Video Poker Strategy Guide: Optimal Play & Pay Tables (2025)
Video poker offers some of the best odds in the casino—if you play the right games with perfect strategy. This guide teaches you how to find good pay tables and play optimally.
Why Video Poker Is Different
Unlike slots, video poker:
- Has a skill component (decisions matter)
- Publishes exact return percentages
- Can offer over 100% return with perfect play
- Uses real poker hand rankings
Understanding Pay Tables
Full-Pay Jacks or Better (9/6)
The gold standard for beginners:
| Hand | Payout (per coin) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| 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 |
Return: 99.54% with perfect strategy
Identifying Good Pay Tables
The "9/6" in "9/6 Jacks or Better" refers to:
- Full House pays 9
- Flush pays 6
Common variations:
| Pay Table | Full House | Flush | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 | 9 | 6 | 99.54% |
| 9/5 | 9 | 5 | 98.45% |
| 8/6 | 8 | 6 | 98.39% |
| 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 97.30% |
| 7/5 | 7 | 5 | 96.15% |
| 6/5 | 6 | 5 | 95.00% |
Each point reduction costs ~1% return.
Best Video Poker Games
| Game | Pay Table | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Deuces Wild | Full Pay | 100.76% |
| Double Bonus | 10/7 | 100.17% |
| Jacks or Better | 9/6 | 99.54% |
| Bonus Poker | 8/5 | 99.17% |
| Double Double Bonus | 9/6 | 98.98% |
Note: Returns over 100% require perfect strategy. Mistakes lower the return.
Jacks or Better Basic Strategy
Priority Order (Hold Best Option)
- Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind — Done
- 4 to a Royal Flush
- Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind
- 4 to a Straight Flush
- Two Pair
- High Pair (J, Q, K, A)
- 3 to a Royal Flush
- 4 to a Flush
- Low Pair (2-10)
- 4 to an Outside Straight
- 2 suited high cards
- 3 to a Straight Flush
- 2 unsuited high cards (keep lowest 2)
- Suited 10 + high card
- Single high card
- Discard everything
Common Situations
KK, A, 7, 3 (suited A-K)
- Hold: KK ✓ (high pair beats suited high cards)
A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♥
- Hold: All four spades ✓ (4 to Royal beats made straight)
J♠ J♥ 10♠ 9♠ 8♠
- Hold: JJ ✓ (pair beats 4 to straight flush without high cards)
K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ 2♥
- Hold: K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ ✓ (4 to Royal)
Deuces Wild Strategy
With four wild cards, strategy changes dramatically.
Key Differences from Jacks or Better
- No payout for pairs or two pair
- Three of a Kind is minimum paying hand
- Four Deuces is premium hand
- Wild Royal pays less than natural
Basic Deuces Wild Strategy
With no deuces:
- Made hands (Royal, Straight Flush, etc.)
- 4 to Royal
- 4 to Straight Flush
- Full House, Flush, Straight
- Three of a Kind
- 4 to Flush
- 4 to Outside Straight
- 3 to Royal
- 3 to Straight Flush
- Pair
- 4 to Inside Straight
- 2 to Royal
- 2 suited high cards
- Discard all
With deuces: Keep all deuces and look for highest completion.
Bankroll Management
Required Bankroll (Units)
A "unit" = 5-coin max bet
| Confidence Level | Bankroll |
|---|---|
| Conservative (99%) | 5,000 units |
| Moderate (95%) | 2,000 units |
| Aggressive (90%) | 800 units |
Example for $1 machine:
- Max bet = $5
- Conservative bankroll = 5,000 × $5 = $25,000
Why Big Bankrolls?
Royal Flushes appear ~1 in 40,000 hands. You need the bankroll to survive until hitting one.
Minimum Practical Bankroll
For casual play: 200-500 max bets
- $0.25 machine (max $1.25): $250-625
- $1 machine (max $5): $1,000-2,500
Always Bet Max Coins
The Royal Flush bonus for max coins is essential:
| Coins | Royal Payout | Per Coin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 250 | 250 |
| 2 | 500 | 250 |
| 3 | 750 | 250 |
| 4 | 1000 | 250 |
| 5 | 4000 | 800 |
Betting 4 coins instead of 5 drops return by ~1.5%.
If you can't afford max coins, play a lower denomination.
Finding Good Machines
Las Vegas
- Downtown casinos generally have better pay tables
- Check vpFREE2 or video poker forums
- Boyd properties often have full-pay games
Online
- Many sites offer 9/6 Jacks or Better
- Some offer Deuces Wild with 100%+ return
- Check terms for wagering requirements
Red Flags
- 7/5 or worse pay tables
- Short pay tables disguised as full pay
- "Bonus" games with reduced base pay table
Practice Resources
Free Practice Sites
Before playing for real money:
- Video Poker Trainer apps
- vpFREE2.com trainer
- WizardOfOdds strategy cards
Strategy Cards
Laminated cards with optimal play decisions are:
- Legal to use in casinos
- Available online (print your own)
- Essential until strategy is memorized
Common Mistakes
- Not playing max coins — Huge return reduction
- Playing bad pay tables — Shop around
- Breaking up made hands — Usually wrong
- Ignoring straight/flush draws — Often worth chasing
- Playing without strategy — Return drops 2-5%
Related Guides
- Compare variants: Video Poker Variations
- Complete rules: Video Poker Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Video poker rewards skill and research. Find full-pay machines (9/6 Jacks or Better or better), learn optimal strategy, always bet max coins, and have adequate bankroll. With these elements, video poker offers better odds than almost any other casino game.