How Video Poker Machines Work: The Science and Technology Behind Modern Games

Last updated on April 13th, 2025 at 03:49 pm

There’s no question that online slots continue to rule the roost. Also, traditional slot machines make up the majority of games on the casino pit floor for obvious reasons. However, very quietly, video poker machines are growing in size on the casino pit floor. They are also growing in popularity in the online casino lobbies.

But what exactly are video poker machines, and why are they worth trying out? This article walks you through the magic of video poker machines and why they are worth the gamble in 2025.

The Evolution of Video Poker Machines

Video poker machines first hit the scene in the 1970s. IGT is believed and credited for developing the first official video poker machine, “Fortune Poker.” The mystique of video poker machines is that they have the cabinet and features of a classic slot machine, but they play like poker. Most video poker games feature a variant of Five-Card Draw.

Si Redd, who previously worked as a slot machine manufacturer, developed the original video poker machine in 1979. The machine named “Poker-Matic” functioned as a video interpretation of the five-card draw poker game. However, Poker-Matic failed to gain traction among the traditional Atlantic City and Las Vegas slot players.

Seeing the immense potential of the video poker machine, IGT, then known as SIRCOM, picked up the mantle and refined Poker-Matic into Fortune Poker. This time, Fortune Poker hit the mark among players thanks to the simpler gameplay and automatic features found in slot machines. Throw in the fantastic paytable, and the world of video poker machines has expanded ever since.

Video poker machines started to become popular in United States casinos during the early 1980s with the debut of the Jacks or Better game. Video poker became the casino standard when players aimed to win by getting a pair of jacks or better.

As “Jacks or Better” grew to be one of the country’s most popular casino games, video poker saw multiple new variations, like Aces and Eights, introduced to accommodate a range of player tastes. Multi-line play and progressive jackpots also emerged.

The Rise of Online Video Poker

Even with the first wave of online casinos, video poker was still hit or miss. However, with the dawn of American online casinos in the 2010s, that soon changed. Because savvy players wanted to take play high RTP games with great payouts, the top real money sites at the time wasted no time having special sections for video poker games.

It was also the actual golden age of online video poker. Besides having the popular variants like Bonus Poker and Deuces Wild, the top real money and the top new sweepstakes casinos also went out of their way to feature bonus and custom variants. For example, Double Bonus Poker is a variant of Bonus Poker, which itself is a variant.

With so many options now available for poker players today, video poker remains one of the most beloved and fast-growing game categories, online and in person.

Another reason for the rise of online video poker is through the smartphone and device revolution. With 24/7 access in the palm of your hand and more people working from home than ever before, online video poker has never been more popular. Casinos, including social casinos, also tie their video poker machines to loyalty programs and mobile applications, enabling players to monitor their rewards and bonuses along with their game history from anywhere the casino operates, in the state or in regions like most social casinos.

There’s also no denying that the massive graphical upgrades, also continue to benefit today’s video poker games. Having interactive elements, including live video poker play and immersive visuals, in video poker play, continues to transform the gaming experience.

Video Poker Machine Components

Whether video poker machines are played in person or online, they still have these features:

1. Automatic Card Draw: Most video poker games play like Five-Card Draw. You can use the autoplay feature like autospin playing slots to let the CPU draw, keep and discard cards.
2. Traditional Poker Payouts: The fun part about playing video poker is that they all follow the traditional poker payout system. That means you can win big with a royal flush or two-of-a-kind. It’s always great to read the poker game payouts to know what you’re getting.
3. High RTP: Most video poker machines have an RTP of at least 96%. So you get plenty of bang for your buck.

Conclusion

The world of video poker continues to expand with more AI technology. AI tools continue to make the traditional video poker experience more personalized. You can also get personalized tips and suggestions to improve your video poker experience, and even more custom variants. Taking it one step further, many of today’s online video poker games feature progressive jackpots.