Online Video Poker Casinos - Best Places to Play

Good cards are a must when the stakes are high. Either that or a really convincing bluff, but no one can pull that off all the time. If one is to play online for large stakes then they are going to want to find a poker room that's going to deal them decent hands when it counts. Some poker sites constantly deal crappy hands that can keep a player down on his luck. Here are some tips to choosing the right online video poker casinos to try your skills at.

One site is Paradise Poker. Some people know this site as the best place online to play poker. On this site there are constantly tournaments going on and a player will always find several high stakes games to enter. People have mentioned that this online video poker casino has the most pleasing graphics and yet it is not crowded with all sorts of unnecessary icons. For those players worried about the security of their money, Paradise Poker has shuffle card reviews from a highly recommended company, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Another good site to play poker at is Party Poker. With all of Party Poker's efforts to get their name out there, all of the players they have brought to their tables have certainly rewarded them. It is worth noting, however, that although they do have quite a large amount of customers; their customer service is nothing to brag about. Party Poker is created by the people that started CardPlayer Cruises, which includes, Mike Sexton. Every year Party Poker hosts a rather large tournament known as Party Poker Million, which is also quite a draw for online poker players.

Poker Stars has never have a time where there is not a large tournament going on that anyone can enter. Popular with most of the free roll players, the site offers some fun stuff in the programming that keep them coming back time after time. Although the interface may appear rather chaotic with extensive graphics that can be used as player icons.

The Poker Room offers a variety of options, such as multi-table tournaments, as well as Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud and a number of casino games. For those players worried about viruses, no download is needed in order to play on Poker Room. In addition to a good links section, players can play a free roll with play money, including tournaments.

Ultimate Bet may not have the financial status to back it up, but it certainly has a number of well-known players such as Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, and Russ Hamilton that add to the sites credibility. One nice characteristic about this room is that it includes a handy feature where players can minimize the playing table to a smaller bar, allowing them to play multiple tables easier.

Prima Poker, more of a group of poker sites rather than a single room and boasts almost no waiting time before the beginning of the next poker game. With twenty-one sites from which they use to create a game, therefore, it doesn't matter what site you are connecting from, you can still play poker with a full table. It is important to know, that this site uses a third party software and therefore, updates may be slow to arrive at the site.

These are, of course, just a starting point for choosing which online video poker casino to play at. The internet is loaded with online casinos, be sure that the one you pick is reputable and safe for play.

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Video Poker Games - How Real Do They Play?

Video poker games are the software version of a simulation

of playing poker in a real life setting. While nothing

beats the real life game, these video poker games offer

real fun and lots of winning chances.

Another type of video poker games is those that are

designed to help you learn and improve your skills in a

real life games. There's video poker games available for

just about every type of traditional poker games. Here's a

list of some of the more popular video poker games: Omaha

Hold 'em, Texas Hold 'em, Seven Card Stud, Blackjack, the

World Series of Poker event, and Caribbean Stud Poker. You

will also find many variations.

There's video poker online, as well as in your land casinos.

You can also get these video poker games for your handheld

electronics. No mater how you choose to play video poker

games, you're sure to find excitement, fun and lots of

chances to win.

Some of the most popular online video poker games are Texas

Hold'em, jacks or better video poker and deuces wild video

poker. There's several sites online where you can download

the software, and play for free or real money. For the

poker fan, there's a wealth of opportunity for fun,

excitement and many winnings.

If you're looking to learn strategy, several video poker

games have been designed to teach you strategies and the

rules. There's several produced by the world's most

talented professional poker players. What better way than

to learn from the professionals.

Just as in person-to-person poker, the video poker games

involve chance and skill. One of the neat things about

video poker games is that they are available whenever you

want to play. The online gaming sites that offer video

poker games are never closed. You don't have to worry

about who is going to show up or if you'll have enough

people to play. There are always people playing online

video poker games no matter the time of day or night.

The basics of the rules are pretty much the same as when

you're playing with the traditional 52-card deck. With

video games, the rules, the table bets, and other things

that must be determined in real life are already set for

you. All you have to do is read the rules, and begin play.

If you haven't played video poker games, you owe it to

yourself to check them out. Beware, they're lost of fun

and can be addictive.

Have fun and good luck.

David Olsen David has been writing about online casinos and casino strategy for over five years and is considered an authority in the online gambling world. His latest website Play Video Poker is all about video poker. We highly recommend it.

Mr. Olsen is married and has a young son.

Video Poker History

The video poker machine is one of the most popular gambling machines in existence today. Part poker, and part video game, it's the perfect combination to make it a modern day gambling sensation. Although today's video poker machines are the epitome of our current high tech in gambling, they have existed in simpler form for about two hundred years.

