Video Poker is so called because usually one player plays against a machine which displays the player's cards on a screen. However, there is no obvious reason why it could not be played with real cards, dealt by a human banker istead of a machine.
The player places a stake and is dealt five cards from a standard 52-card pack. The player has one opportunity to discard any number of unwanted cards, and is dealt an equal number of replacement cards from the deck. If the player then has a sufficiently good poker hand, the dealer than pays the player according to a fixed scale of odds according to the type of hand. "Sufficiently good" often means a pair of Jacks or better - if the player's final hand is worse than this, the stake is lost to the dealer.
The exact odds offered and the minimum winning hand vary from game to game. Of course this can significantly affect the player's chances of making a profit. In some games certain cards are wild - either the deuces or a joker added to the deck - and in some games there is a cumulative jackpot which is won by a high hand such as a royal flush. The size of the available jackpot then also affects whether the game is worthwhile to play.
The Video Poker section of the rec.gambling FAQ has some useful information on Video Poker odds and strategies.
Video Poker Baller has rules and payout tables for a large range of Video Poker games, plus advice on odds and strategies, biographies of players, reviews of books and analysis software, a forum, and links to places where Video Poker can be played online.
The Absolute Video Poker site has details of payout schedules, odds and strategies for various styles of Video Poker.
James Yates has written a detailed Strategy Guide for Jacks or Better Video Poker.
Boris Sandberg's BVS Video Poker program simulates video poker gambling machines. It features the most commonly found machines in casinos: Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, and more. BVS Video Poker can also be used as a training tool to learn the best long-term strategies to use when playing video poker. The program provides statistical analysis for any hand you can play. In AutoHold mode it tells you the best cards to hold and automatically holds them for you. It can also alert you when you make a mistake in playing strategy. Or you can analyze any hand to find the best choice.
The video poker section of Online-Gambling offers rules, variations, animated instructions, strategy tips and a Video Poker Training Game.
Scott McNab's Card Games 4 Free site reviews a range of free Video Poker games.
The Video Poker page of the Slots Jam site has information on types of Video Poker and links to places to play, including the associated site Free Video Poker 4U which offers a range of free games requiring no download.
Video Poker Advisor offers information and advice on playing Video Poker, and at Video Poker City you can play various styles of Video Poker on line for fun.
The page Video Poker, The Game - at Online Casino Tips has video poker rules and a guide to basic strategy and payouts.
Martin Templeman's Real Video Poker gambling site has information about various Video poker games, hands and odds, and links to on line video poker games.
Marc Brocoum's webTV-compatible Ace Games server includes a Video Poker game.
Recreasoft offers a Video Poker game, through which you can win free software.
Sancho's Video Casino includes several free Video Poker games.
North Star Solutions' Poker Mania is a Windows program that simulates Video Poker.
Casino Games Simulation has a Java version of Video Poker which can be played on line for fun or practice.
Several types of Video Poker can be played online at meingames.de.
Poker.webware.ee has an online Jacks or better Video Poker game programmed in Flash.