what is video poker

Video Poker History

Video poker is a fun and exciting casino pursuit with a comparatively short history.

Overview of Video Poker

It should probably first be noted that video poker could be explained as a combination of traditional poker and a slot machine pursuit. This pursuit successfully merges the elements of luck and skill. Video poker has a fairly recent history, especially in comparison to some other casino pursuits which may have ancient histories.

Birth of the Video Poker Machine

The first video poker machines appeared in the 1970s at a similar time to the personal computer. Seeming to combine two very popular casino pursuits, video poker presents an exciting alternative to the traditional table games. Searching for the roots of video poker, one should perhaps take a glance at the origins of the slot machine and a classic poker game. The roots of the traditional slot machine are believed to lie in the end of the 19th century in San Francisco in a creation by Charles Fey. As for poker, the actual origins of this traditional game are somewhat unclear, however it is believed to be a very old game. (Note; Online Gambling is illegal in the US)

Roots of Video Poker

A discussion on modern video poker would be incomplete without a mention of the early poker machines. In New York towards the end of the 19th century, an early poker machine was created by the Sittman and Pitt Company. This machine had separate spinning drums that each held different playing cards. The idea was that when the drums came to a standstill, this would then reveal the player’s five card hand. It should be noted that it was easy for the operators to leave out certain cards, making a good win more difficult. These machines still had a way to go for the technology involved in the modern video poker machine, but perhaps here the seeds were sewn.

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Modern Video Poker

An electronic video poker machine was launched by Dale Electronics in 1970 and this machine found its way onto the Las Vegas casino scene.

In 1979, Draw Poker was launched by SIRCOMA. This company later changed its name to International Game Technology (IGT), a company that is still around today. During the 1980s, video poker entertainment seemed to attract more interest among the public. Video poker allows the player to control some part of the game and yet it is considered to be less daunting than sitting at a poker table. It is evident that following its introduction, video poker turned into an attractive element at many casinos.

Video Poker at the Best Online Casino

In the mid 1990s, the first of the best online casinos graced the Internet. It was seemingly a simple task to transform the video poker machine into a viable and attractive online pursuit. Offering privacy and convenience, the online video poker game enables its gamers to play this fun form of amusement that offers the aspect of chance while allowing for some element of skill. Video poker has proved to be an attractive form of entertainment and can today be located at many best online casino sites.