Video poker and slot machines are the most-popular forms of machine based
gaming. That said, these two games are often compared in a variety of aspects.

Many players who take a beating on slots become curious about video poker due
to its strategic element.

Jacks or Better 'Jacks or Better,' sometimes simply called 'Draw Poker,' is the most common variation of video poker. Payoffs begin at a pair of jacks. Full pay Jacks or Better is also known as 9/6 Jacks or Better since the payoff for a full house is 9 times the bet, and the payoff for a flush is 6 times the bet. Video poker players classify Jacks or Better video poker machines by the ratio of payout between a Full House and a Flush. The payout table above is called a 9/6 Jacks or Better game because it pays out 9 units for a Full House and 6 units for a Flush. Video poker players seek out 9/6 machined because they offer the best odds. Bonus Games in Jacks or Better Poker In Jacks or Better, there is one specific bonus feature that adds to the excitement of any win. This bonus round feature is called the 'gamble' option and appears with every winning hand. Essentially, players are given six chances to. Video Poker has More Strategy than Slots. One key difference between slot machines and video.

Likewise, those who don’t want to bother with video poker strategy become
interested in slot machines due to their simplicity.

If you fit into either of these categories, or you’d just like to know how
slots and video poker compare, keep reading as we break down all of the
important aspects.

Later, we’ll also discuss how video poker and pull tab machines compare since
the latter is also a popular machine game.

Difference Between Video Poker and Slot Machines

# 1 Difference: Video Poker has More Strategy than Slots

One key difference between slot machines and video poker is that the latter
involves intricate strategy.

You begin every video poker hand with 5 cards, and you decide what to keep
and discard. Each decision you make has a long-term impact on pay back.

Let’s look at an example:

  1. You’re playing 9 / 6 Jacks or Better
  2. You’re dealt: 10c, Js, 9c, 4s, 6s
  3. The correct move is to keep Js and discard everything else.

In the situation above, the only correct strategy decision is to keep the
jack of spades. Anything else results in a higher house edge and lowers your
chances of winning.

Contrast this to slot machines, where the biggest strategy aspects involve
bankroll management and choosing games with high pay back.

Once you accomplish these two goals, there’s literally nothing else to do
besides hitting the spin button.

Some of the newer slot machines feature skill-based bonus rounds. But these
bonuses only account for around 5% of overall pay back.

Video poker contains far more skill than this, and there’s no comparison to a
skill-based slot.

# 2 Difference: Slots Offer Bigger Progressive Jackpots

Slot machines are well known for offering progressive jackpots worth millions
of dollars.

Of course, only a small percentage of slots offer this much money. But the
point is that you can make a fortune by winning a slots jackpot.

Below you can see some historic online and land-based slots jackpots.

  • $39.71 million

    Won
    by a 25-year-old software engineer at Las Vegas’ Excalibur Casino.

  • $34.56 million

    Won
    by cocktail waitress Cynthia Jay-Brennan at Vegas’ Desert Inn.

  • €17.88 million
    (approx. $22m)

    Won by British soldier Jon Heywood at an online casino.

  • $22.62 million

    Won
    by Johanna Huendl on her way to breakfast at Bally’s Las Vegas.

  • €17.86 million ($22m)

    Won by a Finnish player at an online casino.

These are just a few examples of the massive jackpots that slot machines
offer. But they show you the type of fortunes that are available when a
progressive prize grows large enough.

Most video poker games offer a royal flush payout worth 4,000 coins, although
some have progressive jackpots too.

The largest progressive video poker jackpot that we’ve seen is a $670,000
payout. Poker pro Huck Seed won this prize in 2011 while betting $500 per hand.

This is definitely a big payout, but it doesn’t come anywhere close to the
largest progressive slots.

# 3 Difference: Video Poker Offers Higher Pay back

While video poker machines don’t give you the opportunity to get rich, they
do offer much higher pay back than slots.

