Video Poker Rules

Video Poker has become one of the fastest growing games in casinos. What used to be a game that was only offered on a few casino floors and in one or two variations, has grown to one of the most popular games in the industry today.

If you would like to know how the basic game is played, read on. If you'd like to learn about the different versions of Video Poker (i.e. Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and Jokers Wild), then check out our Video Poker Books page. (See the link at the bottom of this page.)

The way a Video Poker game is played is usually the same from one machine to another. Machines can be found from as little as a five cent bet to a $100 bet or even more!

To play, insert at least one coin or up to the maximum number of coins allowed by the machine. Once you've placed your bet, press the "Deal" button either on the machine or, on some games, on the touch screen. Five cards will then be dealt to you and displayed on the screen. Determine which cards you wish to hold and press the "Hold" button beneath the card(s) you wish to keep. When you've selected the cards you want to keep, press the "Deal" button again. The cards you decided to discard will be removed and replaced with new cards. If the five cards you now hold make a winning hand, you will be paid accordingly. If not, the game is over.

As you win, some machines immediately pay you by pouring coins into the coin tray. Others save your winnings as "Credits". If you've had enough play and want to cash in your credits, simply press the Cash / Credit button on the machine and you will be paid. You may also be lucky enough to have a high-payout winning hand that has to be hand paid by a casino employee. Or, you may have won more money than the machine has inside. If this happens, the machine will indicate that it can't pay you. A casino employee should be with you shortly to pay you by hand or refill the machine.

Today's Video Poker games offer many variations to the standard Jacks or Better game. (A Jacks or Better game is one that pays you when you have a pair of Jacks or higher.) You can now find games that allow you to play up to five hands at once, games where all deuces (2's) are wild, and versions where there is a joker thrown into the deck that can be used as a wild card. Some games are simple looking with plain graphics and no-frills sound effects. Others have stereo sound and rich, detailed graphics that are as entertaining to look at as the games are to play.

While most Video Poker games are based on 5 card draw poker, there are many strategies that you should take into consideration with Video Poker that you wouldn't consider for regular poker. To learn more about these strategies, visit the Video Poker Books page.

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