Video poker combines the best of modern slot machines and five-card draw poker. There are two significant differences between regular and video poker: the player plays against a machine and not real people, and the player's aim is to achieve particular hands rather than beat an opponent's hands.

Video poker rules are simple: you play 1 to 5 coins, the machine gives you five cards, you choose which cards to hold and which to discard, the machine replaces your discards, and the machine pays you off according to the value of your hand

Numerous game variations exist, and each requires its own strategy. The successful player must know what the best pay tables are for each game, where to find them, and how to play them.

The number of variations of video poker is constantly increasing: wild cards have been introduced, some games feature multiple decks, bonuses for certain Four of a Kinds are common, and payoff tables can vary from one machine to another. To achieve an edge, the player must play correct or near-correct strategy appropriate to their game and payoff table. The player who picks a machine at random and plays by common sense will lose over the long run. Serious players trust in strategy that is the product of computer analysis and make the best play near or at 100% of the time. In general, the more complicated and long a strategy, the closer to 100% accuracy it will become. Also, serious players don't just play any machine, but are diligent about researching and finding ones that offer the most generous payoff tables.

Winning hands

The following hands win, ordered top to bottom from the highest-ranking hands to the lowest:

Royal flush A Royal Flush is a hand with an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit.

Straight flush A Straight Flush is a hand of five cards in order and of the same suit; for example A, 2, 3, 4, 5 is a group of five ordered cards. (An ace can usually be counted as the lowest card in the order).

Four of a Kind Four cards of the same value and another odd card (for example Q, Q, Q, Q, 3).

Full House A hand that has three cards of the same rank and two cards of another (for example K, K, K, 5, 5).