Video poker is of course based on the card game of poker. The video poker machine of today is the result of the game of poker being manifested into different types of games at varying levels of technology through the generations. The game of poker has been played in America since the early 1880s, with the game being referred to as 'Poker' in 1834 by a man name Jonathan Green.

The earliest recorded ancestors of the video poker machine were coin operated machines which used poker cards. These machines came into the scene in the late 1800s, and were manufactured by a company by the name of Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn. The poker card machines were placed in liquor stores and cigar shops, and shortly worked their way across the U.S.

These machines worked by the player putting a coin into the poker machine and pulling a handle, which spun five drums that held the poker cards. The player would wait for it to stop, while hoping for a winning hand. A winning hand was paid out in cigars or drinks. Sadly, and unbeknownst to the players, the Ten of Spades and the Jack of Hearts were left out of the deck to reduce the chances of winning.

In 1901, Charles Fey made the next big improvement to the poker machine by adding the first 'draw' feature to the already wildly popular machine. Fey's addition to the poker machine allowed the player to actually use their poker skills in the game, as opposed to being left to the mercy of blind luck.

Charles Fey's improvement allowed the player to hold certain drums still after the first spin, while pulling the handle to spin the remaining drums. This in effect was the first 'hold' and 'draw' combination.

Over the following years, people's interest in poker card machines diminished, with only an occasional hiccup of interest every now and again. It wasn't until the late 1970s that the poker machine was reborn into the video poker machine, thus rekindling the love of video poker.

The first of these machines appeared along side of the personal computer. It was this technology which made the video poker machine a reality. With its solid state circuitry, and its television like monitor, this clunky machine would give rise to the poker machines of today. These machines have made their homes in bars, casinos and even online.

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Winning Video Poker - The Easy Way

Although an online slot machine game, Video Poker is different as you can affect the odds by the way you play and if you play correctly winning at video poker is easy.

There are 4 cardinal rules to follow to end up winning at video poker longer term.

The Game basics

The game of video poker is essentially simple, and is based on the well-known poker rules. However in Video Poker you are playing against the machine only and not other players.

As in real poker, the Video Poker Slot will deal five cards on the screen. You can keep the 5 cards or ask for 5 new ones.

To keep the cards you want you just press a "hold" button under the card in question.

At this point, you then press the "play" button and play begins, with replacement of some or all the cards you did not wish to keep.

As this is the final hand, it is simple to see who won, you or the machine.

So the secrets of winning at video poker are built around the choices you can make.

4 tips to win at Video poker

The four choices you have to make are here.

1. Put the Odds in your favor before you begin.

Although a slot game, Video poker is still based upon the classic 52 card deck and thus there are mathematically 2,598,960 possible combinations.

Also, as Video Poker is also a computer program it will simulate (as much as possible) the actual probabilities of playing real poker.

As the casino understands the fixed possibilities, they adjust the payout tables, and always to the house's advantage, but it varies and with strategy you can gain an edge.

Generally, the payouts on most of the Video Poker machines will be the same, except for the "big" hands; the flush, full house or royal flush..

So, the first way to win at video poker is to play the highest paying machines. The odds here are more in your favor.

As a good example, on a Jacks-or Better machine, see the comparison for payout with strategy.

9 for a full house 6 for a flush 99.5%

8 for a full house 5 for a flush 97.4%

7 for a full house 5 for a flush 96.3% etc

For your knowledge a "9 / 6 machine shows royal flush about once every 40,000 hands, while the "8 / 5" one are about every 45,000 hands.

Find the machine with the best payout and this will greatly enhance your chances of winning at video poker.

2. Always Play Maximum Coins!

Betting five coins gives all winning hands a paid out by the factor of five; except for the royal flush.

This is a kind of "bait" to entice you to play five coins.

The secret here is that if a player plays less than maximum coins they will never win a Royal Flush and never end up longer term winning at video poker

3. Play a Long Time. There are no Short-Term Results

The mathematics is simple.

On the 9 / 6 machine the odds are 1:40,000 of hitting a Royal Flush.

This is no less than the equivalent of about 100 hours of play.

The secret here is that you must hit a Royal Flush at Video Poker to win at video poker.

So you must be ready to play for the long run, short term results can vary so don't get frustrated, its increasing your bankroll longer term your interested in.

If you are winning some good hands along the way, you will only add to your stake.

4. You can't win at Video Poker by casual play!

Patience and perseverance is required. Staying power however means you can win at video poker in the end, if you play correctly with strategy.

The strategies to win at video poker vary from game to game but there are pre printed cards on the net for you to use before the strategy is committed to memory.

No Haphazard Play Use Strategy Only.

