Video poker is a favourite game of millions of players and is hugely popular in both land-based and online casinos. The game is not difficult to comprehend and is preferred by many because of its dynamics and low house edge. If you have ever played slots, you will undoubtedly notice a similarity between this game and video poker, as the latter resembles arcade gaming to a great extent. Unlike slots, however, video poker is not entirely based on chance since players are able to profit by incorporating certain strategies into their gameplay. It is precisely this element of decision-making that renders video poker a more exciting game to play.
Those who have previous experience at the regular poker tables will find it even easier to play, since the game is based on the standard five-card draw variation of poker. What further increases the appeal of this enticing game is the possibility of collecting large payouts, as well as the anonymity it offers, which makes it the perfect option for those who prefer to play alone. Since video poker combines both luck and skill, its popularity continues to increase, with hundreds of brick-and-mortar and web-based casinos offering exhaustive collections of the game’s variations.
Where Video Poker Originated
Before we proceed with explaining the basic principle of play in video poker, we would like to say a few words about when, where and how the game first emerged. You may be surprised to learn that the origins of video poker can be traced back to the end of the 19th century. What is not surprising, though, is the fact that video poker and slots are closely related, since the two are based roughly on the same principle.
The prototype of all video poker machines was first introduced in 1891 by the Sittman and Pitt Company of Brooklyn and consisted of five drums containing standard playing cards. When players inserted a coin and pulled the lever, the five drums would rotate and eventually pay out if a valid poker hand was formed.
At the turn of the 20th century, the father of the slot machine, Charles Fey, created the first-ever video poker machine, which was capable of automatically awarding monetary prizes to the players who succeeded in forming the highest-ranking hand, the Royal Flush. Fey was also the person to introduce the first machine to feature the Hold functionality – a feature all video poker machines share today, allowing players to choose which cards to keep and which ones to discard in an attempt to improve their hand.
This was followed by the addition of the Draw feature, which introduced a certain degree of skill to the game, and video poker quickly took off, with machines being available in the majority of liquor stores and smoke shops throughout the United States. The interesting thing about the early machines was that they did not contain the entire deck of 52 cards, since the Jack of hearts and the Ten of spades were removed – something many players had no idea about. This is important because the removal of these two cards, in particular, decreases the probability of forming a Royal Flush by about 50%.
The game continued to evolve throughout the years and the first-ever electronic video poker machine made its entry into the market in the 1970s. This was followed by the installation of hundreds of video poker machines on casino floors all over Las Vegas in the 1980s. What further gave the game’s popularity a massive boost was changing the lowest-ranking hand from Two Pair to a pair of Jacks or Better.
Today, video poker is one of the most widely played casino games in the world, with many different variations available online and in land-based gambling venues. Some of the best-known variants include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Aces and Faces, Tens or Better, and Double Bonus Poker, among others.
Video Poker Machines and Their Layout
The great thing about video poker is that one does not necessarily have to be a genius to gain a proper understanding of how the game works. The online variations are played in exactly the same way and feature roughly the same components as the machines in land-based venues.
The base-game screen features all the information players need. Half of the screen is occupied by the payout table, which consists of a list containing all qualifying winning hands. These are typically enumerated in descending order, starting with the highest-ranking hands. Next to each qualifying hand, players will be able to see the respective payouts for winning bets of one, two, three, four or five coins. The five cards dealt per hand are usually positioned directly below the paytable.
The gaming controls are quite easy to grasp. Players can bet a single coin with one click of the Bet One button. It is also possible to wager the maximum number of coins, which is five, by clicking on the Bet Max button. The coin denomination can be adjusted, usually by clicking the “-” and “+” buttons. The most widespread denominations you can use include 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00. The coin values may differ depending on the game’s software developer but, generally, the maximum denomination available is set to 1.00 credit. The function of the Deal button is self-explanatory. Some video poker variants offer the Double Up functionality, enabling players who have formed a winning hand to double or even triple their profits.
It is important to mention that, similarly to slots in both land-based and online casinos, the outcome of video poker is governed by programmes (or computer chips in brick-and-mortar venues) called Random Number Generators, or RNGs. The RNG produces a series of numbers, usually quite long, which represent each of the 52 cards in the virtual deck (or 53 cards in variants such as Joker Poker). The RNG ensures the fairness and randomness of the game and continues to produce these long sequences of numbers until a player eventually clicks on the Deal button.
When this happens, the RNG automatically deals five cards at random. This piece of software produces hundreds of outcomes per second, even while no one is there to play the video poker game. It is impossible to predict what hand you will be dealt, since the RNG has billions of outcomes for any set of cards. With around 16 quintillion possible outcomes in most video poker variants, players can rest assured the games are just as random as if the cards had been dealt from a well-shuffled deck.
