Ultimate Guide to Video Poker

How to Play Video Poker

The goal of video poker is to make the best possible five-card poker hand. The gameplay follows a simple two-step process:

1. The Deal: After placing your bet (usually 1 to 5 coins), you are dealt five cards.
2. The Draw: You decide which cards you want to keep ("hold") and which you want to discard. The machine replaces your discarded cards with new ones from the deck. Your final five-card hand determines your payout based on the game's pay table.

The History of Video Poker

Video poker's roots go back to the mid-1970s when a company called SIRCOMA (which would later become International Game Technology, IGT) introduced its first electronic Draw Poker machine. While early versions were not an immediate hit, their popularity exploded in the 1980s as players realized that, unlike slot machines, video poker involved an element of skill. Players who made the right decisions could significantly improve their odds, making it a favorite among thinking gamblers.

When did video poker appear at online casinos?

Video poker was one of the very first games to make the jump to the digital world. When the first online casinos began to emerge in the mid-1990s, powered by software from pioneers like Microgaming, video poker was a key part of their initial offerings. Its popularity in land-based casinos and its simple, single-player format made it perfectly suited for the new online environment. Early versions were basic, but they successfully replicated the core skill-based gameplay that players loved, making it a staple of online gaming from the very beginning.

Common Video Poker Variations

There are dozens of video poker variants, but most are based on a few core games.

Jacks or Better

This is the original and most common form of video poker. As the name implies, you need at least a pair of Jacks to get a payout. It has very low volatility and is the best game for learning basic video poker strategy.

Deuces Wild

In this exciting variation, all four "2s" (Deuces) in the deck are wild cards. They can substitute for any other card to create the best possible hand. This leads to more high-ranking hands, but the pay table is adjusted accordingly, usually requiring at least a Three of a Kind to get paid.

Joker Poker

This game is played with a 53-card deck, which includes a single Joker as a wild card. The Joker can help complete straights, flushes, and other powerful hands.

Basic Video Poker Strategy

Unlike slots, your decisions in video poker directly impact the outcome. While perfect strategy requires memorizing a chart for each game variant, you can greatly improve your odds by following some simple rules for Jacks or Better:

• Always hold a paying hand (e.g., a high pair, two pair, three of a kind) unless you have four cards to a Royal Flush.
• Hold any four cards to a Flush or a Straight over a low pair (10s or lower).
• Hold a low pair over a single high card (Jack, Queen, King, Ace).
• If you have nothing, hold any high cards. If you have no high cards, discard everything and draw five new cards.
• Always bet the maximum (5) coins. The payout for a Royal Flush is disproportionately higher when you bet the max coins (usually 4000 coins instead of 1250). If you can't afford to bet 5 coins, you should move to a lower denomination machine.

Modern Video Poker Games

While classic single-hand games remain popular, modern technology has introduced new ways to play. Multi-hand or Power Poker games allow you to play 3, 5, 10, 50, or even 100 hands at once. You are dealt a base hand, you choose which cards to hold, and those held cards are copied to all your other hands. Then, each hand draws from its own separate deck. Many modern versions also include bonus features or progressive jackpots for hitting a sequential Royal Flush.