Video poker pay tables
The pay table is the list of what each hand pays, per credit. It is printed on the machine, and it decides the game's return more than anything you do. Two lines are all it takes.
Jacks or Better: 9/6 full pay against 8/5 short pay
| Hand (pays for 1) | 9/6 | 8/5 |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush (5 credits) | 800 | 800 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 25 | 25 |
| Full house ★ | 9 | 8 |
| Flush ★ | 6 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 3 |
| Two pair | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 1 |
| Return with perfect play | 99.54% | 97.30% |
★ The only two lines that differ.
What 2.24% costs you
Video poker is fast, often 600 hands an hour or more. At €1.25 a hand (five credits of €0.25), that is €750 of action per hour. Over a few months of regular play, €100,000 of total bets is not unusual, and on that volume the 8/5 table keeps about €2,240 more than the 9/6 one. Picking the right machine is worth more than any single strategy tweak.
Numbers to look for
- Jacks or Better: full house 9, flush 6.
- Double Bonus: full house 10, flush 7.
- Double Double Bonus: full house 9, flush 6, or 10 and 6.
- Deuces Wild: four of a kind pays 5, not 4.
If a casino offers only short-pay tables, the better move is to play somewhere else.
Pay tables: frequently asked questions
How do I spot a good table quickly?+
For Jacks or Better, look for 9 on the full house and 6 on the flush. For Double Bonus, 10 and 7. If a Jacks or Better machine shows 8 and 5 or less, move on.
Can a casino change the pay table?+
A licensed casino has to show the pay table in the game, but it can offer several versions of the same title. The name on the lobby tile tells you nothing; the table inside the game does.
Should I trust the RTP the casino displays?+
Use it as a starting point, then read the table yourself. Once you know that 9/6 Jacks or Better is 99.54%, you can tell a full-pay machine at a glance.