Which Video Poker Game Should I Play
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- Should We Play Video Games
- Which Video Poker Game Should I Play Real Money
- Whats The Best Video Poker Game To Play
- Best Free Video Poker Games
Two of the best things about video poker include the strategy and high payback. These factors combine to give you a better chance to beat video poker than most other casino games.
- Easy no-download video poker! Jacks or Better, Bonus, Double Double, Deuces, Joker Poker, total of 17 variations plus perfect play trainer.
- There is a large selection of moderate variance video poker games. The main attraction that moderate variance video poker games have is they are more exciting to play than lower variance video poker games. To pay for the added excitement, moderate variance video poker games require a larger bankroll than lower variance games.
But video poker games aren’t created equally. Some variations pay back much more than others.
You also have to look closely at video poker pay tables. Each game has a different set of pay tables that offer more or less for certain hands.
These differences can create a payback discrepancy worth over 1%. And this is a big deal for anybody who plays a lot of video poker.
Unfortunately, casinos don’t always offer the best video poker games and pay tables. But this doesn’t mean that you have to settle for what’s given to you.
Should We Play Video Games
Shop around land-based and online casinos for the top video poker variations. You should also know pay table differences in each game so you can find the “full-pay” versions.
Keep reading to see what common video poker machines you should skip over, along with what you should look for instead.
1 – Jacks or Better
Jacks or Better (JoB) is perhaps the most popular video poker machine. Two reasons why players love this game include its high payback and its simple play.
Note:JoB features the simplest pay table in video poker because it doesn’t offer any bonus prizes. Instead, this table is based on standard poker hand rankings.
JoB is characterized by paying for a pair of jacks or better. Many video poker machines don’t offer payouts until you get a pair of kings, 2 pair, or 3 of a kind.
Another notable aspect is that JoB offers higher payouts for a 2 pair, 3 of a kind, straight, flush, and full house than most games.
The key differences between Jacks or Better pay tables are seen in the full house and flush payouts. Both of these prizes can be higher or lower depending upon which pay table you choose.
What Not to Play: 8/6 or 9/5 Jacks or Better
Two commonly offered JoB machines include 8/6 and 9/5 Jacks or Better.
The 8/6 pay table offers 8 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush. Payback for this machine is 97.30%.
The 9/5 version delivers 9 coins for a full house and 5 for a flush. Payback for this game is 98.45%.
You should avoid 8/6 JoB at all costs because 97.30% payback is low for the video poker world. 8/5 JoB offers okay payback, but you still should look for better options.
You can see both games’ pay tables below.
8/6 Jacks or Better Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 of a kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
9/5 Jacks or Better Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hRoyal flushh | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| hStraight flushh | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| h4 of a kindh | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
What You Should Play Instead: 9/6 Jacks or Better
9/6 JoB is typically the best video poker machine offered in most casinos. This game pays 9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush.
It doesn’t seem like a huge difference that 9/6 JoB offers one coin more for a full house or flush. But it certainly does when considering that this game offers 99.54% payback.
You can easily find 9/6 Jacks or Better at most online casinos. And a fair number of land-based casinos also have this game.
Here’s the pay table that you should look for.
Which Video Poker Game Should I Play Real Money
9/6 Jacks or Better Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 of a kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
2 – Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild is very similar to Jacks or Better. But the main difference is that 2s are wild in this game.
Deuces Wild offers a couple of different payouts from JoB, including 4 deuces and a wild royal flush payout. The wild royal pays less than a natural royal because it contains deuces and is easier to form.
Payouts come easier in general thanks to the wild 2s. This is why Deuces Wild’s lowest qualifying payout is a 3 of a kind.
What Not to Play: Ugly Ducks Deuces Wild
Deuces are sometimes referred to as “ducks” because of their shape. And certain video poker variations are designated by the word ducks in their name.
Such is the case with Ugly Ducks Deuces Wild. This game differs from other Deuces Wild pay tables by offering 15 coins for a five of a kind and 9 for a straight flush.
Ugly Ducks’ payback is 98.91%, which is above average when compared to all video poker machines. And you’ll find this machine at a number of casinos.
I still don’t recommend that you play it, though, because there’s a better option.
Ugly Ducks Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| 4 deuces | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
| Wild royal flush | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| 5 of a kind | 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 |
| Straight flush | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| 4 of a kind | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Full house | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Flush | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Straight | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 3 of a kind | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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What You Should Play Instead: Not So Ugly Deuces Wild
Not So Ugly Ducks (NSUD) differs from Ugly Ducks through two payouts.
- 5 of a kind pays 16 coins
- Straight flush pays 10 coins
Both of these payouts are one coin higher than what’s seen in Ugly Ducks. And this results in 99.73% payback, which is really high in land-based casinos.
You won’t find NSUD in every casino across the US. But you can still find it in enough gambling establishments to make it a viable option.
Not So Ugly Ducks Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| 4 deuces | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
| Wild royal flush | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| 5 of a kind | 16 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 |
| Straight flush | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| 4 of a kind | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Full house | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Flush | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Straight | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 3 of a kind | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
3 – Bonus Poker
Bonus Poker offers a very different pay table when compared to JoB and Deuces Wild. This machine features bonus payouts for specific 4 of a kinds.
These include four aces, four 2s through 4s, and four 5s through kings. Four aces pay the most, while four 2s-4s pay the second most.
This game is fun for anybody who enjoys chasing bonus payouts, considering that there are three such prizes. And you can find Bonus Poker in virtually every casino with video poker.
What Not to Play: 7/5 Bonus Poker
7/5 Bonus Poker offers 7 coins for a full house and 5 for a flush. This leads to 98.01% payback, which is below average in the video poker industry.
Some casinos only offer the 7/5 version, but hopefully you’ll be able to play 8/5 Bonus Poker.
Here’s the pay table for the 7/5 variation.
7/5 Bonus Poker Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 2s-4s | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
What You Should Play Instead: 8/5 Bonus Poker
The lone difference between 7/5 and 8/5 Bonus Poker is that the latter pays one more coin for a full house. This tiny difference moves the payback from 98.01% to 99.17%.
8/5 Bonus Poker’s 99.17% payback isn’t the best available in the casino world. But sometimes it’s the top game that you’ll find in land-based casinos.
Here’s the pay table.
8/5 Bonus Poker Pay Table
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 2s-4s | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
4 – Double Bonus
If you’ve tried Bonus Poker before, then you’ll have no trouble adjusting to Double Bonus. This game is essentially the same, except for double bonus payouts for four aces, four 2s-4s, and four 5s-Ks.
These larger payouts create an even more exciting dynamic for players who love winning big prizes. But they also create more volatility than regular Bonus Poker.
As long as you’re fine with this, then you should enjoy Double Bonus, which is found in most land-based and online casinos.
What Not to Play: 9/6 Double Bonus
The 9/6 Double Bonus version offers 9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush.
This is similar to 9/6 Jacks or Better. But a key difference is that Double Bonus only pays one coin for a 2 pair to make up for the big bonus payouts at the top.
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Looking specifically at 9/6 Double Bonus, this game pays back 98.98%. This is solid in terms of all video poker machines, but you can still do better with Double Bonus.
Here’s the pay table.
9/6 Double Bonus Pay Table
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| 4 2s-4s | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
What You Should Play Instead: 9/7 Double Bonus
9/7 Double Bonus offers a simple difference from 9/6 Double Bonus in that it pays 7 coins for a flush. This minor change increases the payback to 99.11%.
You may not be impressed with the 0.13% payback difference between the two games. But since flushes occur far more often than bonus payouts, this also lowers the volatility in 9/7 Double Bonus.
Here’s the pay table.
9/7 Double Bonus Pay Table
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| 4 2s-4s | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Straight | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
5 – Online Video Poker
Online casinos offer a convenient way to find different video poker machines under one cyber roof. Rather than walking around land-based casinos to find the games you want, you can simply use your smartphone or PC.
This makes for a convenience unlike anything else in the casino world. It also allows players a chance to try games that aren’t offered at their local casino.
What Not to Play: 9/6 Jacks or Better
As I covered earