LearnPlayWin

Video Poker: How Did it all Start?

By

Author: Jonathan Turner

Video Poker is one of the most popular games in both brick and mortar casinos and online casinos, and the game has a fascinating history – from its earliest iterations to the versions now played today.

While video poker machines are typically traced back to 1970, the origins of the game go back much further – all the way back to 1891. That was when the New York-based Sittman and Pitt Company created the first video poker game that would forge the foundations of the machine game that would eventually be rolled out at casinos in Las Vegas, and ultimately around the world.

The original game had five drums – now known as reels – and each drum had images of 10 playing cards. A player would insert a coin into the machine, pull the lever, and wait for the machine to provide a combination of the 10 cards across the five drums to make a poker hand.

Charles Fey – credited as the man who invented the very first slot machine – then refined this video poker machine in 1898 by inventing the Card Bell, which paid out up to 20 coins for a royal flush. Fey wasn’t done there, however, and in 1901 added a hold feature that allowed players to hold one or more of the cards and re-spin the rest. This machine was called the Skill Draw poker machine.

It was the Skill Draw poker machine that made these games stand out when compared to regular slot games, as it gave the players a measure of control over the cards, rather than the blind luck players rely on when playing regular slots.

Fascinatingly, these machines only had 50 cards instead of 52 – which makes sense considering they were designed with 10 cards per five reels. Typically, it was the 10 of Spades and Jack of Hearts that were excluded, which therefore reduced the odds of a royal flush by 50 percent.

Following these early versions, it wasn’t until 1970 that video poker machines started to appear more commonly. A machine created by Dale Electronics called Poker-Matic was introduced to casinos throughout Las Vegas, but interestingly the game was not all that popular. Given the boom of casino poker at the time, this video version failed to capture casino-goers’ interests.

That all changed, albeit gradually, when a man named William ‘Si’ Redd came on to the scene. Redd pitched his version of a machine he called Video Poker to the bosses of his company in Chicago, which they outright rejected.

After taking over the patent, Redd formed Si Redd’s Coin Machines (SIRCOMA) after striking a deal with Fortune Coin Company. After releasing his version of the video poker machine, interest started to increase and by 1981 it was one of the most popular games in casinos across Las Vegas.

Video poker still needed a lot of refining, most importantly determining the house edge that would make it worth casinos’ time to house the machines on their floors. This process involved dozens of people playing video poker for weeks and recording their results, which were then used to determine the house edge. And if you think, everything nowadays is done just by creating algorithms!

From there, video poker has evolved and is no longer limited to casino floors but is one of the most popular games in online casinos.

Sports betting – like betting on NFL Super Bowl favorites, winners of the English Premier League, and horse racing – makes up the majority of online gambling, but there is still a massive industry for online casinos, and video poker makes up a crucial section of that industry.

And to think it all began nearly 130 years ago with a humble five-drum slot machine in Brooklyn…

Video Poker Strategy Guide

By

Video poker is one of the most popular kinds of casino games that you can play. There are a lot of different machines with different themes for anyone to enjoy. These games often offer greater chances of winning than other kinds of casino games. Some machines even offer payout percentages over 100%.

It takes time and effort to be a great video poker player. You won’t win every game, but with enough practice and patience, you should be able to win many more times than you lose. Here are a few helpful hints that can help you become more successful:

1. Practice, practice, practice. If you want to be good at anything, you have to put in the work on a regular basis. This also applies to playing video poker. To be a better player, you need to practice whenever you can. This can help you identify patterns and avoid costly mistakes when you’re playing for real money. Just practicing for a few minutes every day or every week can help improve your odds of winning.

2. Learn strategies. Every video poker game has different strategies to master. Knowing how to play your hands correctly is important. Take some time to review the strategies for each game carefully before placing your bet.

3. Know the rules. While each game and each machine can vary, the basic rules for each video poker game are pretty much the same. They are all based on the standard five-card draw poker using a 52-card deck. Examine the cards you are dealt, and decide which cards to keep and which ones to discard before requesting new cards. Your chances of winning greatly depend on the cards you keep and the payout tables for each particular hand for that game.

4. Take your time. The more rushed you are, the more likely you can be to lose. Rushed players are unfocused. There isn’t a time limit in which you have to play your cards. You can take as much time as you’d like. Video poker is something that you can play anytime anywhere. If you’re having a rough patch, it’s okay to step away for a while to take a break. If you’re not winning at a particular machine, you can always go to another machine, especially if you’ve noticed that it hasn’t paid out in a while. Being an alert player can help improve your odds of winning.

5. Know the payouts. Before starting any game, take a few moments to review the payout table. You should choose a game or machine that offers the best payouts possible. When you are placing a maximum bet, you have better chances of winning more money or achieving bonuses than other machines.

6. Don’t just guess. One of the worst poker strategies is guessing. While you may be successful once in a while, you’re taking a great risk by doing so. Take the time to learn strategies for each game that you play and pay close attention to all of the cards that have been dealt. This will not only help you for that particular game, but can also help you win other games as well.

7. Pay attention. Keep an eye out for bonuses and other promotions that can greatly increase your chances of winning or provide larger payouts. You can even ask for bonuses in some instances.

Bonuses are basically free money that you can bet. If you lose, you’re not losing anything out of pocket. If you win, you have more money to walk away with at the end of the day. Who doesn’t like free money?

8. Join a player’s club. Some casinos offer memberships to player’s clubs. These clubs can provide gamers with added opportunities for bonuses, comps and even lowered house advantages in some cases. They can also help with loss rebates for top players. If you’re offered a chance to join a player’s club, read over the benefits carefully. If you’re a frequent player, the benefits can far exceed any membership costs over time.

These are just a few helpful hints to help you win more often at video poker. Smart players take the time to learn the subtle nuances of every machine and every game that they play. Taking the time to know the games and knowing the payout tables can make all the difference between a so-so night and a sensational night of playing video poker.