The history of video poker is a very interesting tale indeed. We are going to cover the growth of this type of poker, from its humble beginnings to what it has become today. In today’s online gaming community, video poker has become a giant in all front running online casinos.
Video poker comes from humble beginnings. In the 70s, the idea of the personal computer was just coming into play. As is the case with almost all new technologies, the gambling industry would come to love and embrace this new leap in technology. It is interesting to know that at the birth of video poker almost fell flat. The threat of this game tanking was a very real thing. A man named Si Redd was working for Bally at the time. He was a front runner of slot machine technology and was well known for his innovative new games. At this time, he pitched his idea to Bally executives in Chicago. They turned him down (which they later realized was one of the biggest mistakes they ever made). Luckily, Redd convinced Bally to let him take the patent to the game. Within months, Redd made a deal with Fortune Coin Company from Las Vegas… and video poker was born!
The earliest game was known as draw poker and it would be almost unrecognizable to the purveyors of the game these days. Throughout the 80s, video poker became the most played casino game in the U.S. It coupled equal amounts of skill and luck that made many gamers feel more in control of the game. Many patrons of the casinos had also become very bored with the slot machine (which had not had a major improvement in years).
Growth of Online Poker
With the boom of the internet, online poker became accessible to gambling enthusiasts around the world. No longer was it necessary to go to a casino and deal with the disadvantages of table – based games. Players could play multiple hands at one time and the internet allowed them to earn money from home. Also for the first time video poker was available to people in remote or industrial areas where live casinos were not allowed. They could log into their online account and for the first time countries, distances, and local ordinances, no longer hindered the availability of staking the odds on your hand in a game of Texas Hold’em.
Introduction of Microgaming
In 1994, with the introduction of the first online casino software in the world of online gaming, the world of online video poker really blew up. This software changed the monotonous tone that many online games had taken on. Since then, online poker games have come up with innumerable themes, designs, textures, and colors. This led to video poker becoming widely accepted in the online gambling community. This means that video poker has grown greatly in popularity. These days online casino software is readily accessible and free in most cases. All you need is a computer and access to the internet to log on and try your luck at your favorite online poker table. Couple that with the speed in which online transactions takes place means there is no need to wait to claim you’re winnings. You can get the best yield possible without wasting a bunch of money on transportation and hotels.
In today’s online poker world, there is a wide variety of different games available to the player. With so many different options, trying your luck at multiple tables is part of the allure. No longer are you constrained by what is available at the closest casino. The player holds all the cards, the options and opportunities are endless.