Joker Poker — Free Online Video Poker with Wild Card Strategy
- Game Type
- Wild Card Video Poker
- Best Pay Table
- Kings or Better (Full Pay)
- RTP
- 100.64%
- House Edge
- −0.64% (Player Advantage)
- Variance
- Medium-High
- Min. Winning Hand
- Kings or Better
- Deck
- 53 cards (52 + Joker)
- Ideal For
- Players who want a mathematical edge
What Is Joker Poker?
Joker Poker is a video poker variant played with a 53-card deck — the standard 52 cards plus one Joker that acts as a wild card. The poker joker substitutes for any card in the deck, making it possible to form hands that don't exist in standard poker, including Five of a Kind. This single addition transforms the strategy entirely and creates one of the most rewarding video poker games available.
Also known as Joker Wild Poker, this game first appeared in casino slot machines during the 1980s and quickly attracted serious players because of its unusually favorable odds. With full-pay tables and optimal strategy, Joker Poker returns 100.64% to the player — meaning the house edge is actually negative. This makes it one of only a handful of casino games where the mathematical advantage belongs to the player, not the casino.
You can play Joker Poker free right here with no download, no registration, and no real money required. Use the free joker poker game above to practice strategy before playing at a real casino, or simply enjoy it as entertainment. The game works on any modern browser across desktop, tablet, and smartphone devices.
How to Play Joker Poker — Rules & Gameplay
Playing a joker poker game follows the same core flow as other video poker variants, but the 53-card deck and wild Joker card change everything about hand evaluation and strategy decisions.
- Place your bet — Select 1 to 5 coins per hand. Always bet the maximum 5 coins to qualify for the enhanced Royal Flush jackpot of 4,000 coins (compared to only 800 coins per coin at lower bets).
- Deal — Press Deal to receive five cards from the 53-card deck. The deck includes all standard poker cards plus one Joker wild card.
- Hold or discard — Examine your hand and decide which cards to keep. If you are dealt the Joker, always hold it — the poker card joker is the most valuable card in the deck.
- Draw — Press Draw to replace discarded cards. Your final five-card hand is evaluated against the pay table.
- Collect winnings — Payouts are based on your final hand ranking. The minimum qualifying hand is a pair of Kings or Aces (Kings or Better).
Joker Poker Pay Table — Full Pay Kings or Better
The full-pay joker poker pay table is known as the "Kings or Better" schedule. It delivers an RTP of 100.64% with perfect strategy. This is the version implemented in our free joker poker online game above. Pay close attention to the difference between a Natural Royal Flush (no Joker) and a Wild Royal Flush (with Joker) — the natural version pays significantly more.
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Five of a Kind | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
| Wild Royal Flush | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
| Full House | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Three of a Kind | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Kings or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Notice that Five of a Kind — a hand only possible with the Joker — pays 200 coins at single bet and 1,000 coins at max bet. The wild Royal Flush (formed with help from the Joker) pays 100 coins versus 250 for a natural Royal Flush. This distinction is critical to joker poker strategy: a natural Royal always trumps a wild Royal in payout.
Short Pay vs. Full Pay Joker Poker Tables
Not all joker poker machines offer the full-pay schedule above. Casinos frequently offer "short pay" tables that reduce specific payouts. Here's how to spot the difference:
| Version | Full House | Flush | RTP | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Pay (Kings or Better) | 7 | 5 | 100.64% | −0.64% |
| Short Pay A | 6 | 5 | 99.27% | 0.73% |
| Short Pay B | 5 | 4 | 97.19% | 2.81% |
| Two Pair or Better | 5 | 4 | 99.92% | 0.08% |
Joker Poker Strategy — Optimal Play With & Without the Joker
Joker poker strategy splits into two completely different decision trees depending on whether the Joker is in your dealt hand. When you hold the Joker, your expected value for nearly every hand improves dramatically — a single wild card turns marginal draws into strong holds. When you don't hold the Joker, decisions more closely resemble standard video poker, but with the important caveat that the 53-card deck slightly reduces the odds of completing any specific draw.
Strategy When You Have the Joker
The Joker appears in approximately 9.4% of dealt hands (about 1 in every 10.6 deals). When you have it, always hold the Joker and focus on maximizing the hand around it.
- Hold any made pat hand — Straight Flush or better, keep all five cards.
- Hold Four to a Royal Flush — Even break a Straight Flush to chase the Royal.
- Hold any Four of a Kind, Full House, or Flush — These are strong made hands.
- Hold Four to a Straight Flush — The wild card makes these completions much more likely.
- Hold Three of a Kind — You have the Joker plus a natural pair; keep all three and draw two.
