For thousands of players around the world, video poker is a relatively simple, highly lucrative, and very exciting way to gamble. While the game appeared in the middle of the 1970s, it gained popularity in the following couple of decades as it developed into more modern variations and more diverse formats. Today, mobile gambling has grown into a multi-million industry and a large part of this success can be contributed to the mobile video poker and the fact that more and more casino players prefer to open their favorite games directly from their phones and tablets.
Video poker is an interesting hybrid between the simple, random machine games and the much more complex game of poker, which requires lots of skills and knowledge in order to win. Playing video poker, however, is not as difficult, while giving quite high returns compared to other automated casino games such as slots. Placing bets from a mobile device is even easier and makes gambling not just entertaining, but also a comfortable and convenient activity that is no longer limited to traditional brick-and-mortar facilities or desktop-compatible online casinos. Today, you can have your favorite casino games, be it slots, video poker, or table games, in the palm of your hand. Moreover, you can place bets at any time and any place.
A large number of video poker games are available to mobile players and there is hardly anything that differs from the traditional video poker game play. Versions such as Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild translate seamlessly to touch screens and smaller devices thanks to their originally virtual nature. Mechanical poker machines also existed – around the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, but they were more precursors to slot machines rather than to video poker games which appeared much later. Most players will find it extremely easy to navigate through the mobile casino sites and the many apps that are being developed especially for gambling from portable devices.
Some of the largest casino software developers are creating special mobile versions of their games. Other games are built in such a way that they can run on almost any platform and can be opened from any desktop or portable device. The number of mobile video poker games is constantly growing and today, you can find tens and even hundreds of video poker variations for mobiles.
Joker Wild Video Poker Gameplay
Benefits of Playing Video Poker on Mobile
Playing video poker from a mobile phone or a tablet is not so different from playing while sitting in front of a computer screen. It comes with a number of benefits, however. It is much easier and more convenient to play a game during a long commute, for instance than having to go home, so that you can play. And it is much easier than actually going to a local casino or a gaming room. In many regions of the world, gambling facilities are illegal or have age-related or other restrictions. Online and mobile gambling, on the other hand, are allowed as long as you are playing in a legal and fully licensed online casino. But there is more to mobile play than just its accessibility and the convenience it brings to gambling enthusiasts.
Many casino players tend to spend hours on their favorite type of game while playing at a traditional desktop gambling site, not to mention those who are betting all their money at land-based casinos. Playing slots and video poker games can easily turn into a routine activity and you can lose yourself in the enthralling music of the slot machines, the bright lights of the games, and the dark atmosphere of the casino. Gambling sites are designed in a similar way – they can cause poor judgment and make you lose track of time. Mobile play simply prevents this from happening, especially if you are playing on the go.
More Benefits of Playing Video Poker on MobileThe only thing mobile users should take into consideration when playing video poker is that they need to be focused during their betting session. Unlike slot games, video poker is much more than a game of chance and in order to win, you need to know the basic principles and follow the game. Failing to stick to the right strategy for the particular video poker variation you are playing usually results in long-term losses.
Due to the limitations of the mobile technology, mobile games tend to have lower quality graphics than the games available through desktop websites. However, video poker games traditionally are less graphically intense than video slots, for instance, as video poker is essentially played with only cards. There is no need for complex designs, high-quality animations and 3D effects that you would find in modern slots. As a result, most of the mobile video poker games are just as good and visually appealing as their desktop counterparts. In fact, their graphics are remarkable and this is despite the fact that this technology was not even available a decade or two ago.
Mobile Video Poker Technology
In recent years, mobile technology has grown astronomically to the point where we no longer need traditional computers, at least when it comes to daily activities, Internet browsing and entertainment. Mobile phones and tablets are used for shopping, watching movies, social networking, and yes, gambling. Today, portable devices have much more processing power, storage space, and come with more advanced software than ever. For this reason, casinos are able to offer their games on mobiles.
