Video Poker: RTP, Paytables, Strategy & Bankroll Guide
Video poker is where casino math gets unusually transparent: the paytable is visible, the deck is known, the decision is yours, and the return can be calculated. This guide teaches the machine as a mathematical system, not as a promise of profit.
Hero Example
Four to a royal, one discard
9/6 Jacks or Better
Full-pay benchmark
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 6:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
18+ Only. Gambling involves risk. Please gamble responsibly. Learn more →
What is Video Poker?
Video poker is an electronic five-card draw game where decisions affect theoretical return.
You are dealt five cards. You choose which cards to hold and which cards to discard. Replacement cards are drawn from the remaining deck, and the final five-card hand is paid according to the machine's paytable.
The important difference from most slots is that video poker is not a hidden reel math problem. The paytable is visible, the hand-ranking rules are known, and each hold/discard decision has an expected value.
That makes video poker one of the best casino games for studying RTP, expected value, variance, and bankroll risk. It also means strategy mistakes directly reduce the return.
CasinoMath framing
Video poker can have high theoretical RTP, but the phrase "theoretical" matters. Published return assumes exact paytable, correct coin structure, and near-perfect strategy over very large samples.
How Video Poker Works
Every hand follows the same transparent sequence: bet, deal, hold, draw, evaluate, pay.
Deal
The machine deals five cards from a standard 52-card deck, or from a variant-specific deck.
Hold / Discard
You keep valuable cards and discard the rest. This is where strategy affects expected value.
Draw / Pay
Replacement cards complete the final hand. The paytable determines the payout.
Video Poker vs Slots
Both are electronic games, but the math is much more visible in video poker.
Video Poker
- •Visible paytable with calculable RTP
- •Player decisions change expected return
- •Standard card probabilities can be modeled
- •Strategy mistakes reduce theoretical RTP
Slots
- •RTP is usually hidden in reel math
- •No post-spin strategy decisions
- •Volatility depends on proprietary game design
- •Outcomes are not improved by player decisions
Video Poker vs Blackjack
Both games reward correct decisions, but the decision tree is very different.
Video Poker
- •Single-player against a fixed paytable
- •Decisions are hold/discard choices
- •Paytable selection can matter more than table rules
- •Variance is heavily influenced by rare premium hands
Blackjack
- •Player vs dealer under table rules
- •Decisions include hit, stand, split, double, surrender
- •Rules and penetration shape house edge
- •Variance depends on doubles, splits, and bet spread
Hand Rankings
Most video poker variants start with poker hand rankings, then modify payouts for selected hand classes.
Royal Flush
A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. Usually the top payout when five coins are played.
Straight Flush
Five sequential cards of the same suit.
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank. Bonus games often split this into premium categories.
Full House
Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.
Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
Straight
Five sequential cards, mixed suits.
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank.
Two Pair
Two separate pairs. Often pays 2 in Jacks or Better but only 1 in many bonus games.
Jacks or Better
One pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces. The minimum paying hand in many games.
How Paytables Work
A paytable converts final hand categories into payouts. Small differences in full house, flush, or quad payouts can move RTP by multiple percentage points.
9/6 Jacks or Better Paytable
9 for full house, 6 for flush
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 6:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Paytable reading rule
Video poker names are incomplete. "Jacks or Better" tells you the rules, not the return. You need the exact paytable: 9/6 Jacks or Better returns 99.54% with correct strategy, while 8/5 Jacks or Better drops to 97.30%.
Jacks or Better Explained
Jacks or Better is the baseline video poker language. The lowest paying hand is a high pair, so the strategy chart is easier to learn than bonus-heavy games.
9/6 Jacks or Better
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Low
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Lowest mainstream video poker volatility; still swingy because royal flushes are rare.
9/6 Jacks or Better
99.54% theoretical RTP · The 99.54% RTP assumes perfect strategy and five-coin royal flush payout.
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 6:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Bonus Poker Explained
Bonus Poker increases the reward for premium four-of-a-kind hands. That raises variance and makes exact quad categories more important.
8/5 Bonus Poker
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Medium
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
More quad-driven than Jacks or Better; bankroll needs rise modestly.
8/5 Bonus Poker
99.17% theoretical RTP · The 99.17% RTP depends on correct strategy for Bonus Poker, not generic Jacks strategy.
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four Aces | 80:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 2s, 3s, 4s | 40:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 5s through Kings | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 8:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 5:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Double Bonus Poker Explained
Double Bonus shifts more return into quads and reduces two pair to 1. Theoretical RTP can be very high, but bankroll swings become much larger.
10/7/5 Double Bonus
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Very High
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Theoretical edge is offset by very large variance and rare availability.
