The History of Video Poker
Video Poker is the digital version of the original Poker card game. It is a casino game based on the five card draw poker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size of a slot machine. Most of these Poker machines are embedded with a specialized CPU which acts as the brain similar to the ones found in the home PCs.
The earliest models of Video poker consoles appeared in casinos in the mid-1970s which also saw the launch of personal computers. The first Video poker machine was built by Bally Manufacturing Ltd in the year 1976. The earlier consoles were quite primitive in nature compared to the ones available today. This game was played on black and white screen.
The color version of the game was launched by the Future coin company just 8 months later. Video poker machines became quite popular with the launch of the electronic poker popularly known as Draw poker which was a widely popular card game in the year 1979. This concept of electronic poker machines was popularized by a company called SIRCOMA or Si Redd’s Coin Machines which later became known as International Game Technology Inc.
The 1980s saw Video poker becoming increasingly popular in Casinos across America. During this period a poker player could find poker machines virtually in every casino. Since then a number of Casino goers prefer playing Video poker compared to playing the original version mostly because it is less intimidating than playing the same game on tables.
Video poker has gained a lot of prominence in many local casinos especially in casino hot spots such as Las Vegas. In 1994, Micro gaming began to introduce Video poker games as well as a variety of other online casino games. Today video poker machines on the Internet offer a variety of ways of playing poker with jackpots amounting to thousands of dollars.
The popularity of the Video poker has steadily increased during the last quarter of the century and it can be found in majority of casinos across the world. A poker player even has the advantage of playing Video Poker on a number of online casinos on the Internet. These casino websites even offer a number of variants of Video Poker to their poker players.
Certain online casinos such as VideoPokerBuzz even offer their players a specific video poker strategy which helps a poker player improve his stakes of winning the game. These games can be played with better graphics and a higher resolution which enhances the average poker player’s gaming experience.
A recent survey conducted by an independent research firm found that a poker player had better chances of winning bigger cash rewards in Video Poker than by playing the traditional version of the card game.
Video Poker machines in casinos are regulated by state or by NIGC also known as National Indian gaming Commission which is an independent regulatory agency within the Department of the Interiors. Video poker machines are tested regularly to ensure whether all of the machines are compliant to the present standards.
