Easy no-download video poker! Jacks or Better, Bonus, Double Double, Deuces, Joker Poker, total of 17 variations plus perfect play trainer. Video poker expert, Linda Boyd, gives details on the 10 best reasons why Jacks or Better is the best video poker game to play. Topics covered include: wide a. If you see a Jacks or Better game that shows a Full House pays 9 units, and a Flush pays 6, then you know the return rate for that particular game is approximately 99.5%, making it a solid bet. Ideally, finding a machine that is 10/7 or 9/7 is the best bet, because these machines have a. Betting the Maximum of 5 Coins Is the Only Way to Score Premium Payouts on a Royal.
The internet has caused a lot of things to change since its inception, one of the most striking is in the world of Video Poker. Although the first versions were released back in the 1970s, the look, feel and variations that are now available compared to when the internet was first launched are vastly different. The rules for each are very simple and only very slightly from one game to another, the easiest to play and one of the oldest and most popular is Jack or Better, which we outline below.
Before you read this strategy, ensure you know poker hand rankings.
Once you have mastered this, you are ready to consider the best way to play the Jacks or Better Video Slot.
How to Play Jacks or Better
There are lots of versions of video poker and although some differences between versions are fairly minor, the version does affect the best strategy.
All versions share the same basic rules, however, which involve you choosing your stake, receiving 5 cards from a standard 52 card deck (some versions have an extra Joker – not Jacks or Better though) after which you can discard as few or as many as you want. Any cards you discard are replaced using the remaining cards in the deck, at which point winnings are paid depending on the strength of your hand. You don’t need to worry about what the dealer or other players get as there are none, it is just you against the machine.
This article concentrates on the most popular version of Video Poker, Jacks or Better which pays out on any hand that has a pair of Jacks or better all the way up to a Royal Flush. A screenshot of a typical Jacks or Better Video Poker game is below.
Free Slots Video Poker 9 6
Jacks-or-Better gives you a 99.54% expected rate of return when played correctly. On the front of the machine, you can check the payouts and pick the ones with the best odds.
Here are payouts for a Full House and a Flush respectively on various machines.
The best odds when you play Jacks or better Are best on a 9 / 6 machine, it simply pays out more money to go with this machine.
Jacks or Better Paytables
Paytables can vary a small amount when playing Jacks or Better at different casinos, generally speaking though, the following is fairly standard:
| Hand | Payoff |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 |
| Full House | 9 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
| 2 Pair | 2 |
| Pair of Jacks or Better | 1 |
As you can see, the difference between a Royal Flush and all other hands is huge, in order to win we, therefore, need to maximize the chances of getting a Royal Flush whilst banking as many smaller wins as we can to keep us ticking over until the Royal Flush arrives.
Draw Poker Jacks Or Better
Another thing to realize when playing Jacks or Better is that around 79% of hands will be losing hands, so don’t feel despondent if you go several hands without a win. Perseverance is the key to playing any form of Video Poker, what you need to do is keep plugging away picking up small wins wherever possible to keep your funds ticking over until the big one arrives.
When you decide on the stake to play, ensure you play the maximum coins if you can, this will give the biggest possible payout when the Royal Flush does arrive and ensures you get a nice return. It is much better to reduce the value of a coin and play maximum coins than play a higher value coin but only bet 1 coin per go.
Patience is key, so take your time to study the strategies and make the right move, there is no time limit on Video Poker unlike some games as you are playing by yourself and others won’t be waiting on your move like you will get in some forms of Roulette and Blackjack. Make the most of this and get the decision correct to maximize your chances of a payout.
We have listed 2 strategies below, get used to the simple version if you are new to Video Poker, feel free to jump straight to the advanced version if you are more experienced.
Jacks Or Better Strategy
Using this strategy should increase the return over time to around 99.45% if played correctly. Reducing the House Edge in any casino game is important and although this may not seem like much, over a long period of time, it can make a big difference.
As with all Video Poker, patience is key. The only real way to make money is by hitting a Royal Flush, and due to the low odds of this happening, it can take a long time.
Start from the top of the table below, and hold the first set of cards that are applicable to the hand you are dealt:
| Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind |
| 4 cards to a Royal Flush |
| Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind |
| 4 cards to a Straight Flush |
| 2 Pair |
| High Pair |
| 3 to a Royal Flush |
| 4 to a Flush |
| Low Pair |
| 4 to an Outside Straight |
| 2 Suited High Cards |
| 3 to a Straight Flush |
| 2 Unsuited High Cards – Choose just 2 if more than 2 |
| Suited 10/J, 10/Q, 10/K |
| One High Card |
| Discard All |
Terminology
In the above table, the following applies:
High Card – Jack, Queen, King or Ace. A Pair of these returns your stake, so it is worth holding.