Below you can see some of the highest-paying variations in video poker:

  • Full-pay Deuces Wild =
    100.76% pay back
  • Full-pay Joker Poker =
    100.64% pay back
  • 10 / 7 Double Bonus =
    100.17% pay back
  • 10 / 6 Double Double
    Bonus = 100.07% pay back
  • 9 / 6 Jacks or Better
    = 99.54% pay back
  • 8 / 5 Bonus Poker =
    99.17% pay back

Even if you play 8 / 5 Bonus Poker, you’ll earn higher pay back than any slot
machine can offer.

The best slots pay back is typically found in online casinos, including the
following games:

  • Mega Joker – 99% pay
    back
  • Jackpot 6000 – 98.8%
    pay back
  • Blood Suckers – 98.0%
    pay back
  • Megaspin Break Da Bank
    – 98.0% pay back
  • Fishy Fortune – 97.90%
    pay back
  • Kings of Chicago –
    97.80% pay back
  • Hot Ink – 97.50% pay
    back

These games offer a far better return than what you’ll find in
brick-and-mortar casinos. But they still don’t offer as high of pay back as
video poker games.

If you want a better chance of winning, then video poker is your best bet.

# 4 Difference: Slots are More Relaxing to Play

Earlier we discussed how video poker features a lot more strategy than slots.
But on the reverse side, slot machines are more relaxing for people who don’t
care about strategy or a higher return.

To illustrate this point, let’s look at the process for playing both slots
and video poker:

Slots

  1. You select your bet size.
  2. You spin the reels.
  3. Sometimes you’ll trigger a bonus round or free spins.

Video Poker

  1. You select your bet size.
  2. You receive a 5-card hand.
  3. You decide what cards to keep and discard.
  4. You click Draw to complete your hand.

Even if we include free spins or a bonus round, which only happen
occasionally, the slots playing process features one less step. Compare this to
video poker, where you may spend 5-10 seconds thinking during the draw round
(third step).

Again, if you’re just a casual gamer who wants to relax and play some casino
games, then slot machines are a good choice.

# 5 Difference: Video Poker Pay back Is Easier to Figure Out

You can find pay back for plenty of online and land-based slot machines
through research. But what if you can’t find pay back for the particular game
you’re playing?

This would involve looking at the paytable, playing countless spins, and
trying to figure out the frequency of each payout.

Obviously nobody wants to do this because it would cost a fortune and require
endless hours.

Video poker paytables, on the other hand, are much easier to understand. You
just need to know what payouts change the pay back for specific video poker
variations.

With Jacks or Better, you need to concentrate on the full house and flush
payouts. Here are some examples:

GamePay backCoins for Full HouseCoins for Flush
9 / 6 Jacks or Better99.54%96
9 / 5 Jacks or Better98.44%95
8 / 6 Jacks or Better98.39%86
8 / 5 Jacks or Better97.30%85
7 / 5 Jacks or Better96.15%75

Some video poker variations have more than two differing payouts on the
paytable. But as long as you know what payouts to look for with any given game,
there’s no mystery involved in the pay back.

# 6 Difference: Slots Offer More Comps

The big downside to slot machines is that you’re dealing with a larger house
edge. But the upside is that slots offer you more comps too.

Let’s illustrate this point with comp examples for both slot machines and
video poker:

Slots Comps

  1. You earn a 2% comp rate on losses.
  2. You’re playing a slot with a 5% house edge.
  3. You bet $2,000.
  4. Your theoretical losses are $100 (2,000 x 0.05).
  5. You’d receive $2 in comps.

Video Poker Comps

  1. You earn a 2% comp rate.
  2. You’re playing 8 / 5 Bonus Poker (0.83% house edge).
  3. You bet $2,000.
  4. Your theoretical losses are $16.60 (2,000 x 0.0083).
  5. You’d receive $0.33 in comps.

A common casino gaming tip is to never play strictly for comps. After all,
you can see that your video poker losses would be $83.40 less than slots under
these circumstances.

But the good news is that you’ll at least receive more comps to soften the
blow.

