Video Poker was one of the first casino games to find its way into the digital world. Dating back to the 1970’s, video poker was introduced to casinos on the famous Las Vegas strip. Video Poker is an extension of five card draw. Players are dealt five cards and given the option whether to draw anywhere up to five more to improve their hand. Play free online poker video games to begin with and then move up to real money once you're comfortable!
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There are many different versions of Video Poker including “Deuces Wild”, “Multi-Play Poker”, “Jacks or Better”, and many other variations. All of these games have slightly different rules and pay out odds. For simplicity, the easiest and most popular game is Jacks or Better. In Jacks or Better players are dealt one five card hand and just as its name suggests, must make a pair of Jacks (or a better hand) after their draw. Below is a picture of a standard jacks or better game found on Party Gaming.
Once players are initially dealt their five card hand, they will choose which cards to hold and which to discard. Once new cards are dealt, the players hand will be finalized and pay outs will be awarded according to the strength of their hand. Below is a standard pay out chart for Jacks or Better:
Looking at the chart the only difference between betting one credit and five credits is the pay out on a Royal Flush. Most amateurs make the mistake of playing a $5 machine betting one credit instead of a $1 machine betting 5 credits. If all else is equal, when you are fortunate enough to hit the royal flush you will make a lot more betting 5 credits at the $1 machine.
Other simple strategy involves what cards to draw after the first deal. Typically the better the pay out, the more likely you should chase your draw. If you are dealt 4 spades and one heart with a small pair, your best bet will be to chase the flush and discard the heart. Those who have played poker for some time will recognize simple math situations and should be able to act accordingly. You will have a 1 in 5 chance to draw to a flush, slightly worse for a straight. This means if you are dealt a high pair with four to a flush, it can be profitable to draw to the flush, but it would not be so to draw to the straight. In that case you should definitely hold the high pair (guaranteeing a pay out) and draw to two pair, three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind. In fact, it is normally more correct to hold your high pair than draw to a flush, because even though both actions will show a profit, over the long run holding the high pair will pay off more.
Even the most perfect strategy will not guarantee profits. In fact, as with most casino games, the house does have the edge. However Video Poker carries one of the smallest edges (player can get up to a 99.6% return) out of all casino games. Be sure to follow a simple strategy and always be responsible with your gaming.
