Video Poker

Online Video Poker

Although only a relative newcomer to the casino world, Video Poker is one of the most popular and exciting games found in an online casino. A combination of fantastic gameplay and big prize payouts ensure that Video Poker remains one of the most loved online casino games. The game has always been popular in land based casinos - with many players heading to casinos just to play Video Poker - but the introduction of online Video Poker games introduced a world of possibilities for the game and online gambling. And, with many varieties of Video Poker now available, there are more chances than ever before for players to land a Full House or hit the jackpot with a Royal Flush.

Video Poker - An Introduction

When you start to play Video Poker, you may notice that the game bears more than a striking resemblance to certain other casino games. This is no coincidence as Video Poker was introduced as an alternative to both Poker and Slot machines. As Poker grew in popularity, it was noticed that many players who were keen to play the game were discouraged by the seemingly intimidating atmosphere of a table game that placed players against each other. At the same time, the rise in computer technology allowed for more complicated games to be played in the slot machine format. By combining the ideas of the two, apparently very different games, Video Poker was born and became a huge success.

Video Poker allows players to take on the intricacies of a Poker game in the more comfortable, relaxed and familiar surroundings of a slot machine with Video Poker machines even displaying similar "Hold" buttons to those found on an average fruit machine. However, apart from the look and feel of each game, Poker is where the game draws most of its inspiration.

Given its beginnings, it was not surprising that Online Video Poker became as popular as it is. The format is ideally suited to the online casino, the extra processing power of computers allows for even more impressive games and the higher payouts in online casinos allows online Video Poker to be one of the highest paying casino games around.

Playing Online Video Poker

There are many variations of Video Poker available to play at Europa Casino - from Deuces Wild to Jacks or Better - but each of the them are based on the same basic rules. A game is started by choosing you wager amount and then selecting "deal" (Note: If you are playing a multi-line game you must also select the number of lines that you wish to play on by clicking "bet one" to select one at a time or "bet max" to select all lines and deal). You are dealt five cards and your aim is to create the best possible Poker hand by choosing which cards that you would like to retain and which you wish to discard. You choose the cards that you are retaining by pressing "hold" next to each card that you are keeping and then, after making your selections, you must press "deal" again. You are then dealt cards to replace those that you are discarding and the resulting five cards make your final Poker hand.

Depending on the game you are playing there are different minimum hands that result in a payout. Usually the lowest winning hand is a pair of tens or Jacks although this can vary. The different variations also offer various extras that can make it easier to win, such as the "Wild" twos in Deuces Wild - where are two can stand in for any other card in order to make the best hand possible. In most Video Poker games, after each win you are also presented with a bonus round that allows you to instantly double your winnings in an exciting card game where you must pick a higher card than the dealer.

Altogether, there are many opportunities to win while also having great fun when you play Video Poker. So, don't hang around, start playing Video Poker today at Europa Casino.