From Lush Casinos to Online Environments - Learning How to Play Video Poker

When you first walk into a plush casino, one of the things that will instantly draw your attention is the slot machine. These traditional gambling machines make up about 70% of a casino's income. When you combine the appeal of the traditional slot machine with the modernity of computerized games, video poker is what you will get.

Based from the casino game five-card draw poker, the game is played on a console similar to a slot machine - only it is computerized. From the 1980s onwards, it has grown in popularity and has now even extended in scope as an online game.

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Video Poker: The Basics of the Game

To have more of an idea about what it is all about, let us learn about the gaming basics. Unlike with slot machines where you simply need to wait for a row of identical icons to show up, this poker game requires you to use your card playing skills in a slot-machine-like environment.

Before delving deeper into the details of how to play it, what exactly are the benefits of playing the game? Aside from allowing you to practice your skills in poker, your chances of winning are also increased because the edge of the house is much lower as compared to slots. Also, there are no other players who can intimidate, dictate or influence the way that you are playing the game. It's just you and your poker game skills.

Now, there are a few variations of video poker that you can play. Take your pick from playing the game using the standard 52-card deck; or a 52-card deck with additional wild cards. Since all the variations of video poker are based on the traditional poker hand ranking principles, it is a good idea to sharpen your skills at this card game first.

Video Poker Rules & Tips

When playing video poker, start by choosing the coin value and decide on the number of coins that you would like to place as bet. Click on 'Deal' and five cards will appear on your screen. At this point, you have the option to discard some of the cards or all of the cards and replace them with new ones.

Whether you lose or win will be determined by the outcome of the second draw. The video poker machine will display its payout table and the minimum hand qualified for a payout depends on the individual gambling machine.

So what are some of the tips that you need to keep in mind when playing video poker? If it is your first time to try the game out, make sure that you have a basic knowledge of poker as a game. Choose the machine which offers the highest return; hold on to a pair instead of keeping a high card; and you can even practice the play money mode before betting real money.