Outside Straight – 4 Cards that are consecutive and where a card at either end can provide you with a Straight – EG. 5,6,7,8
Video Poker Odds Jacks Or Better
Inside Straight – 4 Cards where there is one number missing that would complete a Straight. EG 5,6,8,9
Advanced Strategy
Once you have mastered the above, take a look at our more in-depth Advanced Strategy. This will increase the payout percentage to around 99.54%, one of the highest returns of any casino game. If you are lucky enough to hit a Royal Flush early, a nice return is on offer…
As with the Simple Strategy, start at the top of the below table and work your way down until you find the cards applicable to your hand.
| Dealt Royal Flush |
| Dealt Straight Flush |
| Dealt 4 of a Kind |
| 4 to a Royal Flush |
| Dealt Full House |
| Dealt Flush |
| 3 of a Kind |
| Dealt Straight |
| 4 to a Straight Flush |
| Two Pair |
| High Pair |
| 3 to a Royal Flush |
| 4 to a Flush |
| Unsuited 10, J, Q K, A |
| Low Pair |
| 4 to an Outside Straight that includes 2 High Cards |
| 3 to a Straight Flush |
| Suited JQ |
| 4 to an Inside Straight, all High Cards |
| Suited QK or JK |
| Suited AK, AQ or AJ |
| 4 to an Inside Straight, 3 High Cards |
| Unsuited JQK |
| Unsuited JQ |
| Suited 10J |
| 2 Unsuited High Cards with K s the highest |
| J |
| Suited 10 K |
| Q |
| K |
| A |
| Discard Everything |
Borderline Hands
The below are hands that very nearly make it into the above list, but an optimal play would be to make a different decision.
Suited 10 A – Hold the A only
3 Unsuited High Cards with A as the highest – Keep the lowest 2 High Cards as the chances of a Straight are higher when open-ended
4 to an Inside Straight with 2 High Cards – Keep the 2 High Cards
4 to an Inside Straight with 1 High Card – Keep the 1 High Card
4 to an Inside Straight with 0 High Cards – Discard all
Jacks or Better Tips
The jacks or better tips are the same for any video poker game, the only thing that’s different is the strategy card. I will go over some of the basic tips as part of our jacks or better strategy.
- Always play the maximum number of coins in order to be eligible for the bonus payout for a royal flush. You can’t win without hitting it in any video poker game so this is the hand that is vital. To do this you need to be able to play for a long time banking smaller wins until you hit it.
- Take your time to study every hand and play correctly. The machines at casinos are in no hurry when you play Jacks or Better and neither should you be.
- Only 21% of the hands dealt are winning ones in Jacks or Better, meaning 79% are losing hands. The difference between success and failure for players is the ability to convert the 79% of losing hands to potential winners and this involves using strategy. If you follow the rules below you will convert a good number of losing hands to winners in Jacks or Better video poker
Video Poker Related Articles:
Video Poker Guide
Double Bonus Strategy
Best Video Poker Sites
Featured Gambling Guides
Table Of Contents
- This article is for those who don't know how to play Jacks or Better video Poker
- Read the best Jacks or Better strategy tips before you play real money games
Today, I am going to share some useful Jacks or Better video poker strategy tips that will help you increase your win rate and enjoy more this exciting casino game.
Did you know that video poker has the highest payout percentage of all casino games?
While the house edge for typical casino games varies between 90 and 97 percent, video poker can offer up to 99.54 percent.
But only if you know what you're doing.
And for that, you need a good video poker strategy.
In this article, we will delve into my favorite variation of video poker - Jacks or Better (Draw Poker). I like it because of how simple and straightforward the game is.
(Another great game to play is Deuces Wild, but we'll keep that to another article.)
To play successfully (aka. to win), a sound Jacks or Better strategy is a must.
That's why today you are going to find out a few important things like:
- how to reduce the house edge
- how to make the best out of the cards you get
- how to maximize your chances to win
In case you already know how to play Jacks or Better and want to put your knowledge into action ASAP, you can visit this Casino site and play this video Poker game online for free and for real money.
Free Video Poker: Jacks or BetterUse my video poker strategy tips to play Jacks or Better like a pro!
Play NowAs for the rest of us, let's continue with the article!
The Importance of Poker Hands at Jacks or Better Strategy
If you want to become good at Jacks or Better video poker, you need to understand its card combinations.
It comes without saying that you must know the basic video poker rules for a solid start, and I recommend this article for that.
Now, let's check out the possible poker hands that result in winnings.
- Royal Flush. It can't get any better than that. This hand has to include these cards: . Most games don't require them to be consecutive. All cards must be in the same suit.
- Straight Flush. Five consecutive cards from the same suit. Example:.
- Four of a Kind. Nothing complicated here: four cards of the same value. Example: .
- Full House. You collect Full House when you receive five cards that are comprised of one pair and three of a kind. Example: .
- Flush. Five cards of the same suit. Example:
- Straight. Five cards that form a consecutive sequence. The suits are mixed.