One essential thing players need to remember is that the results are ultimately decided by the RNG and are not dependent on extraneous factors such as previous outcomes, the number of coins wagered or their denomination.
How Video Poker Is Played
Less-seasoned players will be astonished at how simple it is to play video poker. The game is based on five-card draw poker and Jacks or Better is the basis of most online variations you may play. The objective is to form the highest-ranking qualifying hand listed in the paytable. The majority of video poker variants utilise a standard deck containing 52 cards. The only exceptions are the Joker Wild variants, in which the Joker serves as a replacement for other cards and thus enables players to improve their hand.
In many instances, the lowest-ranking hand is a pair of jacks or higher, such as queens, kings or aces, but, of course, it all depends on which video poker variant you have chosen. In stark contrast to regular poker, there is no dealer’s hand and players are not competing against each other.
Video poker enables players to bet anywhere between one and five coins per hand. Once you have selected the coin value and the number of coins you wish to wager, you need to hit the Deal button, after which you will be dealt five random cards. When you evaluate the strength of your hand, you can choose which cards to hold and which to discard. Then you need to click the Deal button again so that the discarded cards are randomly replaced with new ones from the remaining deck.
Once your cards are replaced, the game will pay you on winning hands according to the paytable. In many cases, the ranking of the hands coincides with that in standard casino poker, with players being able to form a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Three of a Kind and Two Pair. Make sure you familiarise yourself with these rankings before you proceed to make any real-money bets on video poker.
Some online variants of the game, such as those created by the popular developers Betsoft and Playtech, enable players to double their profits on winning hands. To do so, players need to select an additional card which is higher than that of the virtual “dealer”. Those who draw a higher card will have their winnings doubled or even tripled.
Video Poker Cards
Multi-Hand Video Poker
Video Poker Payout
Progressive Video Poker
Video Poker Mistakes
Reading the Video Poker Paytable
One of the biggest advantages of playing video poker stems from the fact that you will not have to struggle to evaluate your final hand, as the game will automatically do it for you. The paytable is, in fact, the most important feature of the entire game because it indicates the profits players collect on winning hands. Strangely enough, a great number of players overlook its importance.
As soon as the game loads, you will notice the paytable positioned in the upper section of the screen. Normally, it is divided into six columns, and the first one is where the winning hands are listed, starting from the highest-ranking hand. The remaining five columns list the credits you can win for each hand, depending on the number of coins you have bet. Thus, if you bet three coins of a 0.10 denomination and form a Flush, for instance, and the paytable reads 12 credits for a three-coin bet, you will receive a total of $3.60, or the equivalent in your preferred currency.
You may notice there is a vast difference in the payouts for a Royal Flush when the player has bet four or five credits. In many variants of the game, a Royal Flush pays out 1,000 credits for four-coin bets, while winners receive 4,000 credits for this hand if they have bet five coins. This usually serves as an incentive for players to bet the maximum number of credits allowed in a given game.
Players who are new to video poker should learn to recognise the so-called “full-pay” games, because even minute reductions in the payback influence the overall chances of walking away with a profit. Gambling operators are rather smart in this respect, as sometimes they manage to “disguise” the reduction with an overall drop in payouts for lower-ranking hands, which have a higher probability of winning, while boosting the payouts of higher-ranking hands, which occur only on rare occasions. Bear in mind that the probability of hitting a Royal Flush is minuscule at 0.000154%. Meanwhile, if you play a video poker game where the Royal Flush pays out 4,700 credits for five-coin bets instead of 4,000, this will improve your overall payback by only 0.35%. That is why you should always check the payouts on lower-ranking hands as well.
| Jacks or Better Paytable | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coins | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full House | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
How to Recognise Full-Pay Variations
As mentioned above, some variants of video poker might have deceptively high payouts for hands that are the most difficult to form. This may lead unseasoned players to the wrong conclusion that these are the so-called “full-pay” games.
The good thing about online video poker games is that most virtual casinos allow you to try them for free before you start wagering real money. This can be very convenient, as it will allow you to check all the available options and pick the one offering the best payouts. There are even several full-pay variants you can find online, which will give you the highest chance of landing lucrative payouts.
Since there are different variations of video poker, the full-pay version of each of them will look different. That being said, you are advised to stick to the basic variations of video poker if you wish to improve your advantage over the house. If you have mastered the optimal strategy for a certain video poker game, you are also advised to look for the best possible payouts.
