Poker splits into dozens of formats once you look past the basic rules, and MagicianBet poker stocks a fair spread of them across the video poker terminals and the live tables. These are the six you'll run into most often.
Texas Hold'em is the version most people picture when they hear the word poker. The game deals two hole cards to each player, lays five community cards on the table, and runs a betting round after every stage of the deal. You can play it against a live dealer with real opponents, or practise the format solo before moving to real stakes.
The betting structure rewards patience more than aggression in the early rounds. Watch the flop, read the pot odds, and don't chase a hand that needs three perfect cards to win.
Omaha hands out four hole cards instead of two, and you build the best five-card hand from those plus the five community cards on the table. The Hi-Lo variant splits the pot between the highest hand and the lowest qualifying hand, which changes your whole approach compared to standard Hold'em.
Because you hold more cards, strong hands turn up more across the table, so a hand that would win at a Hold'em table might lose outright here.
Jacks or Better is the standard video poker format and the one most beginners start on. The name comes from the pay table: a pair of Jacks is the lowest hand that returns your stake.
The rules stay simple and the pay table is easy to read at a glance, which is why it remains the benchmark against which every other video poker variant gets measured.
Every Two in the deck acts as a Wild card in this variant, standing in for whatever card completes your hand. Four Deuces ranks second only to a Royal Flush, and even three of a kind pays out.
Because Wild cards push up your odds of winning, the pay table sits lower across the board to balance things out. Not-So-Ugly Deuces is a common variation with a friendlier pay table.
Joker Poker adds a 53rd card, the Joker, which acts as a Wild across the whole deck. Most versions set Kings or Better as the minimum winning hand, which pushes the win frequency higher than Jacks or Better.
A Five of a Kind hand ranks directly behind a Natural Royal Flush on the pay table, something no other common variant offers. Look out for the 7/5 pay table version, since it returns more than the 6/5 alternative.
Bonus Poker follows the same base rules as Jacks or Better but pays extra on Four of a Kind hands. Four Aces, for example, can return 80 times your stake on the full-pay 8/5 version, so a £1 hand turns into an £80 return.
A 7/5 version exists too, with smaller Four of a Kind payouts. Double Bonus Poker takes the concept further with an even steeper pay table for high-value quads.
Whether you're sitting at a live table or working through hands on a video poker machine, a few habits separate players who last from those who burn through a deposit in ten minutes.
Two machines with the same name can pay out very differently depending on the pay table behind them. Check the return for a Full House and a Flush before you commit real money, since a 9/6 Jacks or Better machine pays out far more over time than a 6/5 version.
MagicianBet lets you try most video poker titles in demo mode before you switch to real stakes. Use that time to learn which cards to hold and which to discard, since the right decision changes depending on the hand you're dealt.
Poker moves fast once you're comfortable with the rules, and it's easy to lose track of both time and spend. Set a deposit limit through your account settings before you start, and use GamStop or a chat with BeGambleAware if your play ever feels out of your control.
You might use the two terms interchangeably before trying both, but the experience at the table couldn't be more different. The table below breaks down where they split.
| Feature | Live Poker | Video Poker |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Streamed live from a studio into the MagicianBet live lobby, or played at a physical casino table. | Played on an electronic terminal in a casino, or through the video poker section of the site. |
| Interaction | A real dealer, other players at the table, and live chat. | Solo gameplay. Cards get dealt by RNG software, with no other players involved. |
| Speed | Paced by the dealer and the other players at the table. | Paced by you alone, as fast or slow as you like. |
| Skill Level | Skill builds over time: reading opponents, timing your bets, understanding pot odds. | Easy to pick up. The on-screen pay table clarifies every hand ranking as you play. |
| Randomness | A certified live dealer setup shuffles and deals every hand on camera. | RNG software, tested by an independent lab, decides every card. |
| Mistakes | Dealer error is rare, but you can misplay a strong hand or get outplayed by a bluff. | The software handles the deal, so a stable connection matters if you're playing on your phone away from a fixed terminal. |
18+ only · New players only · Wagering requirements apply · Please gamble responsibly