The only way to increase your chances of winning at Video Poker is to

1. Play with strategy.

2. Be patent and be prepared to play for a long time

3. Play maximum coins on high paying machines only

4. Concentrate - Don't hurry your play the machine is no hurry so make sure you take your time and don't make errors

Winning at Video poker is easy when you know how!

Winning at Video poker slots is easy; it's the only slot game where you can get an edge. Another advantage is the fact that games are fun and offer an exciting visual experience.

Follow the tips above and you can win at video poker and have a lot of fun along the way - good luck!

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Top 5 Reasons To Check Out A Poker Strategy Video

It might seem like an unusual way to learn how to play a game of cards, but the reality is there are a lot of compelling reasons to check out a poker strategy video. Whether a poker strategy video comes from a world class champion or just an expert player, the tips they include can sometimes go well above and beyond written instructions. A good poker strategy video will not only teach the basics of the game, it can give insights into play style that manuals just can't replicate.

There are a host of reasons to check out a poker strategy video. They include:

Visual learning: A lot of people tend to learn better when they can "see" what's being taught. For this reason alone, a poker strategy video can be a sound decision to check out before getting into the game too much. When visual learning is the preferred choice, a poker strategy video is a good solution.

Rules advice: Most good poker strategy video options out there run through the basic rules of the most popular games. Seeing how they operate can sometimes make them much more clear than just reading or hearing about them. Whether it's five-card stud or Texas Hold 'Em, seeing how the game is played can make a difference in learning the ropes.

Posturing advice: It's one thing to give a person advice for posturing and table behavior, it's another for a person to see it in action. This is where a poker strategy video can really be a huge benefit. These videos often show some of the best possible poker faces, postures and moves. There are even some poker strategy video guides that offer advice for online players as far as posturing and behaviors are concerned.

Hand advice: Seeing how the pros handled different sets of cards and what actions they take can help send the message home more clearly. Since poker strategy video creations tend to show all the action, they can really help beginners and even novices see how to handle different situations and play through correctly.

Betting: The art of making proper bets is a difficult one to learn. Watching a good game on a poker strategy video can help a learning player see the ropes of begging, how it should be done, when it should be done and so on. Viewers of a poker strategy video will also often see how much the pros put down on certain hand combinations. These poker strategy video selections often also spend some time on when to fold, why to fold and when to walk away.

Learning how to play poker in person or online can be a lot of fun. Mastering the game can take some time. This is where a good poker strategy video selection can be very beneficial.

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Video Poker - How to Play the Game

If you are looking for a fun and challenging alternative to playing slot machines, video poker is the game for you. Instead of simply pulling the machine handle and hoping that you will be lucky enough to meet a row of identical icons, in video poker your moves would rule whether you win or lose. Moreover, the house edge in video poker is much lower than at slots.

Playing video poker is similar to playing draw poker on a slot machine. It enables you to enjoy the action of poker without having to face other players who may be more experienced and skilled than you are. In addition, in video poker, there are no dealers, no rakes, no bluffing, no cheating; it is all about you and your poker skills.

How to Play Video Poker:

There are several variations to video poker. Some of the video poker variations are played with standard 52 card decks while others are played with additional wild cards. All the variations are based on the traditional card game of poker. Therefore, a basic knowledge of poker hand ranking is necessary.

You start by choosing the coin value you wish to play and then pick the number of coins that you want to bet. Afterwards, you click on deal and five cards will appear on your screen. You can discard some or all of the cards and replace them with new ones. After pressing hold on the cards you wish to keep, you push the deal button and the machine replaces your discarded cards with new ones.

The outcome of the second draw determines whether you win or lose. Each video poker machine displays its payout table, which details the number of coins the machine pays for each five card poker hand. The payout table differs from one video poker variation to the other and so is the minimum hand that qualifies for a payout.

Video poker odds are the same as in regular card poker. A 52 card deck produces more than 2.5 million hand combination. Each video poker machine is set by a random number generator, which simulates the probabilities of drawing any of the poker hand combinations. While in regular card poker, the casino ensure its profits by collecting a rake, in video poker the casino ensure its profits by setting each machine pay table differently.

Video Poker Tips:

1) Learn the basics of draw poker before you start playing video poker at online casinos or at a casino nearby.

2) Know the machine payout of the table you have decided to play at by selecting the machine that offers the highest return.

3) Adjust your strategy to the specific video poker variation you intend to play.

4) Use a mathematical strategy to play the game correctly.

5) Do not keep cards that cannot be used to form a winning hand.

6) Hold on to any pair instead of keeping a high card.

7) Keep any pair rather than draw into a straight or a flush.

8) Practice playing online video poker in a play money mode.

