Video poker got its name mainly because the player plays against the machine.
The player buts his put down and receives 5 cards to play with. The player then has a chance to discard a number of cards and get new ones. If the player wins he is the paid in accordance with a scale of odds. This typically means a pair of jacks or better
The odds offered differ from game to game. Of course this can substantially affect the player’s chances of making a profit. Sometimes you will discover wild cards, and in other games there’s a cumulative jackpot. The jackpot influences if the game is worth playing.