When you think of gambling, the words Las Vegas automatically come to mind. What you should know is that Pennsylvania is a great competitor to Las Vegas in commercial revenue through casino gambling. Pennsylvania boasts of an impressive $3 Billion annual revenue gambling industry.

Casinos in Pennsylvania initially focused on manual gambling but have recently added video poker to the services they offer.

There are over 12 registered casinos in the state, but one that stands out is Parx Casino.

Parx Casino

With a gaming space of up to 150,000 square feet, Parx Casino is one of the largest casino venues in Pennsylvania. As long as you are over the age of 21, you can enjoy 24 hours of the best of Pennsylvania poker and other games with no restrictions. The casino initially offered in-house gambling services, but as of July 2019, they introduced an online platform for gamers to enjoy. They set up their online platform using GAN software, which is already a well-established player in the iGaming sector. The mobile apps are available on both Android and Apple. To play, you only need to set up an account and deposit your stake using PayPal, Visa/MasterCard, or wire transfer.

History of Pennsylvania Video Poker

Pennsylvania poker the Pennsylvania racehorse development and Gaming act of 2004. The statute regulates the licensing and operation of casinos in Pennsylvania. The state would, however, have to wait until July 2019 for the official launch of the online video poker games. Since then, video poker has taken the state by storm.

Distinctions between Poker and Video Poker

The great thing about Pennsylvania poker is that you can enjoy it both in original form and via online platforms. Both versions have advantages and shortcomings. Besides the combination of cards that one has, the skill and ability of a player to stay calm under pressure also determine the outcome in physical poker. Computerized automation makes video poker simpler. Random systemic combinations determine the result of the hand you draw. Therefore, many players would argue that video poker removes the thrill of physical poker. Others would prefer online poker because of its simplicity and the number of variations that can come with the game. There are two major versions of video poker; Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild.

Jacks or better

Derived from blackjack in physical poker, Jacks or Better is the first video Pennsylvania poker game. Players use an interface that resembles a slot machine with 5 cards. They anchor the 5 card draw to the basic deck of 52 cards. Each card has a predetermined value, and the random draw combines the value of each card to dictate the amount paid. The royal flush is the highest hand, while the 9th and the least valuable draw is a pair. Ensure you try out this exhilarating game at Parx Casino or any of the other Pennsylvania poker casinos like Sugar-House, Hollywood at Penn National, Mount Airy, Mohegan Sun, and Harrah’s Online Casino.

Deuces Wild Video Poker

Like Jacks or Better, Deuces wild involves getting a 5-card hand. The significant variation is that in Deuces or wild, the game renders the four ‘two’ cards as wild cards and can take any value when drawn. This naturally inflates the value of any hand when you draw them. A player can convert a pair of cards to three of a kind or random hands to straight flushes. One observation to note is that, due to the conversion of deuces, the game takes a shorter