The Top Guide to Online Video Poker for 2023

Like all good things video poker all has its roots in the European Kingdom, from where the beloved entertainment that we all know as poker came into existence. The outbreak of technology introduced casinos to the world of computers and from there the old mixed with the new and the rest as they say is history.

The man behind this radical concept was one strong spirited man named Si Redd, an employee of Bally Technologies in the mid 1970s. Initially, his idea was swiftly discarded by the officials of his company. But that was not going stop him, determined and resolute he was ultimately successful in establishing his own company by the name of Sircoma. Fast forward forty years and that little startup has transformed into a two billion dollar company called International Game Technology (IGT).

Patience was the key for Redd as success did not come to him instantly; he had to wait for almost a full decade before his concept entered the main stream entertainment line of Las Vegas. It took a while for people to get used to the idea of this new technology, but once the MTV age started, there was no stopping Video Poker.

The game was designed for the ‘Draw’ version of Poker. In this edition the simplest draw or hand a player can have is a two-pair. However in the beginning, a different variant of the game called Jacks or Better was followed far more than the Draw version. In this version the player is allowed five cards and to win a player has to have either two jacks or better than that. Till to this date, Jacks or Better is the most played version of Poker.

Video Poker was able to achieve its status as a permanent game in casinos, solely due to the popularity and outreach of the Internet. The recognition of the game is now not just restricted to casinos, it has now become a worldwide phenomenon. 

The language or jargons in the computer game are a combination of some newly developed terms and some old classics. We can obviously imagine that it is due to the fusion of two very different influences in its history.

Action: Overall sum of money betted by in specific round by a single player.

Bet Max: Highest wager in a specific game. General for one hand this is kept at five.

Discard: The cards which a player doesn’t want after the opening deal.

Flush:  A hand in which all five cards belong to an identical suit.

Four of a Kind:  A hand in which four cards have the same worth.

Full House: A hand which has one pair and three cards from the same suit

Hand: The set of 5 cards that the machine dispenses to the player.

Hold: Those cards which a player wants to keep hold of.

Jackpot: Highest bonus achievable generally given when a player gets a royal flush.

Pair: Two identical worth cards, i.e. two Queens or two 2s.

Pay Back:  It is the projected payout share in a game, which is calculated from a vast data of statistics of hands dealt.

Payout: The actual sum remunerated to the player in a single hand.

Pay Table: A table displaying a listing of all possible payouts for every situation.

Royal Flush: This is the top achievable hand in Video Poker. It consists of a flush which has a value of Ace and higher.

Straight:  A hand in which the numbers follow a series, for instance 2-6.

Straight Flush: A hand in which the numbers follow a series and also belong to an identical suit.

Winning Hand: The hand which corresponds to the winning permutation.

Even though the game is an embodiment of two very different eras, yet the theme of the game is essentially the same and is simple in contrast to other versions of the game. Every version of this game is played with a standard deck of fifty two cards. The only exception to the rule is the version called Joker Wild, and as the name suggest, this version is played by adding jokers in to the mix as well. The game starts by placing a bet and hitting the “deal” button. At this point, the player is dealt with five cards and he has the option to choose which cards to discard and which ones to hold. After this selection is complete, the player now has what is called the final hand and his chances of winning and losing now depends on this hand.

In Video Poker the payout arrangement is the same for all versions of the game, however the payout amount can change in different versions. Generally the categorization is as follows: the top rated hand is the Royal Flush, next comes the straight flush followed by the mid tier of four of a kind, full house, Flush & straight. The last tier is of three of a kind, two pair & lastly one pair of jacks or better,

Video Poker is popular because of the payouts people can make with it. The game has no house advantage and the payouts can be as big as 99.5%. One common ruling is applicable to all versions of the game; the outcome can only be a loss or a win.

The game of Video Poker is very simple, which you can see looking at the rules mentioned. The big decision that a player need to make is which cards to discard and which ones to hold or keep. This tactic works really well for Jacks and Better; however it can be used in other versions as well.

Straight Flush: This hand is very unique, try keeping a photograph of it. In case of a straight flush holding all the cards can quickly turn your fortunes via the progressive jackpot of Royal Flush.

Four of a Kind: This is the 2^nd best combination. No room for improvement

Full House: This is the 3^rd best combination. No room for improvement.

Flush: No room for improvement.

Straight: No room for improvement.

Three of a Kind: Discard all cards except the three of a kind.

Two Pairs: You can get a full house by discarding the additional card and holding the two pairs.

Jacks or Better: Discard all cards except the pair.

If you lose the opening hand than be sure to discard every card except for the King, Queen, Ace or Jacks.

Mentioned here are some useful tactics that can help you to develop as a player of Video Poker:

• It is advisable to play actual Poker to have a better understanding of combinations and how they are effectively used. Playing Video poker in opposition to the machine will become much easier this way.
• A table displays a list of all possible payouts for every situation; an excellent pay table should have a high payout ratio. Before starting any new game, be sure to check out this table
• If you win the first hand, be sure not to discard all your cards. Discard the cards that will not guarantee a win and keep cards which can be used to augment your position such as a pair of jacks.
• Whenever you see a jackpot for royal flush, always remember to play five coins or the Max Bet to become eligible for the jackpot; otherwise, you will be excluded from the jackpot
• Decision making is enhanced when the mind is at ease. Be sure to keep yourself calm and collected at all times.
• Each hand is a new beginning; there is no point in relying on past laurels or sniveling on failures. After every new hand the previous one is now pointless.