Video Poker
Casino Games – Video Poker
If you love slots and if you love poker, why don’t you try playing their love child: the video poker? Video poker is a game played on a console that’s not unlike a slots machine. It’s based one of the most popular variations of poker, the five-card draw poker. Basically, what this game offers is a slightly more challenging version of slots, with better interactive qualities and better chances at winning.
History of Video Poker
Video Poker is currently one of the most popular games today and is a fixture in most online and land based casinos. It seems like a relatively new game, but in reality, it’s not. Video Poker has been around since the mid 1970’s. The first video poker machines were quite primitive, with poor graphics and horrendous sound effects. Still, this was to be expected as the technology combining processors with monitors had only just become affordable and potentially profitable for casinos. In 1979, one company called SIRCOMA, today’s International Game Technology, developed Draw Poker. Draw Poker greatly popularized video poker. And throughout the 80’s, the game enjoyed a boost in popularity. One reason for its success was that, since they were playing with computers rather than real people, video poker was seen as far less intimidating. And even now, many people still patronize this game. It is worth of note, though, to mention that those who play video poker are usually the Las Vegas locals and that this game is more popular in the local casinos in Vegas instead of the big, tourist-oriented ones in Vegas Strip. This might be because the local casinos actually offer better rates than the ones on the strip and their machines have a lower denomination that makes them more affordable and more enjoyable.
How to Play Video Poker
Video Poker is very easy to play. First and foremost, you will be prompted to insert a coin. Or, in newer machines, you’ll only have to insert a strip of paper that contains information about your available credit. Once the paying part is done, you’ll have to press the deal button. The actual game starts with the player being given 5 random cards. You can choose between being given five cards upfront or being given the cards one by one. It’s up to you, really. But it truly won’t make much of a difference because each machine is checked before they’re sent out for public use. You hold all the ones that you think will give you a good payout, then press deal again – each press will cost you money, by the way. The ones you did not hold will be replaced with new random cards from the deck. When you’re done and satisfied with your hand, just press the collect button and you will be done with that session. Whatever card combination you got afterwards will be tallied with the payout table and you will get the corresponding amount of winnings. The card combinations, as you probably surmised, are based on poker. The lowest card combination that has a payout usually is a pair of Jacks. Then, of course, other poker hands follow, such as the straight, flushes, full house, four of a kind, and straight flush. The jackpot, which is progressive in certain machines and casinos, can be acquired by getting a royal flush. Bonuses are also given for certain rare hands in some machines so watch out for those.
Don’t worry about learning the different combinations for video poker. Usually, poker players will easily understand which hands are good and which ones aren’t. Video poker is a pretty straightforward game, so don’t worry too much about the hands. There’s even a pay table available so you can always check which hands have the highest payout. However, video poker differs from a typical poker game in that you can’t really bluff, raise, or call the your opponent, which is just the computer.
Types of Video Poker
Aside from the typical five-card draw, different variations of video poker have cropped up. One of the most popular ones is the Deuces Wild. In this game, the “2” acts as a wild card. The jackpot is paid out if the player gets four 2’s or deuces. Another variant of video poker is the Pay Schedule Modification. Here, four aces and one low level playing card, from 2 to 5, would win you a multiplier. Other popular variations include Jacks or Better, Jokers Wild, Tens or Better, Five Wilds, Double Deuces Wild, and Double Bonus. There are many more variations of video poker, made possible by the game’s flexible nature.
Tips and Strategies for Video Poker
As mentioned, video poker is a game of luck, much like slots. However, unlike slots, the odds of winning are actually much higher. In fact, if you play at the right video poker machine for a sufficient number of times, the rules of probability dictate that you will always get more money than you’ve invested. The payouts for video poker are huge, making it one of the most profitable machines available today. Note, though, that a lot depends on choosing the right machine. So, look around first before you choose the one where you’re going to visit regularly.
Another tip on video poker would be to think long-term instead of short-term. Video poker differs from slots in that there are no one-hit wonders. Just do the math and you’ll know exactly what this means. The ultimate object of the game is to get the royal flush, right? Well, odds say that this combination will come out eventually, and you need it to come out if you want to get a great profit. So be prepared to spend lots of time in a video poker machine. Also, prepare your bankroll. It will all be worth it, but you’ll need enough money.
Finally, never rely on luck. Always – always – use strategy when deciding on your hands. This isn’t a slots game where you’ll just pull the lever and hope for the best. In video poker, you’ll have to use your head. Use it always, and you’re certain to win.