Introduction to Video Poker

Video Poker began popping up in casinos, bars, gas stations, and anywhere someone could play a few solo hands of poker in the 70s. Even hand-held games that you could play at home became popular, of course, there was no monetary risk with these homes games. As with most popular casino games, the draw is the simplicity and low house edge. Video poker is one of the few games that, with the right paytable and perfect play, can have a player edge.

The Basics

Video poker is a simple 5 card draw style poker game. After wagering, the player is dealt 5 cards and has the option to hold any number of them. The cards that are not held are replaced and the hand is over. The majority of video poker games have a paytable somewhere on the screen that includes the winning poker hands for the machine. Most machines are not just standard poker, including alternate rules or wilds. Some of the most popular styles are:

• Jacks or Better
• Deuces Wild
• Bonus Poker
• Double Bonus Poker
• Loose Deuces Wild
• Double Double Bonus Poker
• Triple Bonus
• Pick’em Poker
• Jokers Wild
• Ace$ Bonus Poker

This list is in no way exhaustive. There are dozens of video poker styles, any of which have decent RTP (return-to-player) and some even crossing the 100% mark.

Betting

Betting in video poker is as simple as playing. The player chooses a value for coins and then wagers a number of coins on each hand. The hand is dealt and the player holds wanted cards, discarding the remaining. The discarded cards are replaced and the player is paid out according to the paytable for the specific machine.

The simplicity and availability of video poker in land-based and online casinos make it one of the most accessible games.

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