How to Play Video Poker

Video Poker games have been around for about a century now, but increasing the availability, speed and entertainment of the original Video Poker machine was the introduction of Online Video Poker. Both games are very similar in game play, powered by the same computer programming and technology.

The only real difference is the need to travel to a land-based casino to play traditional Video Poker, and the ability to play from the comfort of home, or anywhere your Laptop of Mobile phone can go with an Internet connection.

Video Poker – How to Win

Video Poker is an exceptionally easy game to play, very similar to a standard poker game that involves numerous players, except that you are the only person participating. For this reason, instead of beating the other players, you simply need to develop a good enough hand. If your hand ranks high enough, you will win a payout that corresponds with your bet.

For example, playing Jacks or Better Video Poker – the most common version of them all – requires a player to get a hand of at least Two Jacks, or better, in order to qualify for a win. A Pair of Jacks, queens, Kings or Aces pays 1:1. So, if you insert $1 and achieve a Pair of Jacks, you would win $1, plus get your original $1 bet back.

Video Poker – How to Play

Playing video Poker requires pressing a series of buttons, or in the case of online Video Poker, “clicking” a series of buttons. Below are the basic buttons found on a video Poker machine, and what they are used for.

Coin Denomination Button: This button is generally on the far left side, and denotes how much each coin your insert is worth. There will be two arrows surrounding the button, one pointing left, and one pointing right. Pressing the left button lowers the coin denomination, while pressing the right arrow increases it.

Bet One: Pressing this button bets one coin in the chosen denomination. If a Video Poker machine takes up to 5 coins, you can press this button up to 5 times to use as many credits as you wish.

Bet Max: Pressing this button will automatically insert as many credits as the Video Poker machine accepts. For instance, if the Video Poker machine accepts up to 5 credits per play, Bet Max will instantly bet all 5 credits. Pressing Bet Max will normally initiate the Dealing of cards, without needing to press the Deal/Draw button.

Deal/Draw: Once you have placed your desired bet (unless using Bet Max), you will need to Press this button to start the game and Deal the cards. This button is also used to Draw new cards, after choosing which cards (if any) you wish to Hold or Discard.

Hold: There is a “Hold” button located underneath each card dealt. After the initial dealing of cards, you need to press the Hold button under each card you wish to keep. If you accidentally press Hold to keep a card you would rather discard, simply press the Hold button under that card again to remove the Hold on it.

Video Poker – How To Read the Pay Table

Every Video Poker machine displays a Pay Table, usually at the top of the screen. This Pay table denotes what hands are considered winning hands, and how much they pay out in relation to how many coins/credits you play. Not every Pay Table will be the same, but we have supplied a basic Video Poker Pay Table to explain how it works.