# 7 Difference: You can Win Long-Term Profits in Video Poker

It’s not easy to find video poker machines that offer positive expectation
(+EV). But you can still find +EV video poker in certain parts of Las Vegas.

Contrast this to slot machines, where you won’t find a single game anywhere
that offers over 100% pay back.

As for +EV video poker games, let’s review the four that were mentioned
earlier:

  • Full-pay Deuces Wild =
    100.76% pay back
  • Full-pay Joker Poker =
    100.64% pay back
  • 10 / 7 Double Bonus =
    100.17% pay back
  • 10 / 6 Double Double
    Bonus = 100.07% pay back

Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus don’t offer a very big edge, even with
perfect strategy. But full-pay Deuces Wild and Joker Poker offer noticeable
profits to skilled players.

Here are win rate examples when perfect strategy is used on the following
games:

  • Deuces Wild

    You’d
    win $7.60 for every 1,000 hands played.

  • Joker Poker

    You’d
    win $6.40 for every 1,000 hands played.

  • Double Bonus

    You’d
    win $1.70 for every 1,000 hands played.

  • Double Double Bonus

    You’d win $0.70 for every 1,000 hands played.

None of these win rates will earn you a full-time living. But pro players can
make a living with Deuces Wild and Joker Poker when they take advantage of
double and triple point promotions.

Assuming you don’t care about being a video poker pro, then you can earn
profits through Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus while also entertaining
yourself.

# 8 Difference: Slots Pay More Online than in Land-based Casinos

In point #3, we mentioned how online slots normally pay more than those in
brick-and-mortar casinos.

While there aren’t any uniform figures on these differences, here are some
estimates:

  • Online slots = 96%
    return to player (RTP) on average.
  • Land-based slot
    machines = 93-94% RTP on average.

Compare this to video poker, which doesn’t change when moving from online to
land-based casinos.

If you’re playing a 9 / 6 Jacks or Better game, it’s going to offer 99.54%
pay back in both online and brick-and-mortar casinos. If you’re playing a 9 / 7
Double Bonus game, it’ll pay back 99.55% anywhere.

The one caveat is that you’re more likely to find 9 / 6 JoB in online casinos
than in land-based venues. The reason why is because internet operators don’t
have to cover as many overhead costs, and they can offer more high-paying games
like 9 / 6 JoB.

# 9 Difference: Video Poker Requires Max Bets for Top Pay back

The golden rule of video poker is that if you want max pay back, then you
need to make the max bet (5 coins). The reason why is because you’re eligible
for a much-larger royal flush payout when you wager 5 coins.

You can see this below:

  • 5-coin bet =
    4,000-coin royal flush
  • 4-coin bet =
    1,000-coin royal flush
  • 3-coin bet = 750-coin
    royal flush
  • 2-coin bet = 500-coin
    royal flush
  • 1-coin bet = 250-coin
    royal flush

The 3,000-coin jump in the top royal flush payout is why you should bet 5
coins on every hand.

Some slot machines also require that you make specific bets to quality for
the jackpot and / or bonus rounds. Here’s an example: you’re playing a
50-payline game and you need to play all 50 lines in order to qualify for the
progressive jackpot.

But this is the exception, rather than the norm. You’re not required to make
qualifying bets on most slots – especially online – to qualify for bonuses and
jackpots.

Similarities Between Video Poker and Slot Machines

# 1 Similarity: Both Operate through a Random Number Generator

Random number generation involves creating a sequence of numbers that can’t
be predicted. And both slot and video poker machines use a random number
generator (RNG) to ensure that every round is based on random chance.

Many video poker and slots myths arise because players don’t understand how
an RNG works. Certain players think there’s a pattern or strategy that will
result in guaranteed profits.

But the RNG ensures that every outcome is totally independent of the last.

# 2 Similarity: Video Poker and Slots are Good Alternatives to Table Games

Picture this scenario:

  1. You visit a casino and you’re new to table games.
  2. You sit down to a blackjack table because you’ve heard it has a low house edge.
  3. You touch your cards on the first hand, and the dealer warns you not to touch them.
  4. You make a few strategy mistakes and are lectured by the player next to you.
  5. You take too long to make decisions on most hands, drawing groans from the table.

