Video poker mixes the speed of a slot with real decisions. You’re dealt five cards, choose which to keep, and draw replacements. Your final hand is paid from a fixed paytable.
Jacks or Better is the classic version. Played well on a good paytable, it has one of the lowest house edges online. Played badly, or on a poor paytable, it costs much more.
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1How a hand works
- Choose your stake and deal five cards.
- Tap the cards you want to hold.
- Press draw. The cards you didn’t hold are replaced.
- Your final five cards are paid from the paytable.
There’s no dealer to beat. You only need a pair of Jacks or better to get your stake back.
2Read the paytable first
Every Jacks or Better game shows its payouts on screen. Players describe games by what they pay for a full house and a flush, per coin staked.
| Paytable (full house / flush) | RTP with best play |
|---|---|
| 9/6 (“full pay”) | 99.54% |
| 8/5 | 97.30% |
| 7/5 | 96.15% |
| 6/5 | 95.00% |
Those small differences matter. Moving from 9/6 to 6/5 makes the game more than ten times as expensive to play. Always check the paytable before you start.
3The royal flush bonus
In many versions a royal flush pays 250 per coin at one to four coins, but 800 per coin at the maximum of five coins. The RTP figures above assume you play five coins. If you play fewer, choose a smaller coin size rather than fewer coins, so you still qualify for the bonus.
4Simple holding rules
Full strategy charts are long, but these rules cover most hands:
- Never break a straight flush, four of a kind or royal flush.
- Four to a royal flush beats every other hand, even a made flush or straight.
- Hold a made straight, flush, full house or three of a kind.
- Hold two pair, then any high pair (Jacks or better).
- A high pair beats four to a flush; a low pair beats four to an outside straight.
- Don’t keep a kicker. With a pair, hold only the pair.
- With nothing, hold your high cards (up to two), or draw five new cards.
5Bonuses and pace
Video poker usually counts little or nothing towards wagering requirements, so it’s rarely a good way to clear a bonus. Hands are also fast. Even with a low edge, hundreds of hands an hour add up, so keep an eye on your budget.
6Our video poker tips
- Find 9/6 Jacks or Better if you can, and avoid 6/5.
- Play the maximum coins at a coin size you can afford.
- Use the holding rules; guesswork costs far more than the edge.
- Compare with other low-edge games in our house edge guide.