A video poker strategy is your best shot at going home a winner. The only thing the same between Jacks or Better video poker and live table poker is the ranking of winning hands. The objective is to get the best possible hand, while playing the game against the machine. This is one of the most common variations of video poker and once you master this video poker strategy, every other variation of video poker will be a snap to learn and master.
To begin, the video poker machine will deal out a five card hand. You have the option to throw away or keep as many cards as you like. Click the button under each card you wish to discard. After you have selected your cards, click the deal or draw button to get your new cards. The cards you indicated you wished to discard will be replaced with new cards. If your final hand is a winning hand, you’ll be paid out.
The following shows the ranking of hands and payout for a Jacks or Better video poker game.
Royal Flush - Ace, King, Queen, Jack and ten of the same suite. This the highest ranking hand in poker and will appear about once every 40,000 hands. This hand pays out 4,000 or more coins if five coins are bet. If only 1 to 4 coins are bet, it only pays out 250 coins.
Straight Flush - 5 sequential cards of the same suit. For example: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of clubs. This hand pays 50 coins for every coin bet.
Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same value regardless of suit. This hand pays 25 coins for every coin bet.
Full House - Two cards of the same value plus three cards of the same value, regardless of suit. Usually pays 9 or 8 coins per coin bet.
Flush - Five cards of the same suit regardless of order. This hand pays 6 or 5 coins for every coin bet.
Straight - Five sequential cards, regardless of suit. Pays out at 4 coins per each coin bet.
Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same face value regardless of suit. Pays out at 3 coins for each coin bet.
Two Pair - Two pairs of card of the same face value, like two fives and two sixes. Pays out at two coins for every coin bet.
A Pair of Jacks or Better - Two jacks, queens, kings or aces and is the lowest paying hand.
When you play a Jacks or Better video poker strategy make sure you examine each decision carefully and use the first option on the following list that applies to your hand. There’s no need to rush, so take your time - the machine will always wait for your decision.
Hold every winning hand you get. If you get four cards of a royal flush, then break up a winning hand.
If you are not dealt a paying hand follow this advice:
hold four cards of a straight flush
hold three cards of a royal flush
hold four cards of a flush
hold every low pair under ten
hold four cards of a straight
hold two high cards of the same suit
hold three cards of a straight flush
hold the jack, queen and king of any suit
hold any high cards of different suits
hold the jack, queen, king and ten of the same suit
hold any single high card
If you get any other cards, get five new cards.
Feel free to print this page and use it while you play. A good video poker strategy doesn’t necessarily have to be memorized. Often casinos will permit the use of strategy cards with information like what you see above.
