Video Poker is a cut-down form of poker that is played on a mechanical device. In other words, video poker is like a shortened video game version of regular poker.  It is a game between man and machine, rather than between numerous players.  Although winning can sometimes be a piece of cake - since a good hand is all it takes to beat the machine - Yet, anybody playing for the first time should still familiarize themselves with the rules and ropes of video poker online.  A player still needs to be acquainted with the various poker hands if one expects to take advantage of 95% returns on video poker machines.  Remember, just like in any gambling game, whatever degree luck plays, a strategy is paramount for consistently winning money in video poker.   

All poker hands are composed of five cards.  Whether all five cards can be played in relation to each other depends on the particular hand.  The rank of cards from lowest to highest is Two through Ace.  In some cases in which ties need to be broken between equal value cards, the suit is considered.  The rank of suit from lowest to highest is Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades.  The objective of the game is to mold the highest ranked five card hand possible through a round of discards. (exchanging old cards for new cards)  In video poker, the player first makes a wager, which is normally in the amount of 1 to 5 coins. (each coin representing a particular sum of money)  After the wager has been made, the player presses the 'Deal' button and the machine commences dealing five cards to the player.  After the player has examined their hand and determined which cards would be the best to replace, they will press the 'Hold' button under the cards they want to keep, followed by the 'Deal/Draw' button.  This will discard the cards not being held.  The machine will automatically replace the cards, and determine if the resulting hand is a winner. 

The poker hands listed below are possible outcomes, and are listed in rank from highest to lowest. The point scores are common to video poker machines and range from 2000 to 0.  These payouts are based on five coin wagers:

· Royal Flush - 2000 points
A Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace, all of the same suit.

· Straight Flush - 250 points
Any consecutive five cards of the same suit.
I.e. Eight of Clubs, Nine of Clubs, Ten of Clubs, Jack of Clubs and Queen of Clubs.

· Four of a Kind - 125 points
Four cards of the same value
I.e. four Jacks

· Full House - 40 points
A Three of a Kind in conjunction with a Pair
I.e. three sevens with two Queens

· Flush - 25 points
All five cards are of identical suit (in no particular order)
I.e. Two of Clubs, Five of Clubs, Six of Clubs, Ten of Clubs, Ace of Clubs

· Straight - 20 points
All five cards are in numeric (ranking) order of various suits
I.e. Six of Diamonds, Seven of Diamonds, Eight of Diamonds, Nine of Diamonds, Ten of Diamonds.

· Three of a Kind - 15 points
Three cards of equal rank
I.e. Three Kings

· Two Pair - 10 points
Two pairs of cards that are of equal rank amongst each pair.
I.e.  Two Aces and two Fours

· Pair - 5 points
Two cards of equal rank  (In Jacks or Better Video Poker, a pair only counts if it is a Jack of better)
I.e.  Two Queens

· 0 Points - If a hand does not conform to one of the above scenarios.

Remember, since most video poker games require a five point wager to begin play, winning with a Pair simply allows players to break even - since a Pair is also worth five points.  Obviously, a hand worth zero points is cause to lose a wager. 

Video Poker is playable in different forms, just like regular poker.  The three most popular types of online video poker are Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better and Jacks Wild.  The following is a detailed description of each game:

Jacks or Better Video Poker

Interestingly enough, Jacks or Better is the most popular type of video poker online.  One theory for why this is the case could be that some gamblers think that by getting a pair of Jacks, they are winning money.  However, a pair of Jacks (or better) only breaks a player even.  A Two Pair or better is required to actually profit on a wager.  This form of video poker is just like regular video poker, except that a pair of anything lower than a Jack is worth zero points.  The following table displays a classic Las Vegas payout schedule for single coin wagers in Jacks or Better online video poker:
 

*Progressive video poker machines are those which incorporate a progressively growing community jackpot with a player's regular, individual jackpot.  In other words, every time a player wagers a coin, a small percentage of it is placed into a community jackpot.  Whenever a player hits a Royal Flush, that player will win the Progressive jackpot - whatever the amount is.  If a player decides not to gamble in a progressive jackpot, then if and when they hit a Royal Flush, they win a predetermined amount of coins instead.

Deuces Wild Video Poker

Deuces Wild is a version of video poker that enables players to mold poker hands more easily than regular online video poker.  It does this by treating all deuces as wild cards.  In other words, a Two - from any suit - can be used to represent any card of any rank.  For instance if a player has a hand with three Queens and two 2's, they can use the 2's to represent Queens, thus forming a Five of a Kind.  Since this method of shaping hands is much more conducive to the player, the casino balances the advantage by imposing stricter payouts. (only paying out for Full House's or better)  The following table displays a classic Las Vegas payout schedule for single coin wagers in Deuces Wild online video poker:
 

Jokers Wild Video Poker

Jokers Wild is a version of regular video poker that use 53 cards instead of 52.  That extra card is - you guessed it - a Joker.  In this game, all the same rules apply as in normal video poker, except that the Joker can be used to represent a card of any value and suit.  Since the addition of a wild Joker gives a slight advantage to the player, the casino compensates by only rewarding Two Pairs or better, and by adjusting the payout schedule, which is lowered ever so slightly.  The following table displays a classic Las Vegas payout schedule for single coin wagers in Jokers Wild online video poker: