Nowadays, there are lots of different video poker games available to play. But it wasn’t all that long ago that there was only 1 version of video poker available on the market, the pioneering version of poker-based slot machines, jacks or better video poker! Jacks or better video poker is the original and is still one of the most popular video poker games in the world.
When it comes to strategy for playing jacks or better video poker, there are lots of resources available to help you play the game at a high level, which will give you a much better chance of walking away a winner. Anytime that you are gambling, there will be plenty of luck involved, but knowing and utilizing the top video poker jacks or better strategies can only improve your results.
Huge congratulations to this lucky @CaesarsRewards guest who hit the #Jackpot to win $200,000 at the Palace 🤩
21+. Gambling problem? Call 800-522-4700. pic.twitter.com/Ubcf4tHWRf
— Caesars Palace (@CaesarsPalace) January 9, 2023
In this article, we are going to provide you with TheSportsGeek’s top 5 video poker jacks or better strategies. If you want to see your results improve and your win rate increase, make sure that you check out these top video poker jacks or better strategies! Let’s get started!
Strategy for Playing Jacks or Better Video Poker
In this section, TheSportsGeek’s resident casino expert, Jason Gray, will bring you his top 5 video poker jacks or better strategies. Jason spent over a decade managing casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and has the insider scoop on what it takes to beat the house. While this is certainly not a comprehensive list of tips, if you start following these video poker jacks or better strategies today, you will start winning more money today!
Find Optimal Pay Tables
If you don’t follow this first video poker jacks or better strategy tip, none of the rest of them are going to be able to help you be a winner, as this is by far the most important tip we will be discussing today. When jacks or better first hit casino floors, all of the pay tables were identical. But eventually, the casinos wanted to make more money on the games and started to make adjustments to the pay tables.
Some of these changes are hard to spot, but you can be sure that if the casino is making a change, it isn’t intended to pay out more money! Making sure that you are playing at as close to optimal pay tables as possible is of the utmost importance, as you just won’t be able to beat some of these games that have dreadfully bad pay tables.
The easiest way to quickly tell if the game that you are playing has good pay tables is to look at what the full house and the flush pay. While there can be lots of other variations in payouts, as a general rule, if the full house and the flush pay well, you are playing at the right game.
Degen w/ a plan
This is a “full pay” jacks or better video poker slot. This machine has a 99.54% RTP. If you play perfectly you can come out ahead with comp$ and free hotel rooms.
Most casinos don’t offer this machine. Has to have 9 credit FH and 6 credit flush payouts. pic.twitter.com/QzZJJ8IRoA
— Air Andy (@AirAndyBets) January 27, 2023
The best jacks or better pay tables will feature a 9-1 payout for a full house and a 6-1 payout for a flush. The worst jacks or better pay tables that I have seen only pay 6-1 for a full house and 5-1 for a flush. Most pay tables are going to fall somewhere in the middle, and while those might not seem like major differences, they are, and they can really add up!
You might have to search a little bit or play a higher denomination to find the best pay tables but trust me when I tell you that it is worth it. Many times, these optimal pay table games can be found in the high-limit area or hidden in the back of the casino, where only players in the know can find them. Know that you know, take the extra time to find the right game before playing.
Hold a Large Pair over 3 to a Royal Flush
Now that we know that you are playing at the right machine, we can get into some of the more detailed video poker jacks or better strategies. I am adding this next tip because it is one that I consistently see being misplayed.
We all love royal flushes. Chasing those big jackpots is why most of us play video poker to begin with. But if you want to be a winner, you have to make sure that you are making as many mathematically correct decisions as you can, and sometimes that means that you throw away a potential royal flush draw.
Now, if you have 4 to that royal flush, the only time that you wouldn’t draw to it is if you have a made straight flush. You wouldn’t want to break up that straight flush for a shot at the royal, as tempting as that might be.
When the Royal Isn’t Right But, interestingly enough, if you are playing by the book, if you have a high pair (jacks or better) and only 3 to that royal flush, you should hold the high pair and not draw for the royal.
Most casual video poker players that I have seen would much rather draw to that royal than hold the guaranteed payout pair. And while that is understandable, it isn’t actually the correct play. It isn’t always the most exciting option, but if you find yourself in a spot where you have a high pair and 3 to the royal, hold that pair and get paid, rather than trying to test fate and go for the long shot.
2 Pair is Better Than 1
Many other popular versions of video poker, games like bonus poker, double bonus poker, or double double bonus poker, pay the same for 2 pair as they do for 1 pair. That isn’t the case with jacks or better poker, though, as 2 pair pays twice as much as 1 pair, with a 2-1 payout compared to the 1-1 payout for a single pair.
The payouts are easy to find if you take a close look at the pay tables, but with so many games getting rid of the additional 2 pair payout, many players just hold the single high pair and draw, when they should actually be holding both pairs. While it isn’t always the case with video poker, when you are playing jacks or better, 2 pair is better than 1, so make sure that you hold them both before drawing!
Inside Straight Draws Are Trash
When you are dealt 4 to a straight, it feels like you have a somewhat decent hand. You don’t. To put it simply, inside straight draws are trash.
If you have 4 to an inside straight draw, with a single high card (jacks or better), you are better off throwing that straight draw away and holding just the single high card. Believe it or not, if you have 4 cards to an inside straight draw with all low cards, you are actually better off just throwing your entire hand away and drawing 5, than drawing to the straight draw.
Inside straight draws are hard to hit, and they don’t pay all that well when they do get there. So, while it feels like that 5, 6, 7, 9, draw is “something,” in reality, it’s nothing, and you should play it accordingly.
Don’t Be Afraid to Draw 5 Cards
This final strategy for playing jacks or better video poker tip plays off of that last tip, as you shouldn’t be afraid to throw your entire hand away and draw 5 if you don’t have anything to draw to. 3 card flush draws with all low cards, inside straight draws with all low cards, and even hands like small suited connectors need to be tossed away without a second thought.
I know it can be frustrating to throw your entire hand away, as most of the time, you aren’t going to make anything and will lose your bet. But holding cards that are working against you only makes it harder to get paid, so you have to have the courage to punt if that is what the math is telling you to do.
Where Can You Play Jacks or Better Video Poker?
Now that you have these video poker jacks or better strategies in your back pocket, you are ready to start playing! We already talked about how there are lots of newer versions of video poker in casinos, and sometimes that can make it difficult to find a jacks or better machine. One place where you are never going to have to look very hard to find a jacks or better machine is online!
Online casinos are known for their huge game selection options, and not only will you easily find jacks or better games online, but you will also be able to find those optimal games with the best pay tables. Remember, no matter how great your video poker jacks or better strategies might be, if you are playing at the wrong machine, you won’t be able to win.
If you are looking for a great place to play jacks or better video poker online, make sure that you swing by TheSportsGeek’s video poker app page. There you will find casino reviews for all of the top online casinos, with exclusive offers for readers of TheSportsGeek. Thanks for reading, and good luck playing jacks or better video poker online!
