What was interesting was that during the early 1900s, gambling was not legal in America. The added skill component was a huge draw with players and led to these ‘draw’ poker machines being popular throughout the United States. In these ‘skill draw’ games, players could hold onto cards and re-spin the discarded cards to try for a better hand. This was the beginning of the future for video poker machines with the introduction of skill. This game machine was called the ‘card bell’ and was popular as you would expect.įey was not done there though in 1901, he innovated again and designed the ‘skill draw’ poker game. These games were images of playing cards on spinning drums with the drum showing the final hand.Ī little while later, in 1898, the industry-known godfather of slots Charles Fey developed a similar poker machine that paid out a jackpot of 20 coins if the hand was a royal flush. The first machines were the idea of Sittman and Pitt Company in 1891 and felt more like a slot machine than anything else. When we look back at the history of video poker games, we have to start at the very beginning with the early machines. Over the years, the game has changed a bit, with those developments leading to much-improved gameplay. Video poker hasn’t always been the popular game that it is in modern times. Now, before we get stuck into learning how to play video poker, we think that it is important to run you through the background of the game to set the scene. Which is why reading this guide on how to play video poker is a smart choice!

Yes, that’s right – your abilities and knowledge will help your outcomes.

Video poker doesn’t just provide easy gameplay, and it also offers players some of the best casino gaming odds while also allowing you to manipulate the outcome with your skills. Since bursting onto the casino gaming scene in the 1970s, video poker games have continued to develop – becoming one of the most popular casino gambling games.

How to play poker machines