Let us say you wish to play Jacks or Better, you have learned the right strategy and you want to find the full-pay variant of the game. The two most important hands for this variation, and also for many others, are Full House and Flush. If you see that a Full House pays 9 to 1 and a Flush guarantees a payout of 6 to 1, then this is the full-pay version of Jacks or Better.
Also known as 9/6 Jacks or Better, this variation will give you the biggest advantage over the house and will hopefully allow you to land bigger wins. That being said, there are many 8/5 or even worse versions of the game online, so you should be careful when choosing the Jacks or Better variant to play.
If you have mastered the strategy for Joker Wild, then you can expect the best results when you play its full-pay version. This would mean that Full House should pay 7 to 1, while the payout for Flush must be 5 to 1. If you succeed in finding a 7/5 version of Joker Wild, you will be able to tilt the scales in your favour.
Another full-pay video poker game you can enjoy is 10/7 Double Bonus. This version should offer a payout of 10 to 1 for Full House and 7 to 1 for Flush. If you come across such an option and use the right strategy, you have the chance to gain the advantage over the house. This will raise the RTP to 100.2%, allowing you better outcomes in the long run.
How Video Poker Differs from Standard Poker
While most of the hand rankings in video poker and standard poker coincide, there are many aspects in which the two games differ. The biggest difference between the two is that video poker players are competing neither against each other nor against a dealer. The starting hand you are dealt depends entirely on the game’s Random Number Generator.
While video poker calls for some decision-making, it is important to mention the level of skill required in this game is much smaller than that in regular poker. A basic knowledge of the game will suffice in order to play video poker recreationally. In comparison, standard poker calls for nurturing a set of skills such as an understanding of probability and poker combinatorics, emotional control, attention to detail, as well as the ability to vary one’s play and to pick up tells from opponents. Standard poker requires a good amount of time and patience, which is not the case with its RNG cousin. The psychological factor is also removed from video poker.
Another difference is how winners are actually paid out. As becomes evident, the payouts in video poker are predetermined, fixed and listed in the game’s paytable. This is not the case in cash games and tournaments, where players contribute to the pot. Also, in standard poker there are several betting rounds, while in video poker there is only one decision to make – namely, which cards to hold – and after the draw you either get paid or lose.
The good thing about video poker is that there is no way for someone to prevail over you if you have a lower-ranking hand, for instance Two Pair. Since no other players are involved in the game, no one can beat your Two Pair with a Flush, for example. Furthermore, the “size” of the hands, for lack of a better word, is completely irrelevant in video poker, since the worth of a nine-high Flush is precisely the same as that of a seven-high Flush.
The bottom line is that, in both video poker and standard poker, the players who devote time to mastering the game and carefully study its peculiarities ultimately fare better than those who are poorly prepared. Such is the case with most things in life, and poker is hardly an exception.
Differences Between Online Video Poker and Land-Based Video Poker
Online video poker games rely on RNG software to determine the outcome of every game. What is more, the decisions that players make will also affect the final result, which is why every move is important.
When you play video poker at land-based gambling facilities, however, there is the possibility of coming across VLT machines (Video Lottery Terminals). These may look like regular video poker games, but the way the outcome of every game is determined will differ. Very similar to a lottery ticket, a VLT machine will allow you simply to bet on the hand that will appear on the screen.
The VLT machine has a number of predetermined outcomes that are chosen at random. This means that once you are dealt a hand, your decision will not be able to affect the final result of the game. Although it may look as though you are given a chance actually to discard or hold some cards, the outcome of the game has already been predetermined the moment you start the round.
When compared with its land-based counterpart, the online version of video poker definitely has the upper hand, as there will be no doubt that you are playing an RNG video poker game. This means that, in addition to being random, the game will also allow players to influence the outcome through the decisions they make. This is why most casino fans prefer to play the game online, as they can even utilise the optimal strategy they have mastered.
Another difference between land-based and online video poker is gaming diversity. At land-based facilities, you can find mainly the most popular variations of the game, such as Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. Meanwhile, online casinos offer a plethora of options based on the popular variations, each adding little twists to the rules to make the game more interesting. Progressive video poker games are also commonly seen at interactive casinos, giving players the chance of landing generous jackpots. When you play online you may stumble upon games like Aces and Faces, Double Bonus Poker, Joker Poker, Tens or Better and many more exciting variations.
Not only can online players find plenty of gaming options, but they will also have the chance to browse for the best payouts. Brick-and-mortar casinos tend to bring down the payouts for certain hands, giving players lower chances of a fruitful game. Meanwhile, if you search for a while, you can find full-pay variations of video poker. When you combine a full-pay video poker game with the right optimal strategy, you have the opportunity to stack up quite generous winnings.