The beginnings of Video Poker can be traced as far back as the 1800's. After the invention of the famous Liberty Bell Slot Machine by Charles Fey in his garage in the late 1800's, further developments were made to it — making it the predecessor of the modern day Video Poker machine.

In 1901, Charles Fey added to his very popular Slot machine the feature of Draw. This allowed some of the drums to be held when taking a second spin. This feature greatly increased the popularity of the Slot machines and turned them more into a gambling machine.

In the early 1900's these basic versions of the Video Poker machines with the Draw feature became very popular. Charles Fey was not the sole manufacturer anymore. The best machines were manufactured by a company by the name of Sittman and Pitt from Brooklyn, New York, and became so popular that demand was greater than supply and there was a backlog of orders. These machines could be seen in practically every liquor store and cigarette shop around the United States. Poker had already become the card game of the people, having gained in popularity in the early 1800's from a simple game of 20 cards to the full pack of 52 cards being used by the later 1800's. Poker was played all over the world; from its beginnings in Europe it had spread into a worldwide game. The introduction of the Draw feature to Slot machines provided yet another avenue for the eager card player to play his game. Since gambling was not yet legalized all over the United States and the rest of the world, these Poker machines would not pay out money. If a player got a good hand such as a flush he was paid out in prizes, for example, cigarettes; if it was a lower hand, it could be a payout of a drink or a single cigarette.

The way these machines worked was by the player inserting a coin into the machine and pulling the handle. In many countries the machines were known as one-armed bandits because of these handles. The player would then wait for the drums, which were sent spinning by the pull of the handle, to come to a stop. The player could then choose from the five drums that had come to a stop which cards he wanted to hold and which he wanted to spin again. This element introduced the aspect of gambling; it was not just a game of luck, and a certain amount of skill was now needed. The machine was built of five drums or reels which were spun around when the handle was pulled. The addition of the Draw feature made the player feel like he was taking part more in the gambling side of things. The player was under the impression that there was a full pack of cards displayed in these machines, when in fact it was only 50 cards: the Ten of Spades and the Jack of Hearts were left out. This reduced the chances of the player winning, unknown to him. Despite this, these machines were extremely popular and it was these early machines that lead to the invention of the modern-day Video Poker machines as we know them.

The first known modern electronic gambling machine was recorded in 1964. It was an electronic machine, made by a company called Nevada Electronics. It was known as the solid state "21" machine. From this developed all sorts of different machines with consoles that would give actual pictures of the cards or a Roulette wheel or Dice. At first these machines were black and white, but as Technicolor developed so did these machines. The idea of a console and a screen developed and by the mid 1970's there were many types of electronic gambling machines to be seen. By then the computer industry had also taken off and together with the technology of the computer the modern-day Video Poker machines were definitely set on their way.

In 1975, the Fortune Bell Company introduced the first video Bell Slot machines. This was a combination of a television like monitor together with a solid state processing unit. This machine was not too popular with the casino visitors and it was changed to a Draw Poker machine which was immediately accepted and became very popular. It enabled the player to play Poker at a screen, he was able to see the cards on screen and choose his hand. There was a console where he could choose his next moves, to fold, draw etc. The same rules of Poker that were used at regular casinos applied. A winning hand was made up of a Royal Flush, and this gave the best payout.

The idea of this machine also took off like wildfire, and in 1979 a company by the name of Si Redd's Coin Machines introduced its version of the Draw Poker machine. The Company was known as SIRCOMA and later became the International Game Technology Company which is still around today. The machines were constantly developed and updated in tangent with the increasing technology that was used. In the mid 1980's there was a boom in the use of Video Poker machines and a shortage of supply. Many players would prefer to use the Video Poker machines which were not as intimidating as playing at a regular card table. Also the players were able to play the game with a much lower investment. Machines still operated on the one-coin basis so a game was not nearly as expensive as at the tables. Video Poker machines were not limited to casinos; they could be found in train stations, in airports and even in local cafes. In England, there was not a pub to be found that did not have a Video Poker machine. Games arcades developed and with them, special areas were cordoned off for Video Poker machines and other electronic gambling machines.

With the advent of the Internet in the 1990's, the Video Poker machine was the most popular gaming device there was. It was natural that this was one of the first games that online gambling companies developed. The online Video Poker game came to fruition in the early 1990's and was played in much the same way as the original machines. A player had a very low minimum bet, and it was easy to transfer money to online casinos thanks to the advances in online banking and payment systems. The online Video Poker screen shows a hand of cards and the player is able to decide how he wants to continue his game. Video Poker is available at every online casino today and there are many different versions to be found. With the increasing technology that is used on a daily basis to improve the games, Video Poker most definitely has a leading edge over many other online casino games. With the introduction of Microgaming technology, digital sounds and flash animation to our computer screens, the Video Poker game online is a pleasure to play and improves daily. It has all the fun and excitement of the original machines, but you can play Video Poker online from the comfort of your own home.

The Video Poker machine, whether it is at a gas station or train station or on your home computer, is one of the most popular gambling machines there has ever been. It provides a perfect combination of part Video Slots and part Poker which keeps the player enthralled. Video Poker is not intimidating and is easy to use. From the small workshop where Charles Fey first invented the original Slot machine to today's online Video Poker machines, the industry has thrived and both the players and the manufacturers have benefited.