Video Poker
CASINO GAMING MACHINE (1970s) — SOLO SLOT-STYLE POKER TERMINAL where 1 player is dealt a 5-CARD DRAW POKER hand + chooses which cards to hold or discard. Machine draws replacements + pays per hand rank. Many variants: JACKS OR BETTER, DEUCES WILD, JOKER POKER, DOUBLE BONUS, DOUBLE DOUBLE BONUS. With OPTIMAL STRATEGY, some variants have HOUSE EDGE UNDER 1% (rare for casinos). Massive presence on casino floors — one of the few casino games where skill significantly affects outcome. 1970s pioneer machines led to modern casino video gaming.
Quick facts
Category
Casino & Gambling
Type
Individual
Players
1–1
Duration
~60 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
1970s prototypes; 1979 IGT (International Game Technology) commercial launch
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Achieve high-ranking poker hands to win multiples of the bet.
Rules
Basic rules
Insert credit + select bet (typically 1-5 credits per hand)
Max bet unlocks royal flush jackpot.
Machine deals 5 cards
Standard 5-card draw.
Player selects which cards to HOLD; discards replaced
Signature decision.
Final hand paid per variant paytable
Payout on final rank.
Max bet (5 credits) unlocks proportionally higher royal flush payout
Always bet max for best return.
Scoring
Paytable by hand rank; optimal strategy variants can approach 99%+ return.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush (max bet) | 4000 credits (800:1) |
| Straight Flush | 50 credits (250:1) |
| Four of a Kind | 25 credits (125:1) |
| Full House | 9 credits (Jacks or Better 9/6 variant) |
| Flush | 6 credits (9/6 variant) |
| Straight | 4 credits |
| Three of a Kind | 3 credits |
| Two Pair | 2 credits |
| Jacks or Better Pair | 1 credit (breakeven) |
Win condition · Match paytable hands.
Equipment
Video Poker cabinet ($5000-15000 casino unit)
Standalone terminal
Multi-hand video poker (up to 100-play)
Play multiple hands simultaneously
Online video poker apps + real-money sites
Digital versions
Terminology
- 9/6 Jacks or Better
- Best-return variant: 9 credits on full house, 6 on flush. ~99.5% return with optimal play.
- Hold
- Cards kept for next draw.
- Max bet
- 5 credits — required for full royal-flush multiplier.
- Return to Player (RTP)
- % of money returned long-term; ~99% on best variants.
Where it is played
Frequently asked
Is video poker really beatable?+
Some FULL-PAY VARIANTS (9/6 Jacks or Better; Deuces Wild NSU; some Double Double Bonus) have theoretical RTP OVER 100% with perfect strategy + comp cards. Serious video-poker players study STRATEGY CHARTS + hunt for full-pay machines. Casinos have reduced full-pay availability; modern machines typically 97-99% RTP.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Video poker— Wikipedia