Casinos have a range of different types of Poker and a popular variant which has appeared on the casino gaming scene is Video Poker. This game is driven by technology which is one of the reasons why it is relatively new, compared to traditional Poker. The game is a casino or arcade game which is based on five-card draw Poker. Video Poker is played on a console which is computerised and looks very much like a slot machine.
Development of Video Poker
Video Poker was first developed long after the slot machine was invented. Poker has a long and interesting history, while Video Poker has just emerged. Video Poker was first developed in the 1970s and the reason for its late development was also that technology was not advanced enough yet to allow Video Poker to be a viable option in the commercial sense. Video Poker required a CPU and a monitor that worked together. The very first Video Poker games were first seen at the same time personal computers made their appearance.
The very first Video Poker machine was made by Dale Electronics in 1970 and was known as the Poker-Matic. This machine was used in Las Vegas, but was not popular among casino patrons. Si Redd and his company Coin Machines was the first company to introduce a popular Video Poker machine. The company was known as SIRCOMA. Today the company is International Game Technology (IGT) a well-known and established casino company. It was SIRCOMA that first introduced Draw Poker in 1979.
As the game grew in popularity Video Poker began appearing in more and more casinos and newer, updated versions of the game were being developed. These newer variants were more user-friendly and easier to play than the earlier versions. Video Poker became popular because players only needed to place a minimal bet to play, as little as one coin. The games were also enjoyable as they made use of an RNG rather than played live, and there was a lot less pressure on players to perform at a poker table.
Video Poker machines could be found in many places, not only in casinos. Airports, bars and local stores also had Video Poker machines available. For many players this game was also easier to play than other casino games which meant Video Poker continued to grow in popularity.
Online Video Poker
From the beginnings of Video Poker till the 1990s, these Video Poker machines were operated by coins. With the introduction of online casinos Video Poker became even more popular and games were improved and became more animated, which was due to all the new technology which was constantly changing and improving. In the same way that any type of sports betting NZ has to offer has improved thanks to the digital age, o too has Video Poker enjoyed several improvements.
Types of Video Poker
There are a range of variants of Video Poker and types include Deuces Wild (the 2 is the wild card), Jokers Wild (Joker is the wild card) as well as multi-play Poker, where a player starts with a hand and every additional hand is drawn from a different pack of cards. Video Poker that does not use a wildcard is different from other forms and the player will rarely have a hand of four-of-a-kind, usually once in every 500 hands.
Video Poker is one of the most popular casino games in Las Vegas and around the world, and today, everyone has their favourite version.
