Poker machines have been around for centuries, being invented even before the famous Liberty Bell, Charles Fey’s legendary slot machine. They are quite popular, too – video poker machines can be found both in real life locations like pubs, lottery offices and land-based casinos, and online. They have many variants, usually with a few small spins on the original rule set. A selection of these can be found at https://www.europalace.com/video-poker/. Video poker is a fast-paced, entertaining single-player game that, while unlikely to make its players rich, pays out enough to keep them tied to the screen for a long time. Here are some facts about video poker and poker machines that you probably don’t know.
Against all odds
The original poker machine built in 1891 by Sittman and Pitt, an amusement machine manufacturer from Brooklyn, New York, wasn’t a gambling machine as we know it. It was a popular addition to the city’s pubs and bars – people would insert a nickel, spin the drums, and wait for them to stop at a good hand. Quite often, winners would be offered a prize instead of money – like a free beer, for example.
Yet the more valuable hands bore more valuable payouts – especially Royal Flush. To reduce the chances of such a hand landing on the reels, the machines only had 50 cards, with the ten of spades and the jack of hearts usually missing from the deck. This minor change doubled the odds against a Royal Flush.
The most generous game
Video poker – especially “Deuces Wild” – is one of the most-played casino games at the Euro Palace Casino. The reason for this is simple – it is one of the few games that, when played right, can be quite profitable for the player. All games at the Euro Palace come with an RTP (Return to Player) between 96 and 98 percent. When played the right way – specialists refer to this as a “perfect play” – video poker can have an RTP of over 100%, which means that it can be profitable in the long run, eliminating the house edge completely.
This is especially true for some multi-hand variants the Euro Palace has for its players, allowing them to play several hands at once.
Classes and odds
Class III gaming machines – including video poker and slot machines – are strictly regulated in most states. They are required to simulate the real thing as faithfully as possible, meaning that a Class III video poker machine will offer players the same odds as playing with a deck of cards. Class II machines are different, though. In their case, the regulations aren’t as strict, making them prone to lower payout percentages and odds bent to favor the house.