10/7/5 Double Bonus
100.17% theoretical RTP · A theoretical RTP above 100% is conditional and assumes perfect play plus the exact paytable.
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four Aces | 160:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 2s, 3s, 4s | 80:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 5s through Kings | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 10:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 7:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 5:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Double Double Bonus Explained
Double Double Bonus adds kicker conditions to quad payouts. Aces with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker are not just four aces; they are a separate premium event.
9/6 Double Double Bonus
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Very High
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Kicker-based quad bonuses create long dry spells and sharp spikes.
9/6 Double Double Bonus
98.98% theoretical RTP · The 98.98% RTP requires strategy that accounts for kicker cards.
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four Aces + 2, 3, 4 | 400:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 2s, 3s, 4s + A-4 | 160:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four Aces | 160:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 2s, 3s, 4s | 80:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four 5s through Kings | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 6:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Deuces Wild Explained
In Deuces Wild, every 2 is wild. This changes the hand-frequency map completely, so Jacks or Better strategy is not transferable.
Full-Pay Deuces Wild
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- High
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Wild cards create frequent small returns, but optimal strategy is less intuitive.
Full-Pay Deuces Wild
100.76% theoretical RTP · Exact full-pay Deuces Wild is rare and requires precise deuces-specific strategy.
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four Deuces | 200:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Wild Royal Flush | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Five of a Kind | 15:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 5:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Full Pay vs Short Pay Machines
A short-pay machine lowers one or more payouts. The rules may look identical, but the math changes immediately.
Full Pay: 9/6 Jacks or Better
99.54% theoretical RTP
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 6:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Short Pay: 8/5 Jacks or Better
97.30% theoretical RTP
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 8:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 5:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
A two-credit cut across full house and flush payouts creates a 2.24 percentage-point RTP difference. On $10,000 of coin-in, that is about $224 of additional theoretical cost.
RTP Explained
RTP is the long-run percentage returned to players under the exact game, exact paytable, and assumed strategy.
9/6 Jacks or Better
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Low
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Lowest mainstream video poker volatility; still swingy because royal flushes are rare.
8/5 Bonus Poker
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Medium
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
More quad-driven than Jacks or Better; bankroll needs rise modestly.
10/7/5 Double Bonus
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Very High
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Theoretical edge is offset by very large variance and rare availability.
9/6 Double Double Bonus
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Very High
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Kicker-based quad bonuses create long dry spells and sharp spikes.
Full-Pay Deuces Wild
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- High
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Wild cards create frequent small returns, but optimal strategy is less intuitive.
RTP values use standard published paytable benchmarks, including Wizard of Odds summary tables for Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, and Deuces Wild.
Expected Value Explained
Expected value translates RTP into dollars of theoretical gain or loss per amount wagered.
Core formula
EV = coin-in × (RTP − 1)
Expected loss = coin-in × (1 − RTP) when RTP is below 100%.
A $100 coin-in sample on 9/6 Jacks or Better has expected loss of $0.46.
What EV does not say
EV is not a session forecast. You can make the correct hold, play a high-RTP paytable, and still lose because the royal flush and premium quad events are rare. EV is the average of a very large mathematical distribution.
Variance Explained
High RTP does not mean smooth results. Video poker often stores a large share of return in rare hands.
Jacks or Better
Lower variance because many common hands pay and quad bonuses are simple.
Bonus Poker
Medium variance because premium quads matter more than in Jacks or Better.
Double Bonus
Very high variance because two pair pays less and quads carry more return.
Deuces Wild
High variance with wild-card complexity and rare natural royal events.
Bankroll Requirements
Bankroll planning starts with denomination, coins per hand, variance, and whether your strategy accuracy is realistic.
$100 bankroll
At $0.25 denomination and five credits, each hand is $1.25. This is only 80 hands of coin-in before losses, so high-variance games can exhaust it quickly.
$500 bankroll
At $0.25 five-credit play, this is 400 hand-units. It is better suited to lower-variance Jacks or Better than to Double Double Bonus.
$1,000 bankroll
This gives more room for normal swings, but it still cannot prevent drawdowns during royal-flush droughts or premium-quad dry spells.
Strategy Basics
Video poker strategy is a ranked list of holds. The correct hold is the one with the highest expected value.
9/6 Jacks or Better: low pair plus three unrelated cards
BeginnerHold the low pair.
A pair gives several improvement paths: two pair, trips, full house, or quads. Random high-card chasing is weaker.
Jacks or Better: four cards to a flush, no high pair
BeginnerHold the four-card flush draw.
The draw has enough combinations to beat keeping one isolated low card. Paytable details still matter.
Bonus Poker: dealt three aces and two kickers
IntermediateHold the three aces.
Bonus Poker increases the value of premium quads, but the correct play still starts with the made trips.
