| |
Video Poker |
| The game of video poker has been around for many years now & has continued to grow in popularity in casinos & gaming establishments. It is really a slot machine version of 5-card draw poker & when it was originally introduced back in the 70's it was referred to as poker slots. What has helped it continue to reach out to new clientele is undoubtedly the growth of casino sites available on the internet where people are able to play the game from the comfort of their own homes. |
| |
Comparison of video poker with slots
As already mentioned, there are many similarities between traditional slot machines & video poker. Both are easy to familiarize yourself with and need to contact with a dealer or other players. |
| Also the combination of cards dealt come from direct use of a random-number-generator, which are also used to govern randomness in slot machines. But there is one significant characteristic which sets it apart from standard slot machines, the influence of player knowledge and skill. So video poker is in fact a game that player decision can affect the game's winning potential. Cards are dealt from a 52-card deck, or in the game of Joker's Wild, 53-cards. Because of the influence of player skill, the known possible frequency and card combinations, it is possible for knowledgeable players to calculate an optimum strategy to enhance winnings. |
| |
| Near the beginning when video poker came on the seen, some casinos operating inside the Missouri riverboats were not allowed under law to allow games of chance and hence slot machines were banned at that time. But interestingly enough, this same law did not apply to video poker machines, which were considered to be a game of skill. Many of the top video poker machines easily carry odds equal to any popular casino table game. This is seen in the potential pay back they offer. Jacks or Better, for instance, will give back 99.5% during a long stint of play using the best strategy. But some machines such as Deuces Wild, will offer more than 100% return over a long period using best possible play. |
| |
| It may come as a surprising fact to some, that casinos do offer some games that can be beaten. The reason is that the majority of players do not know the correct decisions to make during the course of play. These mistakes may lead to a 2-4% lower advantage compared to that expected from skilful players. Casinos have realized that they need to offer machines whose pay-tables are not so low that they drive away weaker player, but by raising the payment opportunities, this has allowed the most proficient of players to gain an advantage. |
| |
Video poker's current popularity
Because poker is a very popular game in the States, many Americans are already very familiar with the winning hands in poker & this has helped the games acceptance. As the market from gambling has grown across the States, with a wiser and more discerning clientele than the past, the requirement for video poker machines has also grown. In the State of Nevada as a point in fact, more than fifty percent of the floor space devoted to slot machines has been allocated to video poker. In other places though, video poker may only take up about 10-20% space. The two main manufacturers of slot & video poker machines are Bally and IGT and it is these two main competitors whose machines takes up the majority of floor space in the US casinos.
Video poker has already become an entertainment sensation and if you're also ready to join this craze you should familiarize yourself with the rules & basic poker hands. |
Poker Hands |
 |
Royal flush: Same suit containing the jack, the queen, the king, the Ace. |
|
Straight flush: Same suit of five consecutive cards, e.g. 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9. |
|
Four of a kind: Four cards all of the same value, i.e. four card displaying "5" of each suit. |
|
Full house: Comprises of three cards all of the same value & a pair (2 same value). |
|
Flush:
This is five cards of the same suit but not in any particular order. |
|
Straight: Comprises of five card in consecutive order, but not of the same suit. |
|
Three of a kind:
This is three cards all of the same value. |
|
Two pair: This is three cards all of the same value. |
|
Pair of jacks or better: A pair of cards, either jacks, queens, kings or aces. |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