- Three of a Kind. You get Three of a Kind when you receive three cards of the same value. Example: .
- Two Pair. Two pairs of two cards of the same value. Example: .
- Jacks or Better. The easiest one to collect, this combination includes only one pair of jacks or a higher value. Example:
Suit abbreviations:
Spades (s)
Hearts (h)
Diamonds (d)
Clubs (c)
Don't worry if you can't remember them all - these video Poker machines online include a table with the winning combinations and payouts.
And if you really want to go deeper on the subjects, here's the most complete poker hands chart on the internet.
The most important thing is to choose the casinos with the highest payment possibilities.
Tip: If a game has full payouts, it should pay two times your bet for Two Pairs.
How to Actually Play Jacks or Better Poker
Video Poker Odds Jacks Or Better
If you've ever played Jacks or Better, you know that this is a casino game that depends on both luck and your choices - a characteristic, this one, that is common to all online poker machines.
It goes like this:
You get five cards and must choose the ones that you want to keep for the next round. You click 'deal', and get your final combination.
The problem is:
Which cards should you hold?
Luckily, this choice is not as difficult as it might seem. Below, I prepared an easy Jacks or Better strategy for beginners that you should use when dealing with your cards.
Jacks or Better Strategy Made Easy
Here are the main tips for a basic Jacks or Better poker strategy:
- When you have four cards to a Straight or a Flush, hold all four of them and draw only one additional card.
- When you have three cards to a Royal Flush, keep them! Draw two additional cards and you might be lucky.
- Need only two more cards for a Straight Flush? Hold the three lucky cards you have and draw two more.
- When you get a pair of cards, hold them and draw three additional cards. However, this tip is not always applicable.
- If you have no matching cards in your hand, hold a card that is higher or equal of value to Jacks.
- No combinations and no Jacks or higher? Draw five new cards.
Jacks Or Better Free Poker Caesars
The Problem of Low Pair Vs. High Pair
A couple of the main questions that most video poker players have are as follows:
When is it best to hold a low pair?
When should I hold a high pair?
Let's take a look at what you should do in different situations.
Jacks or Better Poker Strategy: Low Pair
Usually, I suggest you keep all the low pairs you receive. However, there are certain situations when it's better to skip them.
This is when you should keep a low pair:
- When you have four to a Straight, always keep the pair that you got. Example: 55678. In this case, hold 55 and discard 678.
- When you have three to a Straight Flush, keep the low pair. Example: 3h4h5h5s9c. Hold 5h and 5s.
- When you have a low pair and two cards that could result in a Royal Flush… you should still hold the low pair! Example: 6s6h2cKhAh. Hold 6s and 6h and discard the rest.
Here are the cases when you should discard your low pair:
- When you have three to a Royal Flush. The probability to get the best outcome is simply too high to keep the low pair. Example: 2sJhJsQsKs
- In case you have four to a Flush, break that low pair! Example: 5d5h8d9dQd
Jacks or Better Game Strategy: High Pair
The crucial difference between a low pair and a high pair in video poker is that the latter is a guaranteed win.
However, there will be certain situations when you'll think that you need to break the pair for a bigger win.
BUT - a seemingly right decision can cost you your bet.
Here are the cases when you have to keep your high poker pair no matter what.
Note: A high pair consists of two cards of the same value (Jacks or higher).
- If you have four to a Flush and a high pair, hold the pair and draw three other cards. When an identical situation occurs with a low pair in hand, you should break it.
- When you have four to a Straight, keep your high pair to have a higher chance to win.
- If you have three to a Royal Flush, it is still better to hold the pair! The odds to get a Royal Flush are not high enough in this case.
- It's more beneficial to keep the high pair when you have three to a Straight Flush. Over time, this will produce better results.
On the contrary, there is one case when you should break your high pay in Jacks or Better poker game:
- When you have four to a Royal Flush. In this situation, it would be a waste not to do it as the odds are simply too high for that sweet winning sequence!
Note: As soon as you decide to use a video poker game strategy, stick to it. Whether you play online or at a land-based casino, discipline is your truest friend when it comes to beating Jacks or Better.
You Can Play Jacks or Better Video Poker Game Online For Free!
No strategy can be useful without sufficient practice.
But you don't want to bet your hard-earned money on your first try at Jacks or Better. No, you need to play this video poker game for free first!
And that's an easy task. Why?
Because you can do that on this video poker site.
Here, each Jacks or Better game variation has a demo mode that does not require real money. At all.
Activate the Bonus and Play!Register a free account and use the bonus to play free Jacks or Better Video poker games online.
So, practice online all you want - and try to win real cash as soon as you learn how to play this game flawlessly.
May the odds be with you!
The promotion presented on this page was available at the time of writing. With some Casino promotions changing on daily basis, we suggest you to check on the site if it still available. Also, please do not forget to read the terms and conditions in full before you accept a bonus.