🎰 Video Poker Strategy Calculator

Jacks or Better Strategy Hierarchy

Always hold the highest-ranking hand from this list:

1. Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind - Always hold
2. Four to a Royal Flush - Break everything except Royal
3. Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind - Always hold
4. Four to a Straight Flush - Hold over low pairs
5. Two Pair - Hold both pairs
6. High Pair (Jacks or Better) - Always hold
7. Three to a Royal Flush - Hold over low pairs
8. Four to a Flush - Hold for draw
9. Low Pair (10s or lower) - Hold pair
10. Four to an Outside Straight - All high cards
11. Two High Cards (same suit) - Hold for Royal draw
12. Three to a Straight Flush - One gap or less
13. Two High Cards (different suits) - Hold
14. One High Card - Hold single Jack, Queen, King, or Ace
15. Discard Everything - Draw five new cards

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Never break a made straight or flush to draw to a Royal (unless you have 4 to Royal)
• Never hold a kicker with a pair (e.g., don't hold K with pair of 8s)
• Never draw to an inside straight unless you have high cards
• Hold low pairs over single high cards - Pair has better EV
• Don't hold three to a straight - Very low probability

Expected Return by Game Type

• Jacks or Better (9/6): 99.54% RTP with perfect play
• Deuces Wild (Full Pay): 100.76% RTP with perfect play
• Bonus Poker (8/5): 99.17% RTP with perfect play
• Double Bonus (10/7): 100.17% RTP with perfect play

Note: Always check the paytable before playing. Lower paytables significantly reduce RTP.

Impact of Strategy Errors

Playing sub-optimal strategy significantly reduces your expected return:

• Perfect Strategy: 99.54% RTP (Jacks or Better 9/6)
• Advanced Strategy: ~99.4% RTP (minor errors)
• Basic Strategy: ~98.5% RTP (common errors)
• No Strategy: ~95% RTP or worse (random play)

Over 10,000 hands at $5 per hand, perfect strategy saves you $1,000+ compared to random play.

Tips for Success

• Always play max coins (5 coins) to qualify for Royal Flush bonus
• Use a strategy card at the machine - casinos allow it
• Practice online for free before playing for real money
• Avoid progressive machines unless the jackpot is high enough
• Manage your bankroll - video poker is fast-paced