. In order to decide which version you’ll ask to the dance, follow along right here. I’ll break the two games down so you can choose to play Joe Fortune Blackjack or Joe Fortune video poker as soon as I shut my trap. Let’s start with Blackjack.
Playing Blackjack
If you’ve not heard of Blackjack then you must have been kept in a basement until now, in which case, welcome to the world my cabin-fevered friend. What might surprise you, though, is the sheer variety of Poker-inspired games in my Joe Fortune table games section. With 8 distinct versions to choose from, there’s no chance that you’ll grow bored of Blackjack at Joe’s.
Regardless of version, all 8 Blackjack options are based around the same set of rules (mostly – but you’ll see).
You get two cards face-up and the dealer gets two cards face-down. You want to get as close to 21 as possible without going over, whilst totaling higher than the dealer, guided by the two cards you have and the dealer’s single-card hand. You can do all this by either hitting (taking another card) or standing (keeping your cards and facing the dealer).
The most popular versions of Blackjack are Standard and Double Deck Blackjack. These games don’t have any special rules or hidden tricks to remember, and using a basic strategy chart from Joe Fortune can help you reduce the house edge of these games to a measly 0.5%. People tend to like higher returns, lower house edge, and better odds overall. I can’t disagree!
Still, there are other versions of Blackjack you can try, too. In Zappit Blackjack, you have the chance to replace a hard total of 15, 16, or 17 and try again. For the Aussie punter, it’s the kind of zap we’d prefer to the zap of electrocuted mosquitos lured to their deaths.
In European Blackjack, the dealer doesn’t get their second card until after you’ve made all of your decisions. Perfect Pairs is another version where you get extra side payouts for getting some kind of pair in your hand (do we need to chat about consent?): colours, mixed, or a perfect pair. With your Joe Fortune login you can play any type of Blackjack you want, plus practice for free while you get the hang of it.
Another reason that Blackjack is the Jack of all trades in Joe Fortune table games is that you have a lot of control over the outcome. Unlike the dealer who is required to either hit or stand on 17 (depending on the version), you can do any number of things like hit, stand, double down, split, or surrender.
So to refresh your memory, that means you get a lower house edge, more control, and fewer mozzies (I’m kidding, folks, there will never be fewer mozzies). Blackjack is a hard game to beat. Until you see video poker.
Playing Video Poker
Using your Joe Fortune login, head over to the “Video Poker” section, and behold the options I’ve laid out before you. Eight of ‘em, in case you didn’t notice. Like Blackjack, Joe Fortune video poker is a super popular way to have fun and make some dough by dominating this Joe Fortune video poker family.
Although things move fast, don’t be fooled into thinking Joe Fortune video poker is easy. The game starts with five cards. After you review your cards, you can choose which ones to hold by clicking/tapping on them, and hit “draw” to replace the rest. Then, whichever hand appears after you’ve drawn the cards is what determines how you win.
And that’s all there is to it – easy like Sunday morning; quicker than Monday rolls around. But! – you still have to know which cards to hold and which ones to drop like a hot potato, and that takes experience.
The most popular versions of Joe Fortune video poker are Jacks or Better and Joker Poker. Jacks or Better is the foundation of all other video poker styles. The rules say that you need a pair of Jacks or better to win. It doesn’t say you need imagination. It’s like scrapping the word ”swimming’’ in favour of “jump in the water and flail your arms faster than everybody else”.
But don’t let my ramblings deter you! To close this one out, I’ll add that the rest of the rankings look the same as you’d be used to, with the Royal Flush at the top of the ladder.
Joker Poker is a bit different, with the Joker card serving as your Wild. Because of this extra card, you now have new rankings like 5 of a Kind, Royal with a Joker, and a Sequential Royal. The minimum winning hand for this version is a pair of Kings or better.
Beyond that, you have another wild-card game in Deuces Wild, where the 2 acts as your wild card, extended opportunities to win with new hands based on 4 of a Kind in Double Bonus Poker, and even more special payouts for Deuces in Bonus Deuces Wild.
If you’re looking to raise the stakes and try for even bigger wins, you could even play Joker Poker or Jacks or Better with up to 10 hands. That means that in each round you have 10 opportunities to get a good ranking. Just a word of caution, though, that also means you have to multiply your bet size by 10x, so play those versions wisely.
Since I’ve got your back and all, remember that with your Joe Fortune login you don’t even need real money to practice. Just hop into your account, open up the game, and give it a guernsey.
Which game has better odds?
Now let’s get down to the numbers: which of these Joe Fortune table games has the best odds for you?
Like I said, you can easily lower the house edge on Blackjack to 0.5% and an RTP of 99.6% – just by following a pre-made chart. Read: very little effort involved. But get this: video poker can offer a house edge as low as 0.46% for Jacks or Better and an RTP of 99.46%! These are some seriously incredible odds, but I’ll be totally honest and highlight that video poker is notoriously harder to master than Blackjack.
So, here’s the bottom line: if you’re hungry for regular wins straight off the bat, you can play a game like Standard or Double Deck Blackjack and rake in those satisfying results. If you’re not prone to traumatic flashbacks by the idea of studying, and can commit to some long-term practice, you’ll do just fine with Jacks or Better or Joker Poker once you get rolling.
Regardless of your preferred table flavour, don’t forget that your Joe Fortune login allows you to try your hand at all types of Joe Fortune table games in practice mode. That’s it, brothers and sisters – it’s all play and no consequence until you’re ready to put your money where your mastery is. Good, old-fashioned, on-the-job learning, where you’re expected to bugger up in the beginning before you start getting good. The anticipation of real play and real wins is the kind of tease that comes with its own little rewards. Then my tables will have a force to reckon with.