Based on this experience, chances are that you won’t be thrilled to play any
more table games. Of course, you may also be too intimidated from the beginning
and avoid the tables altogether.

This is where video poker and slots become perfect alternatives in land-based
casinos. If you don’t want to deal with the pressures of learning table games,
you can sit down to a video poker or slot machine and play at your own pace.

# 3 Similarity: The Same Video Poker and Slots Games can Offer Different Pay
back

Earlier, we covered how the same video poker variant has different pay back
based on the paytable. Slot machines are also this way because casinos can order
different pay back for a specific game.

This is mostly the case in land-based casinos, where the same slot machine
might offer 92% pay back at one casino, and 89% pay back at another.

Online slotsmakers normally offer a uniform payout percentage with each
individual game, no matter the casino. But some internet slots can also feature
different pay back as you move between casinos.

One example is Microgaming’s Mega Moolah, which can offer anywhere from
88.12% to 95% pay back.

# 4 Similarity: Both Games Have Betting Options

You can change betting options to your preferences in both video poker and
slot machines.

Let’s check out some wagering options that you’ll see in video poker:

  • Bet 1 to 5 coins per
    hand.
  • In online casinos, you
    can change the coin denomination (ex. $0.05 to $0.25).
  • Play multiple hands
    per turn (in triple play).
  • Make side bets for
    multipliers (special video poker variations).

Now let’s look at slot machine betting options:

  • Change coin size (ex.
    $0.01 to $1.00).
  • Adjust paylines (ex. 1
    to 20).
  • Change coins per line
    (ex. 1 to 5).
  • Use double-up option
    after wins (in certain games).

Some betting options in video poker and slot machines are nearly the same,
including the coin denomination and coins per hand / pay line.

Video Poker vs. Pull Tab Machines

What are Pull Tab Machines?

Pull tabs are special gaming tickets that involve pulling open perforated
windows on the ticket’s backside. The goal is to pull open symbols that match
the winning combinations listed on the frontside.

Most pull tabs cost $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2, $3, or $5 per ticket.

Pull tab tickets can either be sold by hand or through machines. The latter
is similar to video poker or slots because you put money into a machine, then
receive your ticket.

Electronic pull tabs are another option, allowing you to play through a
tablet device. Electronic pull tabs offer everything that physical tickets have,
except that you don’t physicallypull the tabs – you merely swipe them.

What are the Similarities between Video Poker & Pull Tabs?

  • Machine-based
    Play
    – Both video poker and pull tabs are played through machines.
    Pull tabs can also be distributed physically by vendors (normally through
    charities).
  • Transparent
    Odds of Winning
    – Video poker paytables are transparent and allow
    you to easily figure out pay back. Pull tab players can see how many
    available prizes (predetermined) and tickets are left through a tally sheet
    or electronic display.
  • Varying Prizes
    – Video poker and pull tabs feature varying payouts, with the royal flush or
    highest-symbol combination (pull tabs) offering the biggest prize

What are the Differences between Video Poker & Pull Tab Machines?

  • Pull Tab
    Payouts are Predetermined
    – Each pull tab game is released with a
    set number of payouts and tickets (ex. 5k prizes for 50k tickets). When the
    prizes are all won, distributors can either offer another round, or get rid
    of the game completely.
  • Video Poker
    Payouts are Totally Random
    – Each video poker payout offers
    specific odds of winning, just like a pull tab game. But the key difference
    is that video poker prizes aren’t predetermined. Even though a royal flush
    payout (4,000 coins) happens roughly 1 in 40,000 hands, it could
    theoretically happen 4 in 40,000 hands.
  • Pull Tab Games
    Don’t Involve Much Strategy
    – The biggest strategy to pull tab
    machines is finding out how many prizes are left versus tickets. This gives
    you an indication of whether or not you should play based on the odds. Video
    poker strategy, as covered before, is far more involved.
  • Every Video
    Poker Outcome is Independent of the Last
    – Given that video poker
    payouts are based on an RNG, past results never determine future hands.
    Contrast this to pull tabs, where every loss removes one losing ticket from
    circulation, thus improving your future odds.
  • Pull Tab
    Machines Play More Like Slots than Video Poker
    – Considering that
    pull tab machines involve matching symbols with winning combinations,
    they’re similar to slot machines. Meanwhile, video poker is an
    electronic-based version of draw poker.

