Video Poker 101 – Paytables, Strategy & 99%+ RTP
Video poker is one of the few casino games where smart play and good game selection can get you very close to break-even over the long term. This guide covers how the games work, what paytables mean, and how basic strategy fits in.
1. How Video Poker Works
Video poker combines elements of slots and 5-card draw poker. You’re dealt 5 cards, choose which to hold, draw replacements, and get paid based on your final hand.
Standard flow
- Choose coin value and number of coins (usually 1–5).
- Press “Deal” to receive 5 cards.
- Select cards to hold and press “Draw”.
- Final hand is evaluated according to the paytable.
Different variants (Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, Double Double, Deuces Wild, etc.) change which hands pay and how much.
2. Paytables: 9/6 Jacks or Better & Why It Matters
The paytable is a list of payouts for each final hand. For Jacks or Better, a common “full pay” version is called 9/6 Jacks or Better.
| Hand | Full-Pay 9/6 JoB (per coin) | Short-Pay Example |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 (with 5 coins bet) | Often same |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 45 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 20 |
| Full House | 9 | 8 or 6 |
| Flush | 6 | 5 or 4 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better (pair) | 1 | 1 |
Full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better has an RTP of about 99.5%+ with optimal strategy. Short-pay versions (like 8/5) can drop to ~97% or lower.
3. Basic Strategy: Holding the Right Cards
Video poker strategy is about choosing which cards to hold to maximise long-term return. Full optimal charts can be detailed, but you can start with simplified rules.
Example: simplified Jacks or Better priority (top to bottom)
- Made hands: always hold pat straight, flush, full house, quads or better.
- 4 to a Royal Flush – keep all four, discard the fifth card.
- 3 to a Royal vs made Straight/Flush – often keep the made hand; check charts for edge cases.
- High pairs (Jacks or better) – keep the pair, draw three.
- Low pairs – usually keep the pair, draw three.
- 4 to a Flush or Straight – hold the four, draw one.
- High cards (J,Q,K,A) – hold the highest or some combinations depending on the situation.
This is just a flavour. Proper strategy charts list precise decisions for every combination of cards. Using a trainer app or printed chart is the fastest way to improve.
4. House Edge, RTP & Player Mistakes
The advertised RTP assumes perfect play. Real players usually make mistakes – and those mistakes are effectively extra edge for the house.
- Picking short-pay tables cuts your RTP instantly.
- Using “gut feeling” instead of strategy slowly leaks extra edge.
- Not betting max coins often reduces the Royal Flush payout from 800x to 250x – a big hit to long-term return.
5. Bankroll & Session Planning for Video Poker
Even high-RTP video poker games can be swingy, especially if you’re chasing Royals and big bonuses.
Basic guidelines
- Only play at stakes where you can afford 200–400 hands per session.
- Expect long periods with no big hands; don’t bank on hitting a Royal.
- Set a loss limit and a time limit, even on “good” machines.
- Treat small wins as a reason to take breaks, not to automatically raise stakes.
6. Keeping Video Poker in Perspective
Video poker can feel more “skillful” than slots, but it’s still a negative-EV game in almost all casino settings. Your goal is to get entertainment on your terms, not to grind a paycheck.
- Don’t play longer or at higher stakes just because RTP is high.
- Take breaks – long sessions increase fatigue and strategy mistakes.
- Stop if you’re using video poker to escape stress or problems.
If video poker, or any other gambling, doesn’t feel like optional entertainment anymore, visit Responsible Gambling for help and resources.
Your Next Video Poker Steps
- Compare video poker to other games in House Edge by Game.
- Study Expected Value (EV) for Gamblers to connect paytables to long-term outcomes.
- Build a simple plan from Bankroll Management before you start.