Online Jacks or Better Video Poker

Hand	1 coin	2 coins	3 coins	4 coins	5 coins
Royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
Four of a kind	25	50	100	125	150
Full house	9	18	27	36	45
Flush	6	12	18	24	30
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
Three of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
Two pair	2	4	6	8	10
Pair of jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

Almost all Jacks or Better video games offer the same payouts for all hands above except for the flush and the straight. This version of the game is called 9/6 Jacks or Better, or full pay Jacks or Better. Other versions of the game offer payouts of 8 to 1, 7 to 1, or 6 to 1 for a full house, and payouts of 5 to 1 for the flush. Those reductions in payouts make the payback percentage for the game lower.

You'll also notice that the payout for the 5 coin bet on the royal flush is disproportionate to the other royal flush payouts.

Progressive Jacks or Better Games

On some progressive versions of this game, the progressive jackpot will be the payout on this hand instead of the 800 to 1 payout that this game offers. Almost all progressive Jacks or Better games will offer 8/5 pay table (8 to 1 for a full house and 5 to 1 for a flush.) If you're playing a progressive Jacks or Better video poker game, you should only play when the jackpot reaches:

• $250 on a nickel progressive

• $2500 on a quarter progressive

• $10,000 on a dollar progressive

Online Jacks or Better Strategy

The strategy for online Jacks or Better video poker is the same as the strategy for traditional casino Jacks or Better video poker. We've included an abbreviated list of strategy tips which should provide you with a respectable payback percentage. A full Jacks of Better video poker strategy would include some deviations for some hands.

Jacks or Better Strategy #1 - No kickers

You never keep a kicker when you're drawing to a pair in Jacks or Better video poker. Doing so reduces your potential return on the hand by 5%. Discarding three cards instead of two cards here gives you a 150% greater chance of hitting your three of a kind, and the payout on the three of a kind is so much better than the payout would be if you hit your kicker for the pair of jacks or better that it has a huge effect on the play of the hand.

Jacks or Better Strategy #2 - Three to a royal flush

Sometimes when you have a high card, you'll draw four cards to try to hit a pair of jacks or better. This is a good strategy except when you have the opportunity to draw three cards to royal flush. Always draw three cards to the royal flush over drawing four cards to a high card.

Jacks or Better Strategy #3 - Let the machine deal you a winner

Any time you get a five card winning hand, always keep the winning hand. For example, if you get a pair of jacks or better, you keep them and draw three cards. If you get three of a kind, keep them and draw one card. There is one important exception though. If you get four cards to a royal flush along with a high pair, break the winning hand and draw to the royal flush. The payout is so high on the royal flush that the rare occasion when it hits will make up for all the times it doesn't.

Jacks or Better Strategy #4 - Flushes

Don't break a flush to draw to a straight flush unless you're drawing to a royal flush.

Jacks or Better Strategy #5 - Straights

Don't break a straight to draw to a flush unless you're drawing to a royal flush.

Jacks or Better Strategy #6 - High cards

If you have nothing better to draw to (like four to a flush, four to a straight, a low pair, or three to a royal flush), then keep any jack or better and draw to try to hit your high pair. If your highest card is a ten, then it's better to draw five new cards than to try to draw to the ten.

Conclusion

Jacks or Better video poker is a gratifying and entertaining experience, especially once you hit your first royal flush. Using the strategy advice above, you'll be providing yourself with hours of gambling entertainment for a much lower house edge than almost any other online casino game. Combined with occasional casino bonuses and perks, you might even be able to make it into a profitable activity. Good luck at the online video poker games!

See also:

On January 31, 2008, we published an article called Video Poker Cost Per Hour which focuses largely on Jacks or Better expected losses.