Video poker was born in the mid-1970s, when the first electronic versions of poker began appearing in American casinos. The pioneering machine, nicknamed the "Poker-Matic", was developed by Dale Electronics in 1970 but had only modest success with the public.
Everything changed in 1979 when Si Redd, founder of SIRCOMA (Si Redd's Coin Machines, the future IGT), launched the "Draw Poker" machine. For the first time, a player could sit in front of a screen, receive five cards and choose which to hold or discard. This strategic interaction made it radically different from traditional slot machines.
In 1981, IGT introduced the "Jacks or Better" variant, which instantly became the gold standard. The rule is simple: to win, you must form at least a pair of jacks. This simple constraint opens the door to pure mathematical strategy, where every decision can be calculated to maximize expected value.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, video poker enjoyed a golden age in Las Vegas. Players discovered that unlike slots, some video poker machines offered a payback rate above 100% for those playing optimal strategy. Legendary machines like the "9/6 Jacks or Better" became favorite targets of advantage players.
The arrival of the internet in the 2000s fully democratized video poker. Online casinos offered dozens of variants (Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus, Joker Poker) and many books and training programs helped players master optimal strategy.
Today, video poker remains one of the most respected and most played casino games in the world. Its unique mix of chance and strategic decision-making makes it an excellent training ground for anyone wanting to understand probabilities and game theory applied to poker.