The roots of the Video Poker game obviously lie in the popular game of poker. Some believe that Video Poker machines have descended from coin-operated machines used in the late nineteenth century. These machines featured poker cards on five reels and were operated by the insertion of a coin and by pulling a lever on the side.

The early poker machines were considered a form of slot machine and were located in bars and cigarette stores around the United States. These machines became a very attractive form of entertainment, and winnings were offered in the form of cigarettes or drinks or other prizes. Today's game of video poker is a combination of a slot machine and five card draw poker.

The first poker machines were based on pure luck. They used a total of 50 cards and, unknown to the players at the time, were usually lacking the Jack of Hearts and Ten of Spades. In the early twentieth century, Charles Fey made welcome amendments to these machines, adding a hold and draw feature, allowing players to apply their poker card game skills. Following a rather quiet period for poker machines, with occasional flares of interest, this early poker machine underwent a serious facelift in the late 1970's. Thanks to modern technology and the development of the computer chip, the Video Poker machine was born at the same time as the personal computer. At the beginning, Video Poker was played on a machine that appeared rather like a television set.

In 1979, a successful Video Poker game in the form of Draw Poker was introduced by SIRCOMA. This is an acronym for Si Redd's Coin Machines, and later became known as International Game Technology (IGT). In the years that followed, these machines became increasingly popular, as many players began to prefer dealing with the machine, rather than sitting at a casino table with others. The popularity of the game increased at such a rate that Video Poker soon became a serious rival to slot machines on the casino floor.

Basic Video Poker is a five card poker game, from which the player may choose to hold or discard cards. Credits are inserted and then cards are drawn upon pressing the "deal" button. Regulations require video poker machines to deal a random hand of cards and software has been created that provides the player with a fair chance of winning. The player's aim is to finish the game with the best possible hand. The opportunity to win progressive payouts may also be found on today's video poker machines.

Today, video poker may be played at many land-based casinos and also online. Due to the widespread success of the Internet and online casinos, video poker games are easily accessible online. There are several different types and variations of video poker games available. "Jacks or Better" is the most frequently found video poker game. In this game, a player whose hand consists of a pair of jacks or better may benefit from payoffs. "Deuces Wild" is a video poker game in which all twos act as wild cards. "Double Bonus" video poker offers a bonus for a hand containing four aces. Each particular type of video poker game has its own rules and payout conditions, but they are all based on the original game of poker. From what has been happened up until now, it appears that a rosy future lies in store for the video poker game.