Bonus Poker Deluxe takes the popular Bonus Poker concept and strips away the complexity. Instead of paying different amounts for four-of-a-kind hands depending on card rank, every quad pays the same 80-coin bonus. The result is a game with higher theoretical return and simpler strategy — if you can find the right pay table.
The full-pay 8/6 version returns 99.64% with optimal play, making it one of the better non-wild video poker variants available. But casinos know this, and short-pay versions are far more common. Understanding the pay table differences adds up significantly over time.
How to Identify the Full-Pay Bonus Poker Deluxe Machine
The shorthand for Bonus Poker Deluxe pay tables uses the Full House and Flush payouts as identifiers. Full-pay is "8/6" — meaning 8 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush (per coin wagered).
Look at the pay table column for a 1-coin bet. Find the Full House line and the Flush line immediately below it. If you see 8 and 6, you have the best version. If you see 7 and 5, or 6 and 5, walk away and find a better machine.
This two-number check takes less than three seconds and can save you hundreds of dollars over a session.
Pay Table Comparison: Full-Pay vs Short-Pay
| Hand | 8/6 (Full Pay) | 7/5 (Short Pay) | 6/5 (Short Pay) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| Full House | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Flush | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 |
*Payouts shown per coin wagered. Maximum bet (5 coins) required for the 4000-coin Royal Flush jackpot.*
The RTP Gap Between Versions
| Version | RTP (Optimal Strategy) | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 8/6 Full Pay | 99.64% | 0.36% |
| 7/5 Short Pay | 98.49% | 1.51% |
| 6/5 Short Pay | 97.40% | 2.60% |
The difference between 8/6 and 6/5 is 2.24 percentage points. On $1 machines at 600 hands per hour with max bet ($5 per hand), that translates to an expected loss difference of roughly $67 per hour. Over a weekend trip, you could easily burn an extra $200-$400 by playing the wrong pay table.
Why Full-Pay Machines Are Hard to Find
Casinos understand that most players do not check pay tables. They know that Bonus Poker Deluxe attracts players who want the excitement of quad bonuses without memorizing complex rank-differentiated strategies. These players are unlikely to notice the difference between an 8/6 and a 6/5 machine.
As a result, full-pay 8/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe has become increasingly scarce on casino floors. You are more likely to find it in:
- Downtown Las Vegas properties (older, more competitive markets)
- Higher-denomination machines ($1 and above)
- Online video poker platforms that offer multiple pay table configurations
- Smaller regional casinos competing for local video poker players
When playing online, you can typically verify the pay table before sitting down — a significant advantage over physical casino floors where you might need to walk rows of machines.
What Makes Bonus Poker Deluxe Different from Standard Bonus Poker
The defining feature of Bonus Poker Deluxe is its uniform quad payout. In standard Bonus Poker, four aces pay 80, four 2s/3s/4s pay 40, and four 5s through kings pay 25. This rank differentiation affects strategy — you hold differently when dealt partial quad possibilities depending on which cards are involved.
Bonus Poker Deluxe eliminates all of that. Every four-of-a-kind hand pays 80 coins regardless of rank. Four twos pays the same as four aces.
This simplification has two practical effects:
Simpler strategy. You never need to ask "which quad am I chasing?" when deciding holds. A partial quad draw is a partial quad draw, period. The optimal strategy chart is shorter and easier to memorize.
Higher RTP. Because the game redistributes payout weight more evenly, the full-pay version actually returns more than standard Bonus Poker (99.64% vs 99.17%). You get both simplicity and better math.
The trade-off is reduced variance. Standard Bonus Poker has bigger highs (four aces at 80 coins feels special when four fives only pay 25). Bonus Poker Deluxe smooths the ride — quads are exciting but equally so regardless of rank.
Strategy Differences from Jacks or Better
Bonus Poker Deluxe strategy departs from Jacks or Better in one key area: the value of four-of-a-kind draws.
In Jacks or Better, quads pay 25 coins — a nice win but not game-changing. In Bonus Poker Deluxe, they pay 80 coins — more than triple. This elevated quad payout means you should lean toward holds that preserve four-of-a-kind possibilities, even when it means breaking up a made hand.
For example, holding three-of-a-kind and discarding two is always correct in both games. But in marginal situations — like holding a high pair versus drawing to a four-card flush — the quad potential in Bonus Poker Deluxe sometimes tips the decision differently.
The simplification advantage shows up during play. In standard Bonus Poker, you need to remember that four aces are worth twice as much as four fives, which changes how you hold partial quad combinations. In Bonus Poker Deluxe, every trip (three-of-a-kind) has exactly the same four-of-a-kind potential, so your decision is always the same regardless of the rank involved.
The Bottom Line
Bonus Poker Deluxe is the video poker variant for players who want quad bonus excitement without memorizing rank-specific strategy adjustments. The 8/6 full-pay version at 99.64% RTP outperforms most standard video poker games, and the simplified strategy makes it accessible to intermediate players.
The only challenge is finding the right pay table. Never settle for 7/5 or 6/5 when the math penalty is this steep. Check the Full House and Flush lines before you play, every time.
Play Bonus Poker Deluxe Free — Practice with the full-pay 8/6 pay table and learn optimal strategy at your own pace.
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