Video poker is the only casino game where the RTP can exceed 100% with correct play. Jacks or Better with optimal strategy gives 99.54% RTP, and certain Deuces Wild variants reach 100.76% with perfect play. The game is simpler than it looks: 52 cards, a pay table, and clear rules for which cards to hold or discard.
What Is Video Poker
Video poker is a solo card game played against the machine — not against other players or a dealer. You are dealt five cards and decide which to hold and which to discard; the machine replaces discarded cards from the same deck. The final hand determines your payout based on the pay table.
No bluffing, no reading opponents. The only decision is which cards to hold — and it is mathematically optimisable. An exact strategy chart exists for every game variant.
Hand Rankings and Payouts: Jacks or Better
The most popular variant is Jacks or Better (JoB). Payouts start from a pair of jacks or higher. Standard 9/6 pay table (Full House 9:1, Flush 6:1) with a 5-coin bet:
| Hand | Payout (5-coin bet) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4000 (800:1 per coin) |
| Straight Flush | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | 125 |
| Full House | 45 |
| Flush | 30 |
| Straight | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | 15 |
| Two Pair | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 5 |
RTP of the 9/6 table = 99.54%. The casino retains just 0.46% long-term with perfect play. An 8/5 table (Full House 8:1, Flush 5:1) — RTP 97.30%. One position lower on the Full House payout costs 2.24% RTP.
Always check the pay table before playing — it directly determines the RTP.
Basic Strategy: What to Hold
The decision of which cards to hold follows a hierarchy: check for the strongest possible hand from the top down. Key rules for Jacks or Better:
| Hand | Action |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind | Hold all |
| Full House, Flush, Straight | Hold all |
| Three of a Kind | Hold three, discard 2 |
| Two Pair | Hold both pairs |
| High Pair (J, Q, K, A) | Hold the pair |
| 4 to a Royal Flush | Hold 4, discard 1 (even breaking a made Flush) |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | Hold 4 |
| Low Pair (2-10) | Hold the pair |
| 4 to a Flush | Hold 4 |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | Hold 3 |
| 4 to an Open Straight | Hold 4 |
| Two high cards (J+) | Hold 2 |
| One high card | Hold 1 |
| Nothing useful | Discard all |
Key point: a pair of jacks outranks 4 cards to a flush (unless it is a royal flush draw). Breaking a made flush for 3 to a Royal Flush is correct; for 4 to a Straight Flush it is also correct.
Video Poker Variants
Jacks or Better is the base variant. Other popular formats:
- Deuces Wild — all twos (2s) are wild and substitute for any card. RTP with perfect strategy: 100.76% (full pay table) or 98.91% (short pay). Strategy differs significantly from JoB — many plays are counterintuitive.
- Joker Poker — a joker is added to the 52-card deck. Payouts start from two pair (or Kings or Better in some versions).
- Double Bonus Poker — increased payouts for Four of a Kind depending on the rank (4 aces > 4 fives). RTP 99.11% on the 10/7 table.
- Multi-Hand Poker — play 3, 5, 10 or 52 hands simultaneously. One base hand is dealt; each hand independently replaces discarded cards. Increases variance but accelerates royal flush accumulation.
Why the Royal Flush Changes Everything
The Royal Flush in video poker carries an anomalous payout: with a 5-coin bet it pays 800:1 per coin instead of the normal 250:1. This makes the maximum 5-coin bet mathematically mandatory — betting 1 coin reduces RTP by approximately 2%.
A Royal Flush hits roughly once every 40,000-45,000 hands with optimal strategy. At 500 hands/hour, dozens of hours of sessions without a royal is normal variance. This is why bankroll matters: 200-300 starting bets for a comfortable session.
Video Poker at Online Casinos
Online casinos offer several video poker formats:
- RNG Video Poker — played against an algorithm, demo without registration. The ideal format for practising strategy. Providers: IGT (the original developer), NetEnt, Microgaming.
- Live Casino Poker games — Evolution Gaming offers Casino Hold’em and Three Card Poker, technically different games but in the same niche.
Where to Play Video Poker Online
- BC.Game — Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild in demo, crypto deposits. Visit site
- BitStarz — video poker from NetEnt and Microgaming, fast withdrawals. Visit site
- 1Win Casino — wide variant selection including Multi-Hand. Visit site
- Stake Casino — video poker with crypto betting. Visit site