- Hold any Straight — A made hand worth keeping.
- Hold Three to a Royal Flush — Drawing two cards with a wild card in play gives strong Royal potential.
- Hold Three to a Straight Flush — Good draw odds with the Joker helping.
- Hold a pair of Kings or Aces — You already have a paying hand, and drawing to trips is favourable.
- Hold Two to a Royal Flush — Joker plus one Royal card is worth a three-card draw.
- Hold Joker + suited 10 or higher — Keeping flush and straight potential alive.
- Hold Joker alone — If nothing else connects, discard the other four and draw fresh.
Strategy When You Don't Have the Joker
Without the wild joker poker card in hand, play becomes more conservative. The 53-card deck means draw odds are marginally worse than in Jacks or Better (drawing from 48 cards instead of 47).
- Hold any pat hand — Straight or better, keep all five.
- Hold Four to a Royal Flush — Break anything except a pat Straight Flush.
- Hold Four to a Straight Flush — Strong draw even without the Joker.
- Hold Three of a Kind — Draw two cards aiming for Quads or Full House.
- Hold Four to a Flush — One card to go for a 5-coin payout.
- Hold Two Pair — Pays even money; draw one card for a Full House.
- Hold a pair of Kings or Aces — The only pairs that pay. Draw three.
- Hold Three to a Royal Flush — Worth drawing two.
- Hold Four to a Straight (open-ended) — Draw one card.
- Hold any low pair (Queens or below) — Does not pay, but Three of a Kind does.
- Hold Three to a Straight Flush — Marginal but positive EV.
- Hold two suited high cards (King or Ace) — Keep flush and high pair potential.
- Hold King or Ace alone — Discard four, draw fresh around a high card.
- Discard everything — If nothing connects, a full five-card redraw gives you a chance at the Joker.
Joker Poker Strategy Chart — Complete Reference
The following joker poker strategy chart ranks every possible hand situation from highest to lowest expected value. When dealt your cards, find the highest-ranking situation in the chart that matches your hand, and hold those cards. This chart is optimized for the full-pay Kings or Better pay table.
With Joker in Hand
| # | Hand Situation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Royal Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 2 | Five of a Kind | Hold all 5 |
| 3 | Wild Royal Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 4 | Straight Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 5 | Four of a Kind | Hold 4 + Joker |
| 6 | Four to a Royal Flush (with Joker) | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 7 | Full House | Hold all 5 |
| 8 | Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 9 | Four to a Straight Flush (with Joker) | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 10 | Three of a Kind (Joker + pair) | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 11 | Straight | Hold all 5 |
| 12 | Three to a Royal Flush (with Joker) | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 13 | Three to a Straight Flush (with Joker) | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 14 | Pair of Kings or Aces + Joker | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 15 | Two to a Royal Flush (with Joker) | Hold 2 + Joker, draw 2 |
| 16 | Joker + suited 10-or-higher card | Hold 2, draw 3 |
| 17 | Joker alone | Hold Joker, draw 4 |
Without Joker in Hand
| # | Hand Situation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Royal Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 2 | Straight Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | Hold all 5 |
| 4 | Four to a Royal Flush | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 5 | Full House | Hold all 5 |
| 6 | Flush | Hold all 5 |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 8 | Straight | Hold all 5 |
| 9 | Four to a Straight Flush | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 10 | Two Pair | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 11 | Four to a Flush | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 12 | Pair of Kings or Aces | Hold 2, draw 3 |
| 13 | Three to a Royal Flush | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 14 | Four to an open-ended Straight | Hold 4, draw 1 |
| 15 | Low pair (Queens or below) | Hold 2, draw 3 |
| 16 | Three to a Straight Flush | Hold 3, draw 2 |
| 17 | Two suited high cards (K, A) | Hold 2, draw 3 |
| 18 | Single King or Ace | Hold 1, draw 4 |
| 19 | Nothing | Discard all 5 |
Joker Poker Odds & Probabilities
Understanding the odds in joker poker video poker helps you appreciate why certain strategy decisions matter. The 53-card deck changes probabilities compared to standard 52-card games. Below are the approximate frequencies for each hand when playing with optimal strategy on the full-pay Kings or Better table.
