Jean Gabriel | January 17, 2023 | Updated on: January 17th, 2023
Best Online Poker Variants Australia
There are many amazing Online Poker variants that you can enjoy for real money at casino sites in Australia. There are probably hundreds of different variants of Poker, with new types being created frequently.
Each variant will follow a similar basic set of rules but with plenty of differences in how the game plays out. Over time, certain versions of Poker have become more popular than others. On this page, we will give you an overview of some of the most popular Online Poker games available to Aussie players.
Top Online Poker Casinos in Australia
Types of Online Poker Games
Before we jump into the individual Online Poker variants, we thought we would give you an insight into the three main categories of Poker games.
- Draw Poker – Draw variants of Poker deal players a full hand of cards but allow them to replace cards they want to, to try to make a stronger hand.
- Stud Poker – Players will be dealt a full hand over the course of several rounds of betting.
- Community Poker – These versions of Poker have players competing against other players, making hands out of their own cards and community cards.
Besides these categories, the games can also be broken down into three different betting structures.
- Fixed Limit – In a fixed-limit poker game, players are limited to how large their bets can be. This means the pot will stay smaller, and it is fairer for players with tighter budgets.
- No Limit – For high rollers, No Limit Poker tables might be for you. As the name suggests, there is no limit to how large you can bet. Stay away from No Limit games unless you have a large amount of money
- Pot Limit – A Pot Limit is a sort of hybrid of the first two. Your bet is limited to the current size of the pot. As the round goes further and the pot grows, the maximum permitted bet increases with the pot size.
Most Popular Poker Versions Online
Below are the most popular Real Money Online Poker variants you will come across at Australian Online Casinos.
Texas Hold’Em
Texas Hold’Em is undoubtedly the single most popular version of Online Poker. It is the main variant of Poker used in the World Series of Poker. This is also the version of Poker that people most often think about when they think about Poker games.
Texas Hold’Em is a Community Card Poker variant. Players will each start out with two cards. There will then be a round of betting before the first three community cards are dealt. There will then be another round of betting before one more community card is added, and this is repeated one more time until there are five community cards. Players will try to build the best possible five-card hand out of their own cards and the community cards.
Omaha Poker
Omaha Poker is probably the second most popular variant and is always gaining in popularity. Some even think it won’t be too long until it overtakes Texas Hold’Em. The game follows a similar structure to Texas Hold’Em, but there are a few key differences.
The main difference is that in Omaha Poker, each player receives four cards instead of two. Then there will be five community cards dealt in a similar fashion. Players must use two of their hole cards and three community cards to make their final hand.
Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is one of Poker’s oldest and most traditional forms. Players are dealt five cards and will be given a chance to discard and replace cards as the round progresses.
This variant is quite easy to learn and is the basis for many Video Poker games. However, this version of Poker is not as popular as it used to be.
Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud Poker was once the most popular variant before Texas Hold’Em came along. However, it is probably still the most popular variant of Stud Poker online.
Players will be dealt seven cards, but only four will be face up; the other three are kept face down, so other players do not have a full picture of your hand. Part of its drop in popularity is that it is one of the more difficult Poker games to learn how to play.
H.O.R.S.E
For those players who want the best of everything, look at H.O.R.S.E Poker. This version combines Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, and Eights or Better.
This version is most often enjoyed with a group of friends. When it comes to playing at a casino, it is often limited to high roller tables. As such, this is not the version of Poker for all players.
Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker was created in the 1980s and combined the Chinese game, Pai Gow with Poker. In Pai Gow Poker, players will need to build two separate hands.
The first hand, or Big Hand, comprises five cards and follows standard Poker Hands. The second hand is a two-card hand, and the strongest pair wins. You need to win both hands to win; if you win one and lose one, it is a tie.
Razz
Razz Poker is a slightly unusual version of Stud Poker. The unique aspect is that you are not trying to build the strongest typical Poker hand but rather the weakest hand. As such, the best hand in Razz is an A-2-3-4-5 instead of the typical Royal Flush.
Razz is easy enough to learn and follows the same basic structure as any other Stud game, except the strength of hands is reversed. This can take some getting used to, but it is a lot of fun once you get used to it.
Eights or Better
Eights or Better is not as well known as the other variants of Poker we have mentioned. It follows a similar format to Seven Card Stud, but it is a Split Pot Game. This means that the strength of your hand determines if you get a Big Pot, Low Pot, or Full Pot win.
Badugi
Badugi Poker is another variant of Poker created in the 1980s, around the same time as Pai Gow Poker. However, Badugi Poker has not obtained the same level of popularity. Players will be dealt four cards, and three betting rounds follow this.
Players can replace up to four of their cards in an attempt to build the weakest hand. The best hand in Badugi is A-2-3-4, and the worst hand is K-K-K-K
5-Card Omaha Poker
In 5-Card Omaha Poker, the game combines Five Card Draw and Omaha Poker to create an interesting Poker hybrid. While the game isn’t as popular as either of the games it takes inspiration from; it does have a decent following.
Players will be dealt five cards and use the five community cards to build the best possible hand. If you like being able to make very strong Poker hands, you may want to consider this variant. The fact that you have a total of ten cards to draw from, makes building strong hands much easier.