Conclusion

While video poker and slot machines share similarities, they’re also
different in a variety of aspects too.

We highlighted nine differences, but the key ones that stand out include the
following:

  1. Video poker has far more strategy.
  2. Slots offer bigger jackpots.
  3. Video poker offers higher pay back.
  4. Slots deliver more comps (due to high house edge).
  5. Video poker has +EV games.

These differences define each game and make them appeal to specific crowds.

Those who enjoy using skill to improve their chances of winning will
appreciate video poker. Meanwhile, players who want to chase big jackpots and /
or play without considering strategy will like slot machines.

These comparisons don’t prove that one game is superior to the other.
Instead, they highlight the aspects you want to consider when deciding what to
play in casinos.

The same goes when pitting video poker and pull tab machines against each
other.

Pull tabs are like a hybrid between slots and the lottery because you buy
tickets and try to match symbols. This offers another luck-based game that
appeals to a different crowd than video poker lovers.

Of course, nothing is stopping you from dividing your play up between video
poker, slots, and / or pull tab machines. We find that this is a fun way to
enjoy a variety of gaming experiences.

Jacks or Better was one of the earliest video poker variations created, and it remains very popular today.

Slots

One reason for Jacks or Better’s popularity is that it’s among the simplest video poker games to understand. You don’t have to learn multiple hands, wild cards, multipliers or bonus payouts.

Another reason why people like Jacks or Better is because the full pay (highest paying) version offers 99.54% payback and is found at many land-based and online casinos.

This contrasts other full pay video poker variants, which aren’t commonly found in casinos.

If you want to take advantage of this high payback and simplistic strategy, keep reading as we discuss Jacks or Better’s history, how to play, pay tables and strategy.

Jacks or Better History

Because Jacks or Better is commonly associated with video poker, many think that it didn’t exist until video poker machines entered casinos in the 1970s.

But Jacks or Better can actually be traced back to the nineteenth century when poker became popular on Mississippi riverboats.

The first known reference comes from gambler and writer J.H. Green who, in 1834, compared Jacks or Better to Three Card Monte. Green felt that Jacks or Better was a fair game, while Three Card Monte was a cheating game.

Like many forms of poker that originated on the Mississippi River, there’s no clear date on when people first started playing Jacks or Better. This leaves Green’s reference as the earliest mention of the game.

Jacks or Better Popularizes Video Poker

Poker Jacks Or Better Rules

Jacks or Better remained in gambling circles throughout the years and was introduced as a video poker variant in the late 1970s.

Video poker was a failure when it was first introduced to casinos in 1970, namely because it was nothing more than a television monitor attached to a central processing unit. Players didn’t trust these machines, nor did they see any reason to gravitate away from the more popular slot machines.

By the mid 1970s, Si Redd and his company, SIRCOMA Si Redd’s Coin Machines, began creating better video poker machines and distributing them to more casinos.

SIRCOMA, later IGT, experienced moderate success with their first game Draw Poker, which is 5 card draw poker that starts payouts at a two pair.

SIRCOMA changed the lowest payout to a pair of jacks, which greatly increased video poker’s popularity. Today, Jacks or Better is still one of the most widely played machine based casino games.

Jacks or Better Betting

Jacks or better video poker strategy

You can bet anywhere from 1 to 5 coins on your hand. Most land based casinos feature a $0.25 coin denomination, making the minimum bet $0.25 and the max wager $1.25.

As we’ll cover later, the royal flush payout has a disproportionate jump when moving from a 4 coin win to a 5 coin win.

