Video Poker Strategy for Beginners: How to Master Jacks or Better (Guide 2025)

In our first article, we found out that online video poker is not just a slot, but a game where skill is decisive. But what is this "skill"? It's not a bluff, it's not "reading" your opponent or luck.

This is pure, cold mathematics.

Stop! Don't close the tab! We won't burden you with formulas. We'll give you a simple, like a sip of ice Molson, video poker strategy that will instantly transform you from a "button-pushing sucker" to a casino dreaded player.

In this guide, we'll take a look at the Jacks or Better strategy. Why it? Because it's the motherboard of all video poker.

Strategy No1 (even before the hand): Check the "Pay Table"!

It's shocking, but... Most players lose even before they are dealt the first card.

How? They sit down at the wrong machine.

Your first and foremost strategic task is to find the "right" game. Take a look at the paytable (list of combinations and payouts). You need the "9/6 Full Pay" machine.

• "9/6" means that the game pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush (with a bet of 1 coin).
• "8/5" (a bad machine) pays 8 for a Full House and 5 for a Flush.

"What a trifle!" you will say. But this "trifle" is an abyss.

• RTP of the 9/6 slot machine: 99.54% (house edge is only 0.46%)
• RTP 8/5: 97.30% (house edge is already 2.7%)

The casino deliberately places these machines (8/5, 7/5 and even 6/5) next to the "generous" 9/6, hoping for your inattention. Don't give them that chance. Your first strategic move is to find a slot machine with the numbers 9/6. Period.

The Holy Grail: How the Video Poker Strategy Table Works

Okay, you sat down at the correct 9/6 automatic. You were dealt 5 cards. What to keep? What to reset?

Forget about "intuition" and "hunches". The answer is always the same: the "video poker strategy chart".

It's basically a "cheat sheet" created by a computer that simulated billions of hands. It ranks every possible hand by its profitability over the long run.

How to use it: This is not just a list of hands. It is a PRIORITY LIST. You look at your 5 cards and look for the best hand from this list by reading it FROM TOP DOWN.

Here's a simplified (but 99% accurate) strategy for Jacks or Better:

1. "Ready-made monsters" (Holding everything):
• Royal Flush
• Straight Flush
• Four of a Kind (Four of a Kind)
• Full House
2. "Almost Monsters" (Discard 1 card):
• 4 cards to the Royal Flush
3. "Ready-made top hands" (Holding everything):
• Flush
• Street
4. "Almost top hands" (hold 4, discard 1):
• Three of the same (Three)
• Two Pairs
• 4 cards to a Straight Flush
5. "Hands with Potential" (Hold what is indicated):
• High Pair (Jacks, Queens, Kings, Aces) is your "bread and butter"!
• 4 cards to Flush
• 3 cards to the Royal Flush
• Low Pair (Tens and below)
• 4 cards to a "double-sided" Straight (e.g. 7-8-9-10)
6. "Garbage with Hope" (Holding and praying):
• 2 "high" cards (e.g. Queen + King)
• 3 cards to the Straight Flush
• 1 high card (Jack, Queen, King or Ace)
7. "Full garbage" (drop ALL 5):
• If you don't have ANYTHING from the list above (for example, 2-5-7-9-10 of different suits) – don't be afraid to discard all 5 cards. This is mathematically more profitable than keeping one Seven.

Let's look at a "live" example

This example perfectly shows why strategy wins over intuition.

You were dealt: Queen♥, Jack♥, 10♥, 9♥, 9♠

What does your intuition tell you? "Oh, I already have a couple of Nines! This is a guaranteed return to the bet!" A novice player will keep two Nines and discard three hearts.

What does the Strategy say? Let's take a look at our hand and at the list of priorities:

1. We have the "Low Pair" (two Nines). On our list, this is item #5.
2. We have "4 cards to a Straight Flush" (Q-J-10-9 of hearts). In our list, this is item #4.

Since point #4 is HIGHER than point #5, the correct solution is to fold the Nine of Spades and leave the four hearts.

Yes, you sacrifice a guaranteed but small win (a pair of Nines) for the chance (only 1 or 2 cards) to hit a giant jackpot (Straight Flush) or just a good jackpot (Flush, Straight, or even a couple of Queens/Jacks). In the long run, this "risk" will bring you much more money.

Wait a minute! What about the Deuces Wild strategy? (IMPORTANT)

ATTENTION! Never, hear, EVER use the Jacks or Better strategy to play Deuces Wilds.

It's like trying to play hockey by the rules of figure skating. In Deuces Wild, all the math is built around four "wild" Twos. The strategy is completely different.

A simple rule for Deuces Wild: you NEVER fold a Deuce. Never. Even if you have 4 cards to a Royal Flush and one Deuce. You hold a Deuce. But this is a topic for a separate, advanced guide.

Top 3 Quick Video Poker Tips (To Win More Often)

Here are three video poker tips that separate amateurs from pros.

1. ALWAYS bet 5 coins ("Bet Max") This is not negotiable. This is the law. Look at the Royal Flush paytable:

• 1 Coin: 250
• 2 coins: 500
• 3 coins: 750
• 4 coins: 1000
• 5 coins: 4000 (!!)

See? With a bet of 5 coins, you get a giant bonus. If you play with 4 coins and catch a Royal Flush, you have basically just "gifted" the casino with 3000 coins. Can't afford 5 coins for $1? Lower the denomination to 25 cents, but always play 5 coins.

2. Manage your bankroll Video poker is a low-volatility game (especially J&B), but there are streaks. Don't sit down with money set aside for the 'Tim Hortons' for the whole week. Decide in advance how much you're willing to lose (e.g. $50) and walk away as soon as that limit is reached.

3. Practice for free! You won't learn this strategy table in 5 minutes. Before risking any real money, open a free video poker (demo mode) at any online casino. Play 100-200 hands, constantly checking the cheat sheet. You'll be surprised how quickly your fingers will start "snapping" the correct cards.

Now you are dangerous

That's all. The secret of "mastery" is revealed. This is not magic or a gift from above. It's just a discipline:

1. Find the right 9/6 machine.
2. Always bet 5 coins.
3. At each hand, follow the strategy table, not the "gut feeling".

Now that you know how to play and win, it's time to choose what to play.

Come back to our Best Video Poker Games for Real Money Ranking and put your new knowledge into practice! Good luck!