Video Poker is a draw poker in slot machine form. Players Hold or Discard from five cards showing and get a second deal, or stand with a pat hand. It has become the most popular game of chance among casino players in the U.S. Eighty percent of respondents to a recent survey in Las Vegas said they played video poker.
There are important differences between Video Poker and Table Poker worth noting as follows:
Since its introduction in the early 1980's, Video Poker has grown into one of the casino's most popular games. Unlike regular Poker, which is played against other players at a poker table, Video Poker is played individually on a machine that uses video technology to create a Poker hand.
Based on classic Five Card Stud, Video Poker challenges players to build the best possible five-card hand. The player is dealt five cards and has the option of discarding any or all of the cards. New cards are dealt to replace the discards.
Payoffs are based on a scale, paying players for hands as low as a pair of tens or Jacks all the way up to a Royal Flush. Like slot machines, Video Poker machines are available in many denominations, with 25c and $1 machines being the most popular. Many casinos also offer progressive payoffs or bonuses for Royal Flushes or other special hands. Video Poker provides variety too, with versions ranging from 'Jacks or Better' to 'Deuces Wild' and 'Jokers Wild'.
The ranking of hands starting from the highest are as follows:
Five of a Kind is only possible when using a Joker or Wild Cards and is the highest possible hand.
Note: Las Vegas regulations require that the outcome of any hand in Video Poker not be affected by the number of coins played. If you get a good hand with one coin bet, you would have been dealt the same hand with two or more coins.
House advantage 3% average
Video Poker tips
In Jacks or better, a pair of Jacks or better pays even money. Hold on to the two off-suited face cards for the best chance of a winner.
Make sure all the cards you want to hold are held before pushing the draw button. If you hit too fast or not hard enough, the machine might not register your request.
Never keep a 'Kicker' - a high card with a pair.
Decide on a strategy and stick with it. Decide whether you are going for a big money Royal Flush, with the biggest payback but the worst odds. Or, if you want to play a long time, for the easier odds with frequent paybacks. In the first instance, on the first 5-card deal break a pair if you have a chance for a Royal Flush. In the second instance, always keep a pair.