History Of Video Poker
While many of the other games mentioned in our resources have deep roots in old Europe, Asia, and Africa. Video Poker comes from a much more modern background. The game would not emerge as a favorite pastime among card players and casino goers until game creators could economically marry television sets with solid state CPUs. This possibility did not reveal itself until the mid-1970s in the US. Judging by the technology available today, these first video poker games were laughably primitive. However, they drew in the attention of player’s in huge amounts. IGT introduced their draw poker terminals in 1979, which grew in popularity throughout the 80s thanks to its approachable nature.
How To Play Video Poker
When it comes to digital casino games, Video Poker is right there at the top with slots when it comes to popularity. Players from every walk of life absolutely love Video Poker games for their ease of play, simple and intuitive interfaces, and their potentially very high rewards.
When it comes right down to playing a game of Video Poker, the approach is simple. Let’s say you’ve found a version of the game you want to try. For ease of explanation, let’s use a basic game of Video Poker to explain the progression. Jacks or Better is a very common variation of the game and has all the characteristics you’ll find in more complex varieties of Video Poker.
To begin, you’ll need to ante, or place your buy-in wager to signal you are participating in the game. This amount can range from very conservative to high-roller status. There are games designed to satisfy players with bankrolls of all sizes. After you ante, you can click or press the DEAL button of the games interface and you will be dealt five cards. That is, if you are a playing a single-hand version of Video Poker. Multi-hand versions will play out a bit differently.
Once you have your five cards you can evaluate them for their current strengths and weaknesses. You can discard a few of them, all of them, or none at all. You select the cards you want to keep in your hand by clicking on them if you are playing a desktop version or tapping on their position on your device screen if you are playing a mobile version. There will be a marker, such as HOLD, over the card that indicates your selection.
After your selections are made, you click DEAL again to discard those cards you did not want to keep in exchange for new ones. At this point the game is over and your current hand strength will be ranked according to the poker hand hierarchy. You need at least a pair of jacks to qualify for a payout in this version of the game. The highest paying hand is the Royal Flush, a suited straight flush of playing cards from 10 to Ace.
That’s all there is to it when it comes to playing a game of Jacks or Better Video Poker. You can play another round with ease. Raise or lower your ante according to the betting buttons available on the game’s interface. Then, just click deal for another round of the world’s favorite game of 5-card draw.
Play Free Video Poker
Video Poker is a game with a reputation for ease and accessibility. However, there are still plenty of people out there who are intimidated when it comes to playing online casino games for real money. This can most often be attributed to inexperience, which is easy to remedy. Most casinos will offer several varieties of Video Poker to choose from. Among those offerings, there are generally a few Video Poker games that you can demo or play for fun before you commit to a real money wager on the game. This is the easiest and best way to get acquainted with the game while avoiding risk. Find a casino among our recommendations that offers free Video Poker games and gets targeted building up your confidence today and you’ll be ready to play for real money in no time.
Video Poker Games
There are so many great varieties of Video Poker out there to choose from, we’d have a real challenge containing them all in one place for you to research. Below, we’ve complied a selection of the most popular varieties available at our recommended online casinos. You can find out more information for each by reaching out to us for more info or going directly to the source casinos where they are featured. These games offer exceptional returns for their ease of play and comparatively minimal investment. Get ready to ante up with these games that will be satisfying your poker playing urges for years to come.
Jacks Or Better
Our Video Poker example in when it comes to how to play, Jacks or Better is one of the most common and widely recognized versions of the game. Enjoyed by players of every skill level and background, Jacks or Better will only deliver a payout to players who hold a pair of Jacks or Better when the second round of dealing is completed.
Deuces Wild
Offering significant player advantage, Deuces Wild lives up to its name by providing the added benefit of wild cards to the poker game. This means that any number of 2s held by a player can be used as wild cards to create and even more potent hand. Wilds will automatically be applied to the strongest possible hand to be made out of a player’s cards. In this version of Video Poker, a Royal Flush made with wilds is worth far less than a ‘natural’ Royal Flush.
Bonus Poker
A unique version of Video Poker, Bonus Poker offers players the same easy game to play with a bit of shaking things up in the payout department. The Royal Flush is not the highest paying hand in Bonus Poker, but rather any four of a kind. Lower player advantage leads to higher payouts, too.
Double Bonus Poker
Building on its cousin Video Poker variation, Double Bonus Poker builds on the excitement. All it takes to qualify for a payout is a pair of jacks or better and four of a kind still reign supreme in this version of Video Poker.
Double Double Bonus Poker
As if there wasn’t enough bonus Video Poker, the developers of Bonus Poker and Double Bonus Poker Threw in another Double to bring rewards even higher for players holding four of a kind in certain configurations.
Joker Poker
Just like in Deuces Wild, Joker Poker incorporates a wild card as you play. There are only two jokers, so it’s a bit less likely to land a wild in this version and players need a pair of kings to qualify for a payout in this version of the game.
Progressive Jackpot
Progressive jackpots are all the rage on any online casino game. These games are network-linked, meaning they collect a portion of wagers across a network of casinos offering the same game. Those fractions of player bets go towards the ever-growing jackpot that continues to get bigger and bigger until won. There is no one-specific version of the game
Video Poker is often pass over for the ease and payout potential of slots at both land-based and online casinos, but this game is truly one of the best to play for a casual game that delivers on the payouts you’ve been searching for. It’s not high-excitement and edge of your seat thrills, but the game is one you can come to depend on for consistent entertainment and returns. Sit down for a game, whether you’re new to Video Poker or a seasoned pro and watch your bankroll grow.
That’s all the info you need to start making an informed decision on where to play the best Video Poker games. Learn more about Video Poker using our rules, strategy, and odds resources. When you’re ready, check out our online casino recommendations for the best venues to play and get paid.
