Video Poker Guide

Video Poker is a game based on a five card poker draw game. It was created when the operators of casinos stumbled upon the simplicity of using a monitor for a game in conjunction with a computer. This was around the middle part of the 70s when the first personal computers came out. People immediately liked the concept of video poker, and it quickly became a big hit among casino patrons.

A winning Jacks or Better hand: two pair of sevens and threes
A winning Jacks or Better hand: two pair of sevens and threes

How to Play Video Poker

The concept of the Video Poker game is similar to playing real poker games except that the wagers are relatively smaller than the real poker games. The player puts in a coin or a token and presses a button to initiate the deal. Just like a real poker game, the player is allowed to either keep or discard some of his cards. A new card may be dealt by the electronic banker in exchange for the discarded cards to make up a five-card deal. If the player completes a winning hans, his winnings are available to keep immediately or he may choose to attempt to "double up".

Doubling up a winning hand

An enormously popular feature that is available in almost all video poker games is the double up option. After you make a winning hand you have the opportunity to put your wager and winnings on the line in order to double them. Interestingly the double up game is a true 50:50 shot with the casino having no edge over the player. In most cases you play a simple game of picking whether the next card dealt is either red or black. Some games even allow you to "quadruple up" by picking the suit of the next card instead of the colour. Consecutive double ups are usually limited to a maximum of five correct picks in a row.

Five successful double ups
A sequence of five successful double ups in a row

Variations of Video Poker

As of late, there are many variations of the video poker games. There are wild card games wherein some of the cards are considered wild, and you can use them as any card in the game. Getting the proclaimed wild card is a big help in playing poker. Among the more popular versions of video poker are Deuces wild, Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, and Double Bonus.

Online casinos have several versions of Video Poker in their roster of available games. There is little difference between playing real land-based video poker to online video poker. Online, you are still facing a monitor or a screen when you are playing. Much like real poker playing, the highest combination of cards you can achieve is the Royal Flush. When players get this they are assured of the maximum win in a video poker game.

The same with other casino games, video poker is a game of chance and luck. You may be just starting when you win big time or you may have been playing for several hours already but still is on a losing streak. It is best to take a break from playing if you are constantly on a losing streak. This will give you a respite from the monitor as this can strain the eyes.