Question:    If a video poker machine uses only one standard 52-card deck, how can you draw the card that you discard? It happens to me all the time. I hold 10, J, Q, K of spades and discard the jack of hearts to draw to the royal flush, but many times, I get the jack of hearts back on the draw. How is this possible?

Answer:    It is not possible on any video poker machine whose manufacturer is licensed to sell in Nevada or Louisiana. Most likely, your quick-look perception or your short-term memory is playing a trick on you. You probably discarded the jack of diamonds in online video poker. If you are certain that you got the same card back, you should stop playing, call for a slot supervisor, and ask him to show the history of the play. They can put the machine into a diagnostic mode, so that you can see the last hand as it was both before and after the draw.

If you find that you actually did receive a discard on the draw, they should shut down the machine for testing, and if you did not get a payoff for the final hand, they should, at least, refund your bet. You may also talk to Gaming Control; this will ensure that the machine will be checked for a possible illegal chip and that the machine’s manufacturer will check out the problem. Some online casinos have a Gaming Control officer on the premises at all times to minimize delays when any dispute arises.