How to Play Jacks-or-Better Video Poker

Video Poker is a great game and easy to play if you already know how to play five-card draw poker. The rules are the same, only there is no raising or bluffing and you're not really playing "against" other players. You just make a single bet at the beginning and your goal is to have a hand that includes a pair of jacks or better, otherwise the house wins.

To play, you select a number of "credits" you want to wager from one to five on the hand. The credits can be worth .25, $1 or more a piece. The computer deals you five cards and you select which you want to keep and which you want to discard to draw new cards, just as in five-card draw. Then you are dealt replacement cards and your final hand decides whether you win or lose ... and how much.

You will win more the better your hand is, so make sure you know the ranking of poker hands.