Video Poker is a popular game that is able to be enjoyed in casinos all over the world, or in your house on your PC, using an Internet connection. The regulations are very simple and involve the player trying to achieve the greatest assemblage of cards possible in order to come away with money. In this respect it is very similar as a regular game of poker, without the interaction with any other players. Of course, methods used in a physical game of poker, like bluffing, will be irrelevant here.
The game of Electronic Poker starts when the bettor inserts credits (whether it is tokens, tickets or money) into the machine and presses the draw button. A hand of 5 cards will be electronically ‘given out’ on the screen.
The Video Poker game also has hold buttons, and players will need to now decide which cards to keep and which to discard. For the cards the bettor would like to keep, the ‘hold’ buttons need to be pressed so that they illuminate. The player can decide to keep any number of cards they wish, whether it is all or none.
After the gambler has chosen which cards he would like to retain, the player will then press ‘deal’, which will mean that any fresh cards are handed out if desired. The game is now completed, with the Video Poker machine scanning the cards to see if it is the same as any of the winning hands listed in the pay out schedule.
Generally, the lowest 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 two pairs, three of a kinds, straights, flushes, full houses, 4 of a kinds, straight flushes and finally royal flushes. It definitely goes without saying that the payout schedule can range from machine to machine, so that experienced players are able to select the most profitable ones each and every instance.
After the first round has played out, the player can either choose to continue on in an attempt to maximize their winnings, or press the ‘collect’ button to cash out any money that they may have won. Further, a few versions of the game allow the bettor an opportunity to increase their winnings, in which situation another round is played. There are also variations between individual games, with some virtual decks having wild cards and other differing elements to increase playability.