If you want to be eligible for this increase and achieve top payback, then you need to bet 5 coins. To quickly wager 5 coins, click the Max Bet button.

Despite Jacks or Better’s high payback, some players don’t feel comfortable betting $1.25 per hand. If you’re a low roller who still wants to achieve max payback, note that online video poker has coin denominations as low as one cent.

Once you’ve selected your betting options, click the Deal button to receive your 5 card hand. You then evaluate your hand and decide what to keep based on Jacks or Better strategy.

When you’ve decided what cards to keep and discard, click Draw to finalize your hand. The software will then determine if your hand qualifies for a payout according to the pay table.

Once the round is over, you can make betting changes. Or, you can just click Deal to use the same wager and get a new hand.

Jacks or Better Rules

Jacks or Better uses a standard 52 card deck with no wild cards. This game is programmed to make each card appear with the same odds that you’d expect from a real 52 card deck.

Random number generator software ensures that every deal and hand is randomized.

Land based casinos must submit to state audits to ensure that their video poker and other games are random. Online casinos must adhere to the specifications set forth by their licensing jurisdiction(s).

Video Poker Odds Jacks Or Better Strategy

While Jacks or Better is straightforward, IGT has produced some new video poker variants that allow you to play this game in a different format. Here’s a look at games that put a twist on Jacks or Better:

Triple Play Poker
Triple Play sees you play three video poker hands at once, each requiring a separate bet. Any card that you hold in your bottom hand is mirrored in the other two hands. Triple Play Poker forms the basis for the other variants discussed here, which also use a multi hand format.
Good Times Pay
Featured in Triple Play format, Good Times Pay sees you get random multipliers on wins as long as you bet 5 coins per hand.
Hot Roll Video Poker
You can play 3, 5, or 10 hands at once, and you need to bet 10 coins on a hand to make it eligible for the Hot Roller multiplier. This feature randomly sees dice roll across the screen and gives you a multiplier equal to the two dice’s value (2x to 12x).
Hyper Bonus Poker
Hyper Bonus is very similar to Hot Roll with its two 12x multiplier range. The main difference is that no dice are involved in Hyper Bonus.

Jacks Or Better Free Poker Caesars

Multi Strike Poker
This game sees you play up to four hands, which are stacked on top of each other in levels. Every time that you win, you move to a new level/hand. The second level offers a 2x multiplier, the third level has a 4x multiplier and the fourth level has an 8x multiplier.
Multi Strike Poker Super Times Pay
This is the same as Multi Strike Poker, except you can activate the Super Times pay feature on each hand by betting another coin. Super Times Pay gives you a random multiplier on wins worth up to 10x.
Peek and Play Poker
For an extra 2 coin bet, you can activate the Peek and Play feature, which lets you see the first replacement card before you make discards. This can help you avoid making discards or keeping cards that would hurt your hand.

Video Poker Odds Jacks Or Better Rules

Pick and Pair Poker
This game sees four cards dealt– two on the left and two on the right. You pick one of the two cards to keep on the right hand side and the other card disappears. After this, the final two cards are dealt, and your 5 card hand is complete (no draw round).

Jacks or Better Video Poker Pay Tables and Odds

As mentioned before, Jacks or Better is one of the few video poker games where you can find the full pay version. This is called 9 / 6 Jacks or Better, because a full house pays 9 coins and a flush offers 6 coins.

But even with full pay Jacks or Better available, you’ll commonly find other versions in land based casinos that pay less for a full house and flush.

