Video Poker

Video poker is a machine-based casino game that deals five cards on screen, lets you hold the ones you want and replaces the rest, paying out according to a fixed paytable rather than against a dealer or other players. Because the outcome depends on which cards you keep, the game combines a random number generator with a limited element of decision-making, which is why theoretical return figures are quoted for optimal play rather than average play. Different pay schedules for the same game family can carry noticeably different returns, so the paytable printed on the machine defines the maths, not the game's name. Sessions can be fast, and the house retains a mathematical edge over time regardless of how well individual hands are played.