Are All Video Poker Games the Same?
Let’s start with an interesting fact: the precursor of video poker predates the slot machine by almost half a decade. The gambling machine developed by Sittman and Pitt in Brooklyn worked is a way similar to modern video poker games do, but they used spinning drums (much like slot machines). These games had no unassisted payout mechanisms, like Fey’s slot machine did, so the pubs hosting them usually gave out prizes like free beers, cigars, or whatever else was on offer. Another interesting fact: the machine contained 50 card faces, without the 10 of spades and the Jack of Hearts, thus reducing the players’ chances to hit a Royal Flush to half.
But let’s set history aside for now, and return to our topic of the day: video poker. Namely all the different variations of video poker you’ll find at the Red Flush casino Canada. Although they have well-sounding names, and sometimes side bets with bonuses, the games all seem the same at the first sight. But are they? Or is their small twist on the rules enough to turn them into something more than just a mere single-player Five Card Draw?
Video poker variations
The basic video poker is an almost faithful replica of a game of Five Card Draw, without the betting rounds, of course. Players are dealt five cards, they hold some, discard others, and hope for the best possible hand. But instead of a pot, they can win pre-determined amounts of money based on the value of their hand. One pair pays the least (usually 1 to 1), and the Royal Flush is next to the biggest payout. But you can seldom meet such a “basic” video poker game. The Red Flush Canadian Casino, for example, has none that would work by these rules. All the games available there are variations, with slight changes in the basic rules.
Jacks or Better is the most widespread variant of the game. But Red Flush Canada has several video poker versions you can play: Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, Aces and Faces, and many others, often with side bets and bonuses added to them. If you want to play video poker for fun, look no further: each of the variants you can play at Red Flush will do just fine. Although I have to say that I enjoy multi-hand variants the most.
From a casual video poker player’s point of view, all video poker variants are basically the same. The slight variations on the rules make no difference for them at all. All variants of the game are equally entertaining, and have an almost identical return to player (RTP) of over 99%. If you are lucky, that is, and you are familiar with the basic rules and hand rankings in poker. Which you all are, right?