| Hand | Frequency | Probability | Return Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 1 in 41,213 | 0.0024% | 1.94% |
| Five of a Kind | 1 in 10,511 | 0.0095% | 1.90% |
| Wild Royal Flush | 1 in 9,456 | 0.0106% | 1.06% |
| Straight Flush | 1 in 1,781 | 0.0562% | 2.81% |
| Four of a Kind | 1 in 119 | 0.842% | 16.84% |
| Full House | 1 in 65 | 1.531% | 10.72% |
| Flush | 1 in 64 | 1.563% | 7.81% |
| Straight | 1 in 54 | 1.843% | 5.53% |
| Three of a Kind | 1 in 7.2 | 13.85% | 27.70% |
| Two Pair | 1 in 9.4 | 10.61% | 10.61% |
| Kings or Better | 1 in 6.0 | 16.75% | 16.75% |
| Total Return | All hands combined | 100.64% | |
The most striking figure: Three of a Kind occurs roughly once every 7 hands and contributes 27.70% of total return. This high frequency is driven by the Joker — any natural pair dealt alongside the Joker instantly becomes Three of a Kind. Four of a Kind is also far more frequent than in Jacks or Better (1 in 119 vs. 1 in 423), contributing a massive 16.84% of total return.
Joker Poker Tips — 10 Rules for Better Play
- Always bet 5 coins — The max-bet Royal Flush bonus is proportionally huge. At 4 coins you get 1,000; at 5 coins you get 4,000 — that's 4× pay for 25% more wager.
- Never discard the Joker — The poker joker is the single most valuable card. Holding it alone (drawing 4 new cards) is better than discarding it in every possible scenario.
- Distinguish natural vs. wild Royals — A natural Royal Flush pays 4,000 coins; a wild Royal pays only 500. When you have four to a wild Royal, check if breaking it gives a better natural Royal draw.
- Kings and Aces are special — Only Kings or Better pairs pay. Don't treat Queen-high pairs as winners; they're just stepping stones to Three of a Kind.
- Don't hold kickers — With Three of a Kind, discard the two non-matching cards. Holding a "kicker" (extra high card) reduces your chance at Four or Five of a Kind.
- Break a Straight for Four to a Royal — A made Straight pays 3 coins, but Four to a Royal Flush has a much higher expected value. Always chase the Royal.
- The full five-card redraw is valid — If dealt no Joker and nothing connecting, discarding all five cards gives you a fresh shot at drawing the Joker plus a winning hand.
- Full House beats chasing — Don't break a Full House to chase Five of a Kind. The guaranteed 7-coin payout outweighs the long-shot draw.
- Seek full-pay machines — Check the Full House/Flush payouts (7/5 = full pay). Even a 6/5 table drops RTP by 1.37%, eliminating your mathematical edge.
- Practice free — Use the free joker poker game above to internalize strategy decisions. The optimal play differs significantly from Jacks or Better, and muscle memory matters.
Joker Poker vs. Other Video Poker Games
How does Joker Poker compare to other popular video poker variants? Understanding the differences helps you choose the right game for your style and goals.
| Feature | Joker Poker | Jacks or Better | Deuces Wild |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Size | 53 (1 Joker) | 52 (standard) | 52 (standard) |
| Wild Cards | 1 Joker | None | 4 Deuces |
| Min. Winning Hand | Kings or Better | Jacks or Better | Three of a Kind |
| Full-Pay RTP | 100.64% | 99.54% | 100.76% |
| House Edge | −0.64% | 0.46% | −0.76% |
| Variance | Medium-High | Low | Medium |
| Five of a Kind? | Yes | No | Yes |
| Strategy Complexity | Moderate | Simple | Complex |
| Best For | Edge seekers | Beginners | Wild card enthusiasts |
Joker Poker sits in a sweet spot: it offers a player advantage like Deuces Wild but with simpler strategy (one wild card to track instead of four). The medium-high variance means you'll experience more bankroll swings than in Jacks or Better, but the positive expected return rewards patient, skilled play. If you enjoy wild card poker games but find Deuces Wild strategy overwhelming, Joker Poker is the ideal alternative.
Joker Poker for UK Players
Joker Poker has a strong following among video poker players in the United Kingdom. UK casinos — both physical and online — frequently offer joker poker machines alongside Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. Here are key considerations for UK-based players:
- UK-friendly terminology: In UK casinos, Joker Poker may also be labelled "Joker Wild" or simply "Wild Poker." The rules and pay tables are identical regardless of the name.
- Practice free first: Our free online joker poker game requires no deposit, no download, and no account creation. UK players can practice optimal strategy risk-free before visiting a casino or registering at a licensed site.
- Tax-free winnings: Under current UK law, gambling winnings are not subject to income tax. This makes positive-expectation games like Joker Poker particularly attractive — the 100.64% RTP advantage is yours to keep in full.
- GBP bankroll management: When playing at a real joker poker slot machine or online casino, set a budget in pounds and stick to it. The max-bet strategy (5 coins per hand) is essential for optimal RTP, so choose a denomination that allows you to sustain this bet size across a full session.