Video Poker Games

Cool Cat Casino Deuces Wild Poker
Cool Cat 7 Card Stud Video Poker

Video Poker Games

Video poker games originated from slot machines, which were developed in 1898 by Charles Fey. Fey introduced a machine called the Liberty Bell, a slot machine that rewarded winners with cash prizes. Instead of using playing cards, the Liberty Bell used hearts, spades, bells and horseshoes. Players had to hit the set number of symbols to win a cash payout.

Early slot machines set the stage for the introduction of video poker games in 1970. Dale Electronics developed the first video poker machine, which proved to be largely unsuccessful. However, in 1979, International Game Technologies took the casino gaming world by storm when they introduced the wildly popular Draw Poker machine. The popularity of video poker grew steadily during the 1980's and even more so during the 1990's. In 1994, Microgaming developed the first online casino software, allowing players to enjoy video poker games in the comfort of their own home. More people were exposed to video poker in the 90's, causing its popularity to increase tremendously.

The objective of all video poker games is to achieve the highest possible five-card hand. Video poker uses the traditional rankings of poker with a royal flush being the best possible hand. The player begins by inserting money into the machine and pressing the "deal" button. The player is dealt five cards and given the opportunity to exchange one or more cards for new cards. The player wins if the final hand matches one of the winning combinations. The amount paid out is dependent on the value of the final hand.

There are a multitude of video poker games including Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Jokers Wild, and Aces and Faces. Most video poker variations are only slightly different than the original game. For example, in Jacks or Better, the minimum requirement for a winning hand is a pair of jacks. In Deuces Wild, the only differences are that deuces act as wild cards and the minimum payout for a winning hand is three of a kind.

There are a few basic strategies that can shift the odds away from the favor of the house. In most video poker variations, low pairs are relatively good hands. Do not try to draw to an inside straight because the odds are relatively poor. Outside straights have a much better chance of success. Do not hold three cards when attempting to draw to a straight or a flush. Never hold onto a kicker because they do not add any value to the final hand. Most importantly, stick to one type of video poker rather than trying multiple variations. Although there are many video poker games, we recommend learning one game and the odds associated with it.