How to play Video Poker (Complete Guide)

This game was introduced in the mid 70’s. At that time it was not plausible to accept this game completely. They were also known as “Poker Slots” as like slot machine they do not require a dealer to make the bets an all. It is easy to comprehend and is ideal for people who want high payouts, low house edge and there is no one to interfere and take your own time to think.

It is played in front of a screen, the screen acts as a dealer with simple rules. At first, the player has to insert some credit which is generally a paper with some encryption just like credit or debit card. The game begins by pressing the deal button. The screen display 5 cards and it is up to the player which one to chose and discard.  The payout is decided by the pay table.

While gambling, there is always on thing that is always on the player mind “House has more chances of winning” but here the story is different. It is not Roulette. If you will analyze the pay tables and play properly, player has more advantage in contrary.

Payout is decided by the pay tables and it in turn depends on decision of the game operator and game variation. Pay table that have even payout is generally minimum pair of jacks.

The combinations of payouts are almost same as in the live poker table whether it is a series of 5 unlike suits (straight), only 3 of a kind, 2 pair, all cards with same suit (Flush), 3 of a kind and 1 pair (Full House), 4 cards having same suit, Royal Flush (a Queen, an ace, a Jack, a King and a Ten) and five cards having the same suit with consecutive value (Straight Flush).

Video poker does not have that much house advantage as other games and pay good payouts that encourage people to play with a big amount and even more frequently.

Game Regulation

The machine is tested rigorously before it offers its services to public. They are synchronized by the Indian gambling agencies. What they demand from the machines is that they should deal with the implicit deck of cards that must appear random. This rule has been accepted by all the states that have a gambling authority.

People offer these game in a local area that look like a video poker but it is just as they are random drawings. They are also known as VLT (Video Lottery Machine).The outcome of the bet is known in advance as soon as the cards are shown. “Magician” appears if player deliberately leave the wining card. The payout of VLT is not calculated from the pay tables and it would be good to try slots rather than VLT.

Types of Video Poker

The possibilities and the chances are more in video poker than in any other game.

Casino Image Gallery

Slot and video poker are different when it comes to apply your skill. Playing slot is trying your luck; it does not require a skill. There are 52 card in a deck and 53 if they let Joker in. The exact outcome is difficult to determine until it reach its final stage but a set of outcome could be known as the game progresses. The video poker machines were offered to the public as a law under Missouri Riverboats as it being a game of skill contrary to the game that depends on luck which is slot machine

If they are dealt with skill you have high probability of winning than any other game. It would pay 99.5 percent in its full version. Machines of Deuces Wild could pay even more than hundred percent.

“Full-Pay” is the uppermost variant that was known when the video poker games were invented while “Short-Pay” is the lowermost variant. Both the terms are still common in modern games but there are even more variants that have better payback. The payback is calculated from the long term predictable value from the original amount of players bet.

Payback percentage of 99% means that the player would likely to lose only $1 for a bet of $100 in he had played every hand in the most favorable way. Undoubtedly, a payback of more than 99% or if I go more accurate 99.54% is offered by Jacks or Better.

It is up to the player to pick up the schedule that is more likely to offer attractive payback rather than casinos advertising about them.

If you take a bet Royal Flush where all the five coins are bet it would give a proportional payback as there are 5 credits used. Players sticking themselves with the little credits at a time are unlikely to receive high paybacks.

Why do they Offer a Game like this?

You might be wondering while casinos offer game that are possible for people to beat. Only a few people know how to apply proper strategies and beat the system. There is always some mistake a person do and as soon as it known the person has skills casinos offer low payout than expected.

When it comes to offer a low or high payouts casinos are always in dilemma. If they offer low payout, it could drive away the players who do not know to play properly and are likely to pay to pay the house or offer a high payout and let the skilled one to make its fortune. When casinos have too much crowd they offer lower payouts as the machines will be played no matter what.

Now days the popularity of video poker is at its zenith, players become more experienced and they know this machine is a game of skill not a chance. That is why the demand of this game is becoming even stronger.

In a survey it has been found that more than fifty percent space is for video poker and there are even video poker bars in Nevada that offers more other options of gambling too. Tourists are less attracted to these machines; it is always the players that have some experience in it want to try it more.

There are two main companies that produce video poker machines that are IGT and Bally’s. IGT came into the market in early 1980’s and become the only potential competitor of Bally’s. Now days both these companies acquire the market and occupy almost all the space available for video poker machines.

You definitely want to learn the poker terminologies and poker strategies and you have found the right place to do that. Now, I will discuss about them in detail.

1. Royal flush:

All the five card are of the same suit i.e. diamond, heart, spade or club but are different. They are  king, ace, queen, 10 and a jack.

2. Straight flush:

All the 5 cards are consecutive of the same suit. For, example 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are of hearts.

3. Four of a kind:

From the name it is clear that they 4 cards out of 5 are of same rank.

Four cards of the same rank; for example, ace of hearts, ace of spades, ace of clubs, and ace of diamonds.

4. Full house

2 cards of same rank and the rest three of different rank, for example two cards of club (with same denomination) and the rest three are of spade (with same denomination).

5. Flush

2, 4, 6, 7, 9 are of hearts i.e. of same suit with different face value.

6. Straight

All the five cards are consecutive with mixed suit. For example, 5 of club, 6 of diamond, 7 of spade, 8 of heart and 9 of spade.

7. Three of a kind

3 cards have the same face value but are of different suits. For example, 7 of spade, 7 of diamond, 7 of heart.

8. Two Pairs

There are two pairs and both the pair are of different suit. For, example there is a pair of no.9. One 9 is of spades and the other one is of heart. The pair has the same face value but are of different suits.

9. Pair of jacks or better:

Two aces, jacks, etc.