Video poker is one of the best games in the casino because it combines low house edge with player skill. Unlike slot machines, your decisions directly affect your return. A player using correct strategy on a good machine can reduce the house edge to under 0.5% — better than almost any table game.
Here's what you need to know before you start.
Choose the Right Machine First
The pay table printed on the machine determines your return before you play a single hand. Two identical-looking machines sitting next to each other can have completely different payouts.
For Jacks or Better, the most common beginner game, look at the Full House and Flush payouts:
| Pay Table | Full House | Flush | Your Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 (Full Pay) | 9 | 6 | 99.54% |
| 8/6 | 8 | 6 | 98.39% |
| 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 97.30% |
| 7/5 | 7 | 5 | 96.15% |
| 6/5 | 6 | 5 | 95.00% |
The difference between a 9/6 and a 6/5 machine is $34 per hour at quarter denomination. Always check these two numbers before inserting money.
Always Bet Max Coins (5)
Every video poker machine offers a bonus for the Royal Flush when you bet max coins — typically 800-for-1 instead of 250-for-1. This single payout difference accounts for about 1.5% of your total return.
If 5 coins at your current denomination is too expensive, drop to a lower denomination rather than betting fewer coins. Playing 5 nickels ($0.25/hand) is better than playing 1 quarter ($0.25/hand) because you get the Royal Flush bonus.
Learn One Game Well Before Trying Others
Start with Jacks or Better. It's the foundation that every other variant builds on. The strategy is straightforward and transfers partially to most other games.
Once you're comfortable with JoB, the natural progression is:
- Bonus Poker — same strategy with minor tweaks, slightly higher volatility
- Double Bonus — more strategy changes, higher volatility
- Deuces Wild — completely different strategy, requires fresh learning
Do not jump between games. Each variant has its own correct strategy. Using Jacks or Better strategy on Deuces Wild costs you 3-4% in return — worse than the house edge on most table games.
Basic JoB Strategy in 60 Seconds
When you're dealt five cards, hold whichever of these applies first (from top to bottom):
- Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind — hold the made hand
- Four to a Royal Flush — hold and draw one
- Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind — hold the made hand
- Four to a Straight Flush — hold and draw one
- Two Pair — hold both pairs, draw one
- High Pair (Jacks or better) — hold the pair, draw three
- Three to a Royal Flush — hold and draw two
- Four to a Flush — hold and draw one
- Low Pair (2s through 10s) — hold the pair, draw three
- Four to an open-ended Straight — hold and draw one
- Two high cards (J, Q, K, A) — hold them, draw three
- One high card — hold it, draw four
- Nothing — discard everything, draw five
This simplified chart gets you within 0.5% of perfect play. Memorize it before sitting down.
Five Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Holding a "kicker." Never keep an extra card alongside a pair. If you have K♠ K♣ A♥ 5♦ 9♣, hold only the pair of Kings and draw three. The Ace doesn't help.
2. Breaking a winning hand for a draw. If you have a Flush, don't discard a card to chase a Straight Flush. The Flush is already a 6-for-1 win.
3. Keeping three to a Straight. Three to a Straight (like 5-6-7) is almost never worth holding. You need two specific cards to complete it — the odds are terrible.
4. Playing too fast. There's no clock on video poker. Take your time to verify the correct hold. Speed costs money through misplays.
5. Chasing losses. If you've lost your session budget, stop. The math doesn't change based on how much you've lost. The next hand has the exact same odds as the first.
Use Your Player's Card
Casino loyalty programs add 0.1-0.5% in value through comps, cashback, and mailers. On a game returning 99.54%, that extra value can push your effective return above 100%.
Always insert your player's card. It doesn't change the machine's payouts or odds — it only adds value on top.
Set a Budget
A reasonable session bankroll for quarter JoB is 200-300 max bets ($250-$375). This gives you a 95%+ chance of surviving a 4-hour session while playing through normal variance.
If that's too much, play nickels. A $50-$75 bankroll at nickel denomination with max bet gives you the same experience at 1/5 the risk.
Video poker is a long-term game. The math works in your favor when you combine good pay tables, correct strategy, and disciplined bankroll management.