Video Poker is a favored game that usually will be bet on in casinos around the globe, or alternatively at home on your PC, through a web connection. The game rules are very straightforward and involve the player trying to get the greatest combination of cards possible in order to come away with cash. In this respect it’s very similar as a regular game of poker, without the involvement with any other players. Of course, methods used in a real-life game of poker, like tricking, will be useless in Video Poker.
The game of Electronic Poker begins when the enthusiast inserts credits (either tokens, tickets or money) into the machine and presses the deal button. A hand of five cards will then be "handed out" on the video screen.
The Video Poker machine also has hold buttons, and gamblers should now decide which cards to hold and which to throw away. For the cards the player would like to keep, the ‘hold’ buttons should be pressed so that they light up. The player can decide to keep any number of cards they want, from all to none.
After the gambler has chosen which cards he wishes to keep, the player will then press ‘deal’, at which point any new cards will be needed they will be dealt. The hand is now completed, with the Video Poker machine scanning the hand to see if it matches any of the winning hands shown on the payout schedule.
Typically, the minimum succeeding hand on a Video Poker machine is a pair of jacks with the prize money growing for each better hand. A list of common winning hands starts with jacks or better, and moves on to 2 pairs, 3 of a kinds, straights, flushes, full houses, 4 of a kinds, straight flushes and last but not least royal flushes. It goes without saying that the payout schedule can vary from game to game, so that discerning gamblers are able to pick the most beneficial game each and every instance.
After the first round has finished, the player can either choose to continue on and try to to increase their winnings, or press the ‘collect’ button to retrieve any money that they may have won. Additionally, some versions of the game allow the gambler a chance to increase their profits, in which instance another game is played. There are also variations between specific games, with some decks of cards having wild cards and other differing characteristics to enhance playability.