There are two ways to play mobile video poker – through a mobile application or on the mobile-enabled site of a casino. In the beginning, online casinos offered only mobile versions of their sites which performed quite poorly and came with only basic features and only just a few games. With the development of native applications, video poker players now can enjoy better graphics quality, impressive sound effects, and a truly personalized experience.
Most apps are available for iOS devices and can be downloaded from the Apple Store, but some casinos also create applications for Android phones and tablets. Unlike iOS apps, these applications are usually not found in the official Google Store, as the company has quite a restrictive policy regarding gambling-related apps. These can be installed from the casino websites directly and are also completely free. Users of Windows-powered Phones, on the other hand, can play mobile games only in-browser.
Screen Fit and Touch Technology
One of the most important things for online casino operators is to make sure their page appears correctly across all devices and screen sizes. If not done properly, resizing may lead to pages that are much bigger than the screen of an average smartphone, which is around 6 inches.
Difference with Desktop Video Poker
The way you interact with mobile video poker games is quite similar to the traditional play in land-based casinos or online while sitting on a desktop computer. The reason for this is that originally, video poker was created as a virtual game, not a physical or a mechanical one, as it was with the first slot machines.
Gaming Experience
As mentioned above, playing video poker from a smartphone or a tablet does not differ significantly from the desktop gaming experience. The goal remains the same – the player needs to win by getting the best hand possible with the five cards that are dealt. There are two draws and after the first one, the player chooses which cards to hold and which to change.
Screen Fit Additional TipsThere are also casino sites which, when opened from a portable device, have a smaller text, instead of being “shrunk to fit”. This is a common challenge online casinos often face when moving to mobile.
Another characteristic of mobile casinos is that they are compatible with devices with touch screen capabilities. For many players, it is much easier to place bets from a touch screen where they can control all in-game features with a swipe of their fingers. Although this technology is relatively young, it has already gone through many improvements. Today, you can do practically everything from the display of your phone – shopping, reading, or playing casino games.
More Differences with Desktop Video PokerMoreover, you would find the same variations of video poker in brick-and-mortar facilities, on desktop and on mobiles. While there is no difference in the gameplay between mobile and desktop video poker, the graphics are not always equally good when you play the game from a hand-held device. The size of the screen is certainly a factor, but the truth is that generally, video poker does not feature complex graphics or elaborate animations. These games look rather simple compared to many of the modern video slots, for example, which are much more colorful, complex, and interactive. So, mobile games often bring you almost the same smooth, pleasant user experience that you would normally get if you are playing from a computer.
Gaming Experience Additional TipsAfter a new set of cards is dealt, the computer determines whether you have a winning hand or not. One thing every new player would notice immediately when opening a video poker game on a handheld device is that it would automatically adjust its size to the size of the screen. In most cases, there is an Auto Rotate, whether this function is activated on your phone or not. Usually, the Casino Lobby link or any menus are in the form of compact buttons in one of the corners of the screen, so that the player can enjoy the game more comfortably and without any distractions.
Mobile Video Poker Casinos
Many of the modern online casinos are offering their customers native mobile apps which are designed specifically for one purpose – playing from smartphones and tablets. Compared to mobile compatible casino websites, they tend to perform better, while having more interactive features and a larger number of games. This is not true for all mobile sites, however, as some of them are being built with mobile use in mind. Such mobile optimization can be noticed immediately as the site design resembles an application, featuring larger icons, easy Sign In/Register buttons, and more convenient menus.
Mobile Video Poker Casinos Additional TipsWhen choosing a good mobile casino for playing video poker, players need to take several things into consideration. Functionality is among the first ones, along with security and user-friendliness. Before registering an account at a particular casino, players should also pick a mobile site or an application which would give them access to a wide variety of games. In most cases, you will be able to play around a hundred slots, several video poker games, and casino classics such as roulette, blackjack and poker. Below, we have compiled a list of some of the safest and most convenient mobile casinos for real-money video poker.