Poker at Onyx Slots splits across two formats: video poker, played solo against RNG software at your own pace, and live poker, where a real dealer runs the game via live stream. Onyx Slots online poker covers both, and both sit under a UKGC licence on desktop and mobile. If you're new to the category, the variants below range from straightforward starting points to more intricate wild-card games — each with its own pay table, house edge, and strategic depth.
Video poker developers work with a self-contained digital format, which gives them room to experiment with rules, wild cards, and pay structures. The variants below are the ones you'll encounter most often.
Jacks or Better is where most beginners start, and for good reason. A pair of Jacks is the minimum winning hand; anything below it returns nothing. The full-pay 9/6 version carries an RTP of around 99.54%, and the strategic decisions you face are straightforward enough to learn quickly. For Onyx Slots poker newcomers, this is the sensible entry point.
Deuces Wild uses a standard 52-card deck, but all four 2s act as wild cards — you can substitute a deuce for any card you need to complete a hand. A Natural Royal Flush tops the pay chart; Four Deuces comes second. Because the wilds raise your odds of forming a winning hand, the individual payouts are generally lower than non-wild variants. Three of a Kind is the lowest hand that pays out at all. A related version, Not-so-Ugly Deuces Wild, adjusts the pay table modestly in the player's favour.
Tens or Better lowers the minimum winning hand from a pair of Jacks to a pair of Tens, producing smaller but more frequent payouts. The adjustment shows up in the Full House and Flush lines: this variant pays 6x and 5x your wager respectively, against 9x and 6x in Jacks or Better. Many versions include a double-up feature that lets you gamble any win against a coin flip to double your return.
Joker Poker adds a 53rd card — a Joker that acts as a wild. To compensate, the minimum winning hand steps up to Kings or Better. A Five of a Kind ranks just below a Natural Royal Flush, sitting above a Joker Royal Flush. The 7/5 pay table is the most popular version; a 6/5 variant also exists but returns less over time. Two other versions — Two Pairs or Better and Aces or Better — each shift the minimum qualifying hand and adjust the pay structure accordingly.
Aces and Faces follows the Jacks or Better framework but applies boosted payouts to Four of a Kind hands built from Aces or face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings). In the standard 8/5 version, Four Aces pays 80:1 — above the Straight Flush at 50:1. Four face cards return 40:1. A 7/6 and a 7/5 variation trim the base payouts slightly while keeping the bonus structure intact.
Bonus Poker keeps the Jacks or Better hand rankings but layers on premium payouts for Four of a Kind combinations. Four Aces pays 80x your bet; Four 2s, 3s, or 4s return 40x; Four 5s through Kings pay 25x. The full-pay version is 8/5 — a Full House pays 8x your wager, a Flush pays 5x. Double Bonus Poker extends the model further by splitting the Four of a Kind payouts into more sub-categories, which raises the variance considerably.
Play NowGambling should stay within what you can afford to lose. Onyx Slots supports BeGambleAware and GamStop. If you need to restrict your access to UK gambling sites, register at GamStop free of charge.
The two formats share a name and a card deck, but they play very differently. The table below covers the key distinctions so you can choose which suits your session.
| Feature | Live Poker | Video Poker |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Live-streamed from a studio with a real dealer; you join via your browser or mobile app | Played on a digital terminal, online or at a physical casino machine |
| Opponents | You play against other players; reading opponents and managing position matters | Solo gameplay with no opponents; you play against the pay table only |
| Speed | Slower; real-time interaction with the dealer and other players sets the pace | You control the pace; a hand can resolve in seconds if you choose |
| Skill Focus | Position, bluffing, reading tells, pot odds, and opponent tendencies | Optimal hold/discard strategy, pay table selection, and bankroll management |
| Randomness | A real dealer physically shuffles and deals cards | RNG software deals all cards; games are third-party tested for fairness |
| Minimum Bet | Varies by table; live tables typically start at £1 per hand | Most video poker games allow bets from 1p per credit |
Live poker at Onyx Slots runs 24 hours a day. Studio-based tables stream in real time, with a human dealer handling the deck and managing the game. You can join a seat from your phone or desktop, place bets in GBP, and interact via live chat. The format suits players who want the social dynamics of a real card game without travelling to a physical venue. Keep an eye on the live casino lobby for new game formats — live poker developers release new titles and tournament structures fairly regularly.
Register Now