Despite the increasing release of video poker variants, Jacks or Better video poker remains the most popular. The game’s relatively low volatility, low house edge, straightforward rules, high return-to-player (RTP) of 99.54%, and online availability have helped it retain its top position.
It’s the perfect game for anyone new to playing games that combine slot and poker features.
Read through this casino guide to learn how to play Jacks or Better video poker.
Getting Started With Jacks or Better Video Poker
Before you play, always check the pay-table. Here’s how full-pay Jacks or Better compares with common short-pay versions:
Jacks or Better Pay-Table Comparison
| Hand | 9/6 (Full-Pay) | 8/5 | 7/5 | 6/5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Full House | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Flush | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pairs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
The Jacks or Better video poker game inherits the traits of the classic Five-Card Draw Poker. You’re neither facing opponents nor reading bluffs. It is a single-player game against the machine with no dealer.
Jacks or Better video poker pits you against its paytable and calculable odds while offering you the simplicity and speed of slot machines.
Jacks or Better RTP by Pay-Table
| Pay-Table Version | RTP (Perfect Strategy) |
|---|---|
| 9/6 Full-Pay | 99.54% |
| 8/5 | 97.30% |
| 7/5 | 96.15% |
| 6/5 | 95.00% |
Objective
The straightforward objective of Jacks or Better is to create the strongest five-card hand possible. The minimum hand to secure a win is a pair of Jacks or higher (Queens, Kings, or Aces). And like traditional poker, you can control (though limited) your chances of winning, depending on your skill level and strategy. You can play Jacks or Better from BGaming to get started.
Basic Rules
Below are the Jacks or Better rules you should know:
- The game unfolds with a standard 52-card deck (no jokers or wild cards).
- You can only make one draw per round, as there’s no redraw. And here, Deuces aren’t wild as explained in the Deuces Wild guide.
- Payouts start at a pair of Jacks. Lower pairs, such as 10s or less, result in a loss.
- The bet you can place per hand ranges from 1 to 5 coins. You can only activate the full Royal Flush payout by playing the maximum coin (5).
Gameplay Steps
To apply a Jacks or Better video poker strategy correctly, you don’t necessarily need to know a poker guide for beginners, but you have to master the gameplay steps, which are:
Place Your Bet: Choose how many coins to wager per hand (from 1 to 5).
Set Your Hand: Select how many hands you want to play at once (single-hand or multi-hand options in most versions).
Deal the Cards: Press “Deal” to receive five face-up cards per hand. You’ll receive each hand independently if playing the multi-hand option.
Hold or Discard: Examine the strength of your five-card hand and choose which to keep (press the “Hold” buttons beneath each card position); the rest will be discarded automatically. You can discard or hold all cards.
The Final Hand: Press “Draw” to replace discarded cards with new ones from the deck. You can’t reverse your decision after drawing, as the hand is final.
Payouts: The final five-card hand determines your payout. You win if the hand is a pair of Jacks or higher, or any higher-ranking poker hand. The stronger the winning hand, the higher the payout.
For quick decision-making, you can also refer to our Jacks or Better strategy chart for the optimal hold-and-draw choices.
Winning Hands and Payouts
Below are the winning hands in Jacks or Better in order of their ranks and payouts:
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4,000 coins at max bet |
| Straight Flush | 250 coins at max bet |
| Four of a Kind | 125 coins at max bet |
| Full House | 45 coins at max bet |
| Flush | 30 coins at max bet |
| Straight | 20 coins at max bet |
| Three of a Kind | 15 coins |
| Two Pair | 10 coins |
| Jacks or Better | 5 coins |
Strategies for Playing Jacks or Better Video Poker
Simple Jacks or Better Strategy (Quick Cheat Sheet)
| If you’re dealt… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind | Hold all five cards. |
| Full House, Flush or Straight | Hold all five cards. |
| Three of a Kind | Hold the three of a kind, draw two. |
| Two Pairs | Hold both pairs, draw one. |
| High Pair (Jacks or Better) | Hold the pair, discard the other three cards. |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | Hold all four cards, draw one. |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | Hold the three suited high cards, draw two. |
| Low Pair | Hold the pair, draw three. |
| 4 to a Flush | Hold the four suited cards, draw one. |
| 2 High Cards (J–A) | Hold both, discard the other three. |
| 1 High Card (J–A) | Hold the high card, draw four. |
| No Pair, No High Cards, No Draws | Discard all five cards, draw a new hand. |
- Always play the “9/6” full-pay game. This version offers the highest payout (9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush).
- Always hold a royal flush or a straight flush.
- Always hold a high pair (Jacks or better) if dealt.
- Hold four cards to a straight or flush and three cards to a royal flush when possible.
- Always check the paytable, as not all machines pay the same.
- Discard all five non-profitable cards and draw new ones.
- You can use a reliable hand-ranking chart or the poker hands cheat sheet for new players to make hold or draw decisions.
Take It in Stride!
If you want a game that combines the simplicity and accessibility of slots with the strategic depth of poker while offering better winning odds, Jacks or Better video poker is the go-to. To get started, visit Slots Paradise Casino and click the play button.
Video Poker Strategy Charts – Free Downloads
These charts serve as a video poker cheat sheet ranking all possible hand combinations in order of strength and expected value (EV). Using it, you can reduce the house edge to below 1% in games like full-pay Jacks or Better, or in Deuces Wild gameplay. And the RTP can increase by 2-5%.
How To Read a Video Poker Strategy Chart
Utilizing a video poker strategy chart isn’t technical. Whether it is Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild video poker strategy chart, start by scanning the chart from top to bottom to match your hand with the applicable row.
FAQs
How to play Jacks or Better video poker?
The machine deals you five cards. You choose which to hold or discard. You then draw replacement cards and win based on the strength of your final hand.
What is Jacks or Better?
Jacks or Better video poker is the variant where you create the strongest five-card hand possible with the minimum win starting at a pair of Jacks or higher.
What is the best strategy for Jacks or Better video poker?
The best strategy is always to hold high-ranking hands (Jacks or better), play max coins when possible, and use a reliable hand-ranking chart for hold or draw decisions.
What wins in Jacks or Better?
Winning hands start from a pair of Jacks and go up to a Royal Flush. The higher the hand, the higher the payout.