Video Poker Guide

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List of Top Video Poker Online Casinos
Introduction to Video Poker
History of Video Poker
Rules for Video Poker
General Strategy

Introduction to Video Poker

Some say that video poker is not real poker but in reality this game is as real as it gets. It is true that you won’t reason like in a regular poker game with many players but video poker is just as challenging and exciting as your regular poker round. If you like to take your time and play against the computer only you will love video poker. You don’t have to worry about what other people hold on their hand but simply focus on the 5 cards you are dealt and what to do with them. Read on and learn more about video poker and how to play it.

History of Video Poker

Video poker machines look very much like slots and the beginning of the history of video poker starts with the slots machine being invented. The very first video poker machines were more like slots with the reels and card symbols that spun around to form a hand of 5 cards. If the player won he’d get a drink or cigarettes and there were no million jackpot prizes like today. In 1970 the first Poker Matic machines were introduced in casinos and they are seen as the first real video poker games. They didn’t become a huge hit but it wouldn’t take many more years for people to start changing their minds regarding video poker.

When the Draw Poker games came around in 1979 they managed to give slots a push as well. The new technology allowed for games that didn’t rely on the spinning wheels theme which gave the video games a fresh new look and feel. Since then the technology of the video poker games has only been improved and with high speed internet poker lovers from all over the world are playing video poker daily in online casinos.

Rules for Video Poker

In video poker you want to make a winning hand with 5 cards. Your 5 starting cards are random and decided by the machine. Once you get your 5 cards you need to decide which type of hand you want to aim for. The game uses standard poker hand ranking so it is always wise to learn the different possible hands well before you start the game. You can win with all the hands that are listed as winners on the machine but the hardest ones to get will also pay more. You will also influence the end result with how many moves you make to get there.

To determine how much money you will win the video poker machine subtracts from the final winning sum by each draw you make. You might decide to go for a pair or a triple and if you make that in one draw this will be subtracted from the prize for a pair or a triple. There are also video poker games with jokers or wilds. The wild cards can be used as any card and give you a better chance to form a winning hand. There are also video poker games with progressive jackpots. To win a progressive jackpot in video poker you need to get the hardest hand and usually without many moves, if any. There might also be an additional fee to pay to be in the draw of the additional jackpot.

General Strategy

Strategy for video poker is found in plenty online but there are a few basic tips that can make your games smoother and more successful. The very first thing you need to do to win in video poker is to learn the hand rankings and also the rules for the version of the game that you want to play. IN the beginning you can play free video poker to get used to the way of thinking. Don’t confuse video poker with regular poker. For sure, the basic elements are the same but strategy for video poker differs a lot from the one you would use in regular games.

In video poker it is you against the machine. You don’t need to read poker faces and bets of other players. This frees up your mind and focus to look closer at the cards you have and the possible combinations. Don’t stress! Unless you are playing video poker in a bar, no one is waiting to get the video poker machine after you. You should also stick to one strategy at a time and only advance once you feel that you understand it and know how to draw the conclusions of your games. The more you play the smarter you get so be prepared to lose a little bit of money during your first sessions of video poker and then win them back as you advance your game and strategies.