Let’s look at these pay tables below and discus how the lower full house and flush payouts affect payback:

Video Poker Odds Jacks Or Better

Hand1 coin2 coins3 coins4 coins5 coins
Royal flush2505007501,0004,000
Straight flush50100300400500
4 of a kind255075100125
Full house918273645
Flush612182430
Straight48121620
3 of a kind3691215
2 pairs246810
Jacks or better12345
Hand1 coin2 coins3 coins4 coins5 coins
Royal flush2505007501,0004,000
Straight flush50100300400500
4 of a kind255075100125
Full house918273645
Flush512182430
Straight48121620
3 of a kind3691215
2 pairs246810
Jacks or better12345
Hand1 coin2 coins3 coins4 coins5 coins
Royal flush2505007501,0004,000
Straight flush50100300400500
4 of a kind255075100125
Full house818273645
Flush612182430
Straight48121620
3 of a kind3691215
2 pairs246810
Jacks or better12345

As you can see, nothing changes between these pay tables except for full house and flush payouts. But, you may be surprised at how these little changes alter the payback:

  • 9 / 6 Jacks or Better = 99.54% payback
  • 9 / 5 Jacks or Better = 98.45% payback
  • 8 / 6 Jacks or Better = 98.39% payback

Considering the drop from 9 / 6 to 9 / 5 Jacks or Better, you can see why it’s good to find the full pay version whenever it’s available.

Earlier, we mentioned the jump between the royal flush payout on a 4 coin and 5 coin win. As the pay table shows, you win 1,000 credits on a 4 coin wager and 4,000 credits on a 5 coin bet.

If you want to attain the highest payback, then you need to bet the max number of coins.

One more thing worth mentioning is that most video poker variants have pay tables that are based on Jacks or Better. Once you learn the Jacks or Better pay table, you’ll have an easier time adjusting to other games.

Video poker strategy is never easy, but Jacks or Better offers simpler strategy than many video poker variants.

This game doesn’t have a lot of winning hands, meaning you have less to look at when reviewing strategy charts.

In fact, you can even use a simplified strategy chart that’ll get you to 99.46% payback, which is very close to the optimal 99.54% pay.

Below, you can see the simplified strategy chart along with the advanced version.

When reading these charts, start from the top and scan down until you find your hand listed. If you don’t find your hand, then discard everything.

Simple Strategy Chart 99.46% Payback

  • Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
  • 4 cards to a royal flush
  • Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a kind
  • 4 cards to a straight flush
  • 2 pair
  • High pair J J to A A
  • 3 cards to a royal flush
  • 4 cards to a flush
  • Low pair (10s or lower)
  • 4 cards to an outside straight
  • 2 unsuited high cards
  • Suited K 10, Q 10, or J 10
  • One high card
  • Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
  • 4 cards to a royal flush
  • Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a kind
  • 4 cards to a straight flush
  • Two pair
  • High pair J J to A A
  • 3 cards to a royal flush
  • 4 cards to a flush
  • Unsuited K Q J T
  • Low pair
  • 4 cards to an outside straight w/ 0 2 high cards
  • 3 cards to a straight flush
  • Suited Q J
  • 4 cards to an inside straight w/ 4 high cards
  • Suited K Q, K J
  • Suited A K, A Q, or A J
  • 4 cards to an inside straight w/ 3 high cards
  • 3 cards to a straight flush
  • Unsuited K Q J
  • Unsuited Q J
  • Suited J T
  • 2 unsuited high cards w/ king high card
  • Suited Q T
  • 2 unsuited high cards w/ ace high card
  • Jack only
  • Suited K T
  • Queen, king, or ace only
  • 3 cards to a straight flush

Conclusion

One of the biggest reasons why people choose video poker is because they want to use strategy and have a solid chance to beat the casino. Jacks or Better offers both of these benefits, without forcing you to look at a novel-like strategy chart.

Beyond these parks, another advantage to Jacks or Better is that it offers the perfect introduction to video poker.

This game’s pay table forms the backbone of every video poker variant. If you already know the Jacks or Better pay table, then you can quickly adapt to new payouts offered in games like Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, Deuces Wild and Deuces Wild Bonus.

One more perk to Jacks or Better is that you’ll find its full pay version more often than any other video poker game. When available, full pay Jacks or Better gives you a chance to achieve up to 99.54% payback.

The only problem is that advanced strategy is more complex than the average player wants to deal with. For this reason, we recommend that beginners use the simplified strategy chart and go for 99.46% payback.

In any case, Jacks or Better is definitely worth playing if you’re looking for an alternative to slot machines that actually has strategy.

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