Jacks or Better Video Poker Guide
The Jacks or Better variant of video poker played a key role in its rise in popularity back in the late '70s and remains a popular variant to this day. It's one of the easiest games to understand as there are no wild cards to keep track of, and the low qualifying hand means that players experience a high rate of return, which keeps them coming back.
The history of Jacks or Better video poker
The earliest versions of video poker only paid out if the player made two pair or better with their five-card hand, something that proved quite hard to do. As such, the games didn't draw a lot of interest, but after the minimum hand requirement was dropped to a pair of Jacks or better, the game exploded in popularity, becoming one of the most popular games in the casino.
It's this change to the rules that brought on the video poker boom of the 1980s. If it wasn't for the initial success of the Jacks or Better format, we would never have seen other variants such as Deuces Wild, Pick'em Poker, or Double Bonus Poker. While it doesn't have as high an RTP rate as its sister games, its popularity remains due to its low variance and legendary status in the history of video poker.
Jacks or Better pay table
While Jacks or Better refers to a specific variant of video poker, there is a range of subvariants, each with its own pay table. These pay tables indicate to the player how much they will get paid for making certain hands, with some Jacks or Better machines paying out more for hands than others.
Generally speaking, the more a machine pays out, the better it is for the player, so if you want to maximize your potential payouts, look for the 9/6 variant of Jacks or Better.
9/6 Jacks or Better
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 |
| Straight flush | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 25 |
| Full house | 9 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pairs | 2 |
| Jacks or better | 1 |
As you can see, this variant of the game pays out 9x your bet for making a full house, and 6x your bet for making a flush. However, not all variants are so generous, and many will pay less for making these hands. Let's take a look at those.
9/5 Jacks or Better
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 |
| Straight flush | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 25 |
| Full house | 9 |
| Flush | 5 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pairs | 2 |
| Jacks or better | 1 |
8/6 Jacks or Better
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 |
| Straight flush | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 25 |
| Full house | 8 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pairs | 2 |
| Jacks or better | 1 |
When you're looking to play Jacks or Better, always look for the 9/6 pay table, as that offers the best RTP rates.
Jacks or Better strategy
One of the reasons people love playing video poker, and the Jacks or Better variant in particular, is the low house edge it offers. It's one of the best games in the casino for players, as the house edge can be as low as 0.5%. However, if you want that low house edge, just sitting down and playing what you feel isn't going to cut it; you need to play with a strategy.
When it comes to Jacks or Better, there are two options. You can play the optimal strategy, which squeezes out every last drop of house edge you can find, but is complicated to play, or you can play the simple strategy, which isn't quite as optimal, but is easier to remember.
We recommend learning the simple strategy, as there are only around half as many rules to remember, and you're giving up only 0.08% of the house edge – not a number that's going to keep you up at night.
The strategy of video poker is developed around a set of rules by which you play your hand. When you're dealt your initial five cards, check it against the set of rules we've posted below.
| Hand strength |
|---|
| Royal flush, straight flush, or four of a kind |
| Four cards to a royal flush |
| Full house, flush, straight, or three of a kind |
| Four cards to a straight flush |
| Two pairs |
| High pair |
| Three cards to a royal flush |
| Four cards to a flush |
| Low pair |
| Four cards to an outside straight |
| Two suited high cards |
| Three cards to a straight flush |
| Two unsuited high cards |
| Suited K 10, Q 10, or J 10 |
| One high card |
| Discard all cards |
Find the highest hand strength on the list that corresponds with yours and hold those cards. For example, if your initial hand was Qc Qd Jc Jd Tc, you have two pair, three to a royal flush, three to a straight flush, and suited QT. The highest hand on the list is two pair, so you hold the two pair and discard the fifth card.
Be sure that if you're following these rules, you're playing for the maximum number of coins (usually five). This is because these rules were made for the maximum bet pay table, which offers higher rates of return for a straight flush and a royal flush. For example, here's what the 9/6 Jacks or Better maximum bet pay table looks like.
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 500 |
| Four of a kind | 125 |
| Full house | 45 |
| Flush | 30 |
| Straight | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 15 |
| Two pairs | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 5 |
It may seem like a lot to remember, but after a few hands, you'll quickly get the hang of it.
Play Jacks or Better for free
If you want to practice your newly found Jacks or Better strategy before you hit the casino, there are plenty of places where you can play online for free. Most online casinos will let you play free versions of their games before you bet with real money, which gives you a chance to get up to speed with how the game works.
However, if you want to practice your game without the allure of real money casino games, we recommend checking out our collection of free video poker games.
Jacks or Better video poker tips
You should now have everything you need to know about the Jacks or Better video poker game, but if you want a little extra help when you play, remember these helpful tips.
- Always bet the max – If you're looking to maximize your RTP rate when playing video poker, always bet the maximum number of coins. Doing this ensures you make the maximum when you're lucky enough to hit a straight or royal flush.
- Take it easy – You're allowed to take as long as you'd like when playing video poker, so make sure to use that time wisely. Don't just rush through your hands to try and increase your hourly numbers; slow down and think about your decisions before you make them.
- Aim for the royal – The jackpot for making a royal flush on a maximum bet is so high that it's worth breaking almost any hand whenever you're only one card away.
- Check the pay table before playing – Before you sit down to play at a video poker machine, always check the pay table. You want to play the 9/6 version of Jacks or Better wherever possible, as this is the best value game for the player. Remember, the 9/6 game offers 9x your bet for a full house and 6x your bet for a flush.
Jacks or Better was the game that put video poker on the map and is still as popular today as it was back in the early '80s. The low variance, high RTP rate, and low qualifying hand make it the perfect game for players who want the fun and thrills of gambling without the wild swings.