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Video Poker Machines: Machine Overview

With the increase in the popularity of poker over the last few years, more and more players are turning to video poker machines to satisfy their poker playing sweet tooth. Players have found that not only is video poker relatively easy to learn to play, but it is also a great way to hone real life poker skills. As a result, the video poker machine has been placed in an ever increasing number of establishments.

One of the most appealing aspects of the video poker machine is that the odds of winning are some of the best you'll find in a game of chance. Video poker comes in just below Craps and Blackjack in the odds-of-winning department. Along with good odds, the video poker machine gives players the chance to take their time in making decisions, which allows the player to develop a strategy on the fly.

At a glance, the video poker machine could be mistaken for a slot machine, for they tend to have the same basic shape. Slot machines are a game based solely on chance, while with a video poker machine player skill comes into the mix. Although the slot machine and the poker machine both use the element of random display of images, the poker machine allows the player to keep and throw away chosen cards.

One of the first things a player should do is to look at the payout schedule of each machine considered for play. Look to see which machine pays out the best for each combination of winning hands. Just because the machines are located in the same area doesn't mean they all payout the same.

In order to play video poker, the player must know how to play the regular game of Five Card Draw Poker. If you already know how to play Five Card Draw Poker at the poker table, then you will be quite at home on the video poker machine.

Video poker machines accept varying amounts of coins, with the general range being between one to five coins. The machine pays out on a winning hand based on the amount of coins used. More coins equal a higher payout on a win. Therefore, it pays to always use the maximum coin allowed on your chosen machine.

After coins are inserted into the machine, and the player hits the 'deal' button, cards are dealt out in a random fashion, just as if the player were in a real poker game. The player is dealt out five cards on the screen. The player then uses either a 'hold' button to choose the cards to keep, or uses a 'discard' button to throw away unwanted cards.

Most video poker machines make use of the 'hold' button, but always be sure which button your current machine uses. It only takes a second to glance at the controls, and it might save you from losing your first hand due to a mistake.

Once the choice has been made of which cards to keep, the player then hits the 'deal' button again. The player is then dealt out a number of cards equal to those that were discarded. If the player winds up holding a winning hand, then the video poker machine pays out relative to the payout schedule.

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The Evolution of Video Poker

Video poker has been around for over 30 years. It started out when casinos noticed that many people liked to play cards but were too scared to actually sit down at a poker table. Video poker allowed these players to play poker without having to look their opponents in the eye. With the explosion of online casinos Video Poker's popularity grew exponentially. This growth in turn led to the development of new versions of video poker. Here we'll take a look at some of the more important developments in the video poker world.

1. Multi Hand Video Poker

Multi Hand Video Poker is like "normal" video poker on steroids. As its name implies, you're playing more then one hand at a time. Common variations include Jacks or Better (of course), 10's Or Better, Deuces Wild and more. The Games come in 4, 10, 50, and even 100 hand versions. Multi hand video poker is an exciting twist on standard single hand video poker. Today, most online casinos have at least one multi-hand version.

2. Power Poker

Power Poker is Microgaming's version of Multi-Hand Video Poker and is probably the most popular multi-hand version on the web. Currently there are 11 different Power Poker Games in 4, 10 and 50 hand versions. Playing Power Poker is like playing the single hand version of the game. You start with the same 5 cards in each hand. You then select the card(s) you wish to hold. The remaining cards are discarded and new cards replace the discarded ones. Winning hands are determined by a redefined payout schedule.

3. Progressive Video Poker

Progressive Video Poker is yet another exciting variation of good old video poker. Progressive Video poker follows the same rules as a non-progressive version of the same game. The difference is in the payout of the royal flush. Often times, progressive jackpots build through multiple casinos, so potentially the pot can be huge. When playing a Progressive machine, it's crucial to play the max coins on every play, that's the only way to win the jackpot.

4. Online Poker Rooms

Online Poker is not technically a video poker; however, since there are obvious similarities between the two, I felt a brief overview should be included here. In video poker you are playing against a machine, winning and losing hands are determined by a static payout schedule. However, when you're playing online poker, you are playing against real people. There is no predetermined payout schedule, you can win as much as your opponents are willing to wager on each hand. Also, and more importantly, Online poker allows you to bluff, meaning in theory, if you're a good enough bluffer, you can have the worst hand at the table but still win, if you've been able to convince your opponents to fold. This is the main reason for the huge popularity in online poker.

Lastly, as you can see, video poker continues to evolve. What started out as a game for would-be poker players who were too intimidated to sit down at a real table, has, with the advent of Online Poker, come full circle. Today a poker player can sit

down at a virtual table with players from around the world. Amazing.

David Olsen has been writing about online casinos and casino strategy for over five years and is considered an authority in the online gambling world. His latest website is all about the many variations of Video Poker. Visit His site to learn more about Progressive Video Poker, Online Poker, and Power Poker