Slots can sometimes be mind-numbing. Pushing that button on the screen over and over again can become boring, especially when you’re not winning. But, you’re a little hesitant to attack the table games where every action must be considered and strategy can often be complicated.
The answer is video poker. It has the familiarity of a slot game, but it’s not as intense as “live” table games you can find online. Now there are hundreds of kinds of video poker games. Finding “full pay” games and playing them correctly can often give you the best chance to win of all casino games. But let’s concentrate on the one game that gives you the highest edge.
Hit the Road, Jack
“Jacks or Better,” the classic “full pay” version is 9/6 Jacks or Better (full house pays 9×, flush pays 6×). This version has a theoretical return (with perfect play) of 99.54 percent—almost even up with the casino. There are other games that have a better return. For example, the wild-card games like Deuces Wild, there is a “full pay” (often called NSUD—“Not So Ugly Deuces”) version which yields 99.73 percent return.
Other variants (Bonus Poker Deluxe, Triple Double Bonus, etc.) also have “best” paytables. For example, Bonus Poker Deluxe is often cited as having an RTP (return to player) of 99.64 percent.
So, the “best” online video poker game (if full pay) tends to be these high-return variants (9/6 Jacks or Better, full-pay Deuces Wild, Bonus Deluxe, etc.). But other than the 9/6 Jacks or Better, the strategy for those other games are quite difficult.
Perfect Play
So, sticking to the JOB (Jacks or Better), find the full pay version. Here are the basic rules:
- You’re dealt 5 cards
- You can hold or discard any number of cards
- Discards are replaced to make your final 5-card hand
- Payouts depend on the final hand and the paytable
The paytable for JOB (Full Pay “9/6” version) must look like this:
Hand Payout (per 1 coin bet)
Royal Flush 800 (with max bet)
Straight Flush 50
Four of a Kind 25
Full House 9
Flush 6
Straight 4
Three of a Kind 3
Two Pair 2
Jacks or Better 1
Be careful of sneaky changes in the paytable. For example, some games pay 1 coin for both Jacks or Better and for Two Pair. That will severely affect your return, so avoid that game. Make sure the pay table looks exactly like the one above.
Smart Strategy
When playing optimally, you always want to maximize expected value (EV). Here’s a simplified strategy hierarchy—always play the highest-ranking hand from this list that applies to your dealt hand:
Hold These Hands (In Order of Priority)
Royal Flush – Hold all 5 cards
Straight Flush – Hold all 5 cards
Four of a Kind – Hold all 4, discard the kicker
Full House – Hold all 5 cards
Flush – Hold all 5 cards
Straight – Hold all 5 cards
Three of a Kind – Hold the 3, discard 2
Two Pair – Hold both pairs, discard kicker
High Pair (Jacks or Better) – Hold the pair, discard 3
Four to a Royal Flush – Hold 4 suited cards to a royal
Low Pair (Tens or lower) – Hold the pair, discard 3
Four to a Straight Flush – Hold 4 to it
Three to a Royal Flush – Hold 3 to a royal
Four to a Flush – Hold the 4
Unsuited High Cards (J, Q, K, A) – Keep 2 if they’re close in value (like KQ), otherwise, hold on
Suited JQ, QK, JK – Keep suited high cards
Three to a Straight Flush – Keep 3 only if connected.
Discard All – If you have nothing useful
Tips for Success
- Always bet max coins (5) to qualify for the full Royal Flush payout (4,000 coins)
- Play only at legal online casinos. Avoid “sweepstakes casinos” that are in business only to take your money
- Use strategy charts or apps while playing to reduce mistakes
- Play only on Full Pay games (look for 9/6 on the paytable)
- Join your online casino rewards program to get comps for your play
- Practice for free online or with apps before playing for real money. Ignore the “suggested” casinos when you’re googling for a free app. They are mostly illegal sites.
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