Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy Guide

Jacks or Better Basics

Jacks or Better is the foundation of video poker. You're dealt five cards and can hold or discard any combination, then draw replacements for discards. Payouts begin with a pair of Jacks or better (hence the name).

Standard Pay Table (9/6 Full Pay)

A "full-pay" Jacks or Better machine offers these payouts per coin:

• Royal Flush: 800 (4,000 with max bet)
• 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 9/6 designation refers to the full house (9) and flush (6) payouts. Avoid 8/5 or 7/5 machines, as they significantly reduce your expected return.

Strategy Fundamentals

Unlike slots, video poker has a mathematically correct decision for every hand. The key is knowing which cards to hold to maximize expected value.

The Golden Rule

Always play maximum coins (usually 5). The royal flush pays 4,000 coins on max bet but only 1,250 coins at 5x the single-coin rate. This disproportionate payout makes max bet essential.

Complete Hand Ranking Strategy

When deciding what to hold, follow this hierarchy from strongest to weakest. Hold the highest-ranked hand that applies.

Tier 1: Made Hands (Always Hold)

1. Royal Flush
2. Straight Flush
3. Four of a Kind
4. Full House
5. Flush
6. Straight
7. Three of a Kind

Tier 2: Strong Draws and Pairs

8. Four to a Royal Flush
9. Two Pair
10. High Pair (Jacks or better)
11. Three to a Royal Flush
12. Four to a Straight Flush
13. Low Pair (2s through 10s)

Tier 3: Draws

14. Four to a Flush
15. Consecutive Four to a Straight (open-ended)
16. Two suited high cards
17. Three to a Straight Flush
18. Two unsuited high cards (pick lowest two if three)
19. Suited 10/J, 10/Q, or 10/K
20. One high card (J, Q, K, A)
21. Discard everything

Strategy Examples

Example 1: Jh-Qh-5s-5c-2d

Hold: 5-5 (low pair)

A low pair beats two suited high cards in expected value. The pair of 5s has more ways to improve to two pair, three of a kind, or better.

Example 2: As-Ks-Qs-Js-5s

Hold: As-Ks-Qs-Js (four to a royal)

Break the made flush! Four to a royal flush is more valuable than a completed flush due to the massive royal payout.

Example 3: Ah-Kh-Qd-Js-5c

Hold: Ah-Kh (two suited high cards)

With multiple high cards, keep the suited pair for flush potential. The straight draw is only inside (gutshot) so it's not worth pursuing.

Example 4: 9h-9d-8h-7h-6h

Hold: 9h-8h-7h-6h (four to a straight flush)

Break the pair of 9s. A four-card straight flush draw outranks a low pair.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Holding a Kicker

Never keep an unpaired high card alongside a pair. Hold only the pair. Example: With Qs-Qd-Ah-7c-3s, hold only the Queens, not Queen-Queen-Ace.

Chasing Inside Straights

Inside (gutshot) straight draws are rarely worth holding. Only pursue four to a straight if it's open-ended (can be completed with cards on either end).

Breaking a Paying Hand Incorrectly

The only time to break a made hand is for a four-card royal draw. Don't break flushes or straights for lesser draws.

Not Playing Max Coins

If you can't afford max coins, move to a lower denomination machine. The royal flush bonus is too significant to skip.

Finding Good Pay Tables

Return percentages by pay table:

• 9/6 (Full Pay): 99.54% return
• 9/5: 98.45% return
• 8/6: 98.39% return
• 8/5: 97.30% return
• 7/5: 96.15% return

Online casinos like BetMGM often offer 9/6 or 9/5 tables. Always check the pay table before playing.

Practice Tips

• Start with free video poker trainers that flag incorrect plays
• Memorize the hand rankings in order
• Practice the common decisions until they're automatic
• Keep a strategy card handy when learning
• Focus on avoiding costly mistakes rather than perfection