Double Double Bonus: pair of aces with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker
AdvancedUse a game-specific strategy chart.
Kicker bonuses change close decisions. Generic Jacks or Better strategy can be materially wrong.
Hold vs Discard Decisions
The same hand can look obvious or tricky depending on paytable and variant. These examples show how the decision is framed.
Hold a pat paying hand
9/6 Jacks or Better: dealt a made flush.
Original Hand
Resulting Hand
Held Cards
Discarded Cards
A completed flush pays 6 in 9/6 Jacks or Better. Breaking it is usually a costly mistake.
Keep four to a royal
A premium draw often beats a low made hand.
Original Hand
Resulting Hand
Held Cards
Discarded Cards
Four to a royal has strong EV because the royal payout is large, even though the hit is rare.
High pair over scattered cards
A pair of kings is usually stronger than chasing weak unrelated cards.
Original Hand
Resulting Hand
Held Cards
Discarded Cards
The correct hold is about expected value, not about what happened in this sample draw.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Most video poker mistakes are not dramatic. They are small EV leaks repeated over many hands.
Why Video Poker Has Higher RTP Than Most Casino Games
The high-return versions exist because strategy mistakes, paytable downgrades, denomination choices, and variance all matter.
Video poker can publish very high theoretical returns because the game lets the player make mathematically meaningful decisions. A perfect strategy player extracts more value from the same paytable than a casual player.
Casinos can still offer the game because many machines are short-pay, many players use imperfect strategy, and variance delays realization of the theoretical average.
The correct takeaway is educational: compare paytables, learn the strategy, and understand that the long-run return is not a short-run promise.
9/6 Jacks or Better
Theoretical return with correct strategy
- Variance
- Low
- Difficulty
- Beginner
A strong teaching game because return is high and strategy is comparatively learnable.
Why RTP Is Not Guaranteed Profit
RTP is a theoretical average. It does not control the order of outcomes, the timing of rare hands, or your session length.
- Royal flushes are rare, so short sessions can miss a large share of theoretical return.
- Strategy errors compound across hands and can erase a high paytable advantage.
- Above-100% theoretical RTP benchmarks are rare and condition-dependent.
- Bankroll limits can end a session before long-run averages become meaningful.
- Denomination and coin structure change dollar volatility even when percentage RTP is identical.
- No machine, chart, or system can make a session predictable.
Responsible Play
CasinoMath treats video poker as an educational probability model, not as financial advice or a prompt to gamble.
Responsible Gaming
This content is for educational purposes only. Gambling involves real financial risk and can be addictive. The house always has a mathematical advantage—there is no guaranteed winning strategy.
Use the Video Poker Calculator
Convert the guide into numbers: game type, paytable, denomination, bankroll, RTP, expected loss per 100 and 1,000 hands, variance, and bankroll risk.
Launch CalculatorCalculator Default
9/6 Jacks or Better
| Hand | Pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Full House | 9:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Flush | 6:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Straight | 4:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Two Pair | 2:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
| Jacks or Better | 1:1 | Standard one-credit unit payout |
Related CasinoMath Resources
Use these pages to connect video poker to broader expected value, house edge, and bankroll math.
Video Poker FAQ
Common questions about RTP, full-pay machines, Jacks or Better, and high-return paytables.
What is Video Poker?
Video poker is an electronic five-card draw game. You receive five cards, choose which cards to hold, draw replacements, and are paid according to the machine's paytable.
Is Video Poker better than slots?
Mathematically, strong video poker paytables can have much higher RTP than many slots, and strategy affects the return. It is still gambling with variance and uncertain outcomes.
What is RTP in Video Poker?
RTP is the theoretical long-run return as a percentage of coin-in, assuming the exact paytable and a stated strategy level. A 99.54% RTP means an expected loss of 0.46% before any external factors.
What is Jacks or Better?
Jacks or Better is the baseline video poker game where the lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces. Full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better is a common teaching benchmark.
What is a Full Pay machine?
A Full Pay machine is the best commonly published paytable for a variant, such as 9/6 Jacks or Better or 8/5 Bonus Poker. Short-pay versions reduce key payouts and lower RTP.
Can Video Poker have over 99% RTP?
Yes. Several full-pay video poker tables exceed 99% theoretical RTP with perfect strategy. Some rare tables can exceed 100% in theory, but that is still a long-run mathematical average, not a session forecast.
Does high RTP guarantee profit?
No. RTP is a long-run average over huge samples. Royal flush cycles, variance, strategy mistakes, denomination, and bankroll limits can dominate real sessions.
What is the best Video Poker game?
The best educational starting point is usually 9/6 Jacks or Better. Advanced players compare exact RTP, variance, strategy complexity, and bankroll requirements across variants.