Video Poker: Rules, Paytables and Strategy
Video poker mixes the speed of a slot with real decisions about which cards to keep. Those decisions, and the paytable, decide how much the game returns over time.
How video poker works
Video poker is played against the machine, not other players. Each hand works like this:
- You choose your stake and are dealt five cards from a freshly shuffled 52-card deck.
- You choose which cards to hold. The rest are discarded.
- You draw replacements for the discarded cards.
- Your final five-card hand is paid according to the game's paytable.
There's no dealer hand to beat and no bluffing. The only question is which cards to keep.
Jacks or Better explained
Jacks or Better is the classic version and the best place to start. The lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks or higher; a pair of tens or lower pays nothing. Everything from two pair upwards pays more, up to a royal flush.
Reading a paytable
The paytable shows what each hand pays for every credit staked. A typical "9/6" Jacks or Better paytable looks like this:
| Hand | Pays (per credit) |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 (800 when you play maximum credits) |
| Straight flush | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 25 |
| Full house | 9 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pair | 2 |
| Jacks or better | 1 |
The name "9/6" comes from the full house and flush payouts. Those two numbers matter more than they look: full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better returns about 99.54% with perfect strategy, while versions that pay 8 and 5 or less return noticeably less over time. Many games pay a bonus on the royal flush only when you play maximum credits, so check the paytable before choosing your stake.
Why strategy matters
The published return assumes you make the best decision on every hand. Play by instinct and the return falls. A few well-known principles cover a lot of hands in Jacks or Better:
- Keep any paying hand of two pair or better.
- Hold four cards to a royal flush, even if it means breaking up a flush, a straight or a high pair.
- Don't hold an extra high card (a "kicker") alongside a pair.
- A low pair is usually worth more than a single high card.
Strategy reduces the house edge, but it doesn't remove it: even perfect play returns a little less than you stake over time. For how return percentages work, see RTP explained.
Other variants
- Deuces Wild: every 2 is wild, so the minimum paying hand is usually three of a kind and the paytable is very different.
- Bonus Poker and Double Bonus Poker: extra payouts for certain four of a kinds, balanced by smaller payouts elsewhere.
- Joker Poker: a joker is added to the deck as a wild card.
Each variant has its own best strategy, so what works in Jacks or Better doesn't carry over directly.
Here are the current casino welcome offers from our featured brands:
Editor's pick Position 1
PlayWins iOS app
Code PWIN50 on your first deposit
50 Bonus Spins on Big Bass Splash
Code PWIN50- Min deposit £10
- Wagering 1x
- Max £100 cashout from bonus spin winnings
- Valid 7 days
18+ New customers only. First deposit of £10+ by Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay or Apple Pay using code PWIN50, then wager £10 on eligible slots within 7 days to get 50 Bonus Spins on Big Bass Splash (10p each, use within 24 hours). Bonus spin winnings wagered 1x on eligible slots; max cashout £100. Excluded games apply. One per household. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Great offer Position 2
BetFusion iOS app
Code BFUS50 on your first deposit
50 Bonus Spins on Big Bass Splash
Code BFUS50- Min deposit £10
- Wagering 1x
- Max £100 cashout from bonus spin winnings
- Valid 7 days
18+ New customers only. First deposit of £10+ by Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay or Apple Pay using code BFUS50, then wager £10 on eligible slots within 7 days to get 50 Bonus Spins on Big Bass Splash (10p each, use within 24 hours). Bonus spin winnings wagered 1x on eligible slots; max cashout £100. Excluded games apply. One per household. 18+. T&Cs apply.
- Position 3
LuckCity LuckCity iOS app
20 Free Spins on Book of Dead with your first deposit
25% up to £50 + 20 Free Spins
- Min deposit £10
- Wagering 10x
- Max conversion 1x bonus amount; £20 from free spins
- Valid 30 days
18+ New players only. Min deposit £10 via the casino cashier. 25% match bonus up to £50 plus 20 Free Spins on Book of Dead. Bonus wagered 10x within 30 days; free spin winnings wagered 10x within 7 days. Game contributions vary. Max conversion: 1x the bonus amount, or £20 from free spins. Skrill and Neteller deposits excluded. Withdrawal requests void active bonuses. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Browse more casino poker games on our casino poker hub, including Casino Hold'em and Three Card Poker.
Keep it fun
Set a budget before you play, never chase losses and take regular breaks. Gambling should never be a way to make money. Free, confidential help is available from GamCare or the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
