Video Poker Explained: How to Beat Jacks or Better

While they look similar to traditional slot machines, Video Poker games are fundamentally different in almost every conceivable way.

Video Poker is one of the few games on the casino floor where your decisions mathematically impact the outcome of the hand.

Because skill is involved, the casino must offer significantly better odds; a skilled player can often reduce the house edge to under 0.5%.

It is the baseline game from which all other complicated variations (like Deuces Wild or Double Bonus) are derived.

In this article, we will explain exactly how to play Jacks or Better and how to maximize your payouts.

The Basics: How to Play Jacks or Better

The goal is simply to create the best possible five-card poker hand according to standard poker hand rankings.

Once you hit the "Deal" button, the machine randomly deals you five playing cards from a standard 52-card deck.

You must carefully choose which cards to keep to build a winning hand, and which cards to discard to draw new ones.

As the name of the game implies, you need a minimum of a pair of Jacks (or Queens, Kings, or Aces) to win your money back.

The entire strategy revolves around calculating the mathematical probability of improving your hand on the draw.

Why You Must Play 5 Coins Per Hand

To achieve the highest possible RTP (Return to Player), you must absolutely always bet the maximum number of coins (usually 5).

If you look closely at the paytable printed on the machine, the payouts scale perfectly linearly for bets of 1 to 4 coins.

But if you press the "Max Bet" button and wager 5 coins, the Royal Flush payout suddenly jumps to a massive 4,000 coins.

If betting 5 coins is too expensive for your bankroll, do not play fewer coins; instead, move to a cheaper denomination machine.

Missing a 4,000-coin Royal Flush payout because you only bet one coin is the most painful experience in the casino.

Basic Strategy: What to Hold and What to Fold

Because the machine uses a standard 52-card deck, the probabilities of hitting specific hands are perfectly calculable.

For instance, if you are dealt a Low Pair and four cards to a Flush, the chart tells you which option yields the highest expected value.

A classic beginner mistake is keeping a "kicker" (a high card) alongside a pair, just like in traditional table poker.

Another common dilemma is deciding between a guaranteed winning hand and drawing for a massive jackpot.

The strategy can feel counterintuitive to players used to playing against humans, where bluffing and psychology matter.

What to Hold (From Best to Worst)

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• Tier 1: Dealt winning hands (Straight or better). Take the guaranteed money immediately.
  
• Tier 2: Four to a Royal. This is the only time you sacrifice a guaranteed winning pair to draw.
  
• Tier 3: Three of a Kind or a High Pair. These guarantee your money back or better.
  
• Drawing Pairs: A low pair offers better expected value than holding two random high cards.
  
• Flush Draws: Keep four suited cards and discard the outlier.
  
• Scraping the Barrel: If you have absolutely nothing, hold a single Jack, Queen, King, or Ace and hope for a pair.
  

How to Spot a Good Machine (9/6 Jacks or Better)

Not all Jacks or Better machines are created equal; casinos quietly lower the payouts on specific hands to increase their edge.

You are looking for a "9/6" machine, which means it pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush (on a 1-coin bet).

Never play an 8/5 or lower machine if a 9/6 machine is available in the same casino.

Master the strategy, hit the Max Bet button, and enjoy the intellectual thrill of beating the casino at its own game.