Despite its relative late arrival on the gambling scene, video poker has a rich history that tells volumes about the gambling culture. Video poker history demonstrates how society utilizes new technologies to suit its entertainment ends, and also teaches a valuable and fascinating lesson on the attitude that casinos hold towards their players.

Video Poker: From Slots to Sensation

Video Poker owes a great debt to slot machines. These are what provided the idea of constructing a console system that a player could use instead of the traditional poker table. Private games cut down on the embarrassment that some players felt facing a full table of card sharks. IT also helped players to have a personal gaming experience that was not influenced by the attitudes and comments of other people at the table.

The earliest manifestations of video poker were basically modified five reel slot machines. They did not have a draw function. Players were simply shown five cards on the screen. If these five cards happened to make up a valid poker hand, than the player collected. It is important to notice that this stage in Video Poker history took the skill out of the game. It was all based on luck because a player could not alter their hand.

The earliest video poker machines also contained mechanism that was designed to cut into the chance of winning. Because they were based on a five reel system, it was necessary to use a multiple of five t populate the wheels. A standard poker deck has 52 cards, so something had to be changed. Early video poker machines adjusted to this problem by removing the ten of spades and the jack and hearts from the deck. While this had obvious ramifications for making regular poker hands, it also cut the chance of getting a royal flush in half. They are so rare anyway that cutting the chances in half just seems intentionally cruel.

The Early Days of Video Poker

The early stages of Video Poker history were very much about the casino. There was very limited regulation of the new game so casinos were free to create games that were unfair to the player. Despite the unfavorable prospects before them, many players continued to flock to the new machines. It could have been the novelty of the machines, or any number of other factors, but video poker quickly became an intrinsic part of the American casino scene.

It wasn't until the late 19th century that a draw function was added to the game. Charles Fey was responsible for reevaluating the way that video poker machines functioned. He felt that there were significant flaws in the way that they were working up to that time. His vision was to create a game where players could actually use the poker skills that they gained in live games in a digital environment. He added a hold feature that allowed players to manipulate their hand. This gave players the tools that they needed to really be successful at the game. Now video poker strategy could be used!

The addition of the draw feature also spread video poker to a larger audience. Up to this point in the video poker history the game had been mainly confined to thrill seekers that wanted to play for large jackpots. It was the same crowd that regular slot machines and other luck based games. With a hold feature in place the game could spread to legitimate gaming communities. Now that the game closely mimicked live five card stud poker aficionados began to approach video poker as a practice tool for live games. It could help them to improve their game without the prying eyes of neighbors. It was considered the ultimate poker training tool, but was still not widespread among the whole population.

The Internet: A Tuning Point in Video Poker History

The boom that Video Poker needed came with the internet. In many ways the surge in popularity for online gambling is the most important step in the video poker history. This meant that everyone could access the game, even if they did not live within close proximity to a casino. They could access all different versions from their home computer, even making money in the process. It was the perfect place for a gaming system that had always been marketed for its easy accessibility. Video poker really proved its merit when it was embraced by the internet community, and is now offered by all the top online casinos.

In fact, the last stage of video poker history has been so influential that many people have their first poker experience online. The largest issue facing poker players today is how to translate their video poker skills to live tables instead of having to go the other way around. Video poker has definitely come a long way since its biased slot machine roots! Just think, you are playing a game that has a history as interesting as the game itself. How many casino games can say that?

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