Video Poker In the World of Poker

Poker has fascinated us for decades and the popularity of the game keeps growing on a daily basis. Online video poker is one facet of the game that was inconceivable  only a few decades ago, but is now a reality that seems to surpass many forms of traditional poker. How does video poker fit into the poker word? 

Poker is one of the vying card games where those playing hold fully or partially concealed hands, make wagers into a central pot, and attempt to win that pot by getting the winning combination of cards.  Video poker is one form of poker but it is a single-player game and is similar to the slot machines seen in land-based casinos.  Video poker is growing increasingly popular these days and many poker addicts even prefer video poker to traditional poker games.   As with any type of gambling game you should always remember the saying “know your limit and play within it”.

Video poker, popular for some time now with gamblers, is often favored because of the improved odds it offers.  Unlike traditional slot games or the game of roulette, which relies entirely on luck, video poker combines both the strategy of poker and the luck of slots, giving players a slightly positive expectation of winning.

Accordingly, the element of luck in video poker, as with other video games, concerns the outputs, which are determined by a random number generator (RNG).  In video poker, the RNG cycles through random numbers at about 1000/second when the machine is sitting idle.  When a player signals the machine to deal, the RNG provides a number for the video poker machine that corresponds to the number of cards and replacement cards, which are then displayed.  The available combinations in the video poker RNG correspond to the number of combinations that could actually be dealt out in a real game of 52-card poker.  Thus, the probabilities in video poker are similar to the probabilities in a live game.

The element of strategy, on the other hand, also exists in video poker because the game allows the player to makes the decision about which card to discard.   The key is to discard in such a way that you obtain the highest probability of winning.  It is important to note that the optimal strategy for winning may vary from one video poker game to another because of, not only different rules, but because of different pay tables as well.   For this reason, video poker players will often play the maximum credits so that they can take advantage of the highest expectations for winning.

 If you are interested in trying out video poker, remember these points.  They will help you to maintain an advantage and enjoy the playing experience.