Video poker represents the attractive combination of slot machine and table game, but unlike the slots, playing video poker requires knowledge and skill: Unlike table games, video poker requires no nerves of steel or high stakes gambling. Developed in the 1970s, video poker became more and more popular in online and land based casinos; especially attractive for those who are looking for a little more challenge than the slots, but who are not looking for the stress at the card tables.
Today, there are over 100 different types of video poker, all based on a 5-card hand game. There are no video poker games that offer a multiplayer option; The game is always a single player who competes against the machine. The machine spends 5 cards to the player, as does a croupier or dealer in the correct poker game. The cards are generated and dealt by the random number generator, which can produce 2,598,960 different card hands, which are possible from a 52-card deck; Of course, this number increases when using Jacks or Wild / Joker cards. The player selects the cards from his first card hand that he wants to keep and / or which he wants to discard. To do this, press the "Swap" or "Hold" button under the corresponding card. Once a selection of cards has been selected for replacement, the "Deal" button must be pressed to replace the discarded cards. The replacement cards are dealt and the resulting card hand is scored according to the paytable and any resulting prize is paid or credited.
Video Poker is one of the fastest growing casino games, probably because of its simplicity, but also because the payout odds on some machines are over 100%. It's not just that the percentages are pretty high, but that they're easy to spot. All machines are equipped with an attached paytable, so players can easily and quickly recognize their odds of winning a particular card hand - especially useful to the beginner.
The paytable will vary from machine to machine; that's one of the ways and means the casinos have so they can make money. For this reason, the player should check the machine's paytable before he or she starts playing. It is also important to know that video poker is not always video poker and that the variants of the game can influence the chances and the results for the player. So if you play an unknown variant, it can well be that you can lose your money easily and quickly. There are some video poker variants available in almost all casinos, whether online or at a land based casino; These include Jacks or Better, Joker Poker and Deuces Wild. It is not necessary to learn all the variations from the beginning, but it is advisable to concentrate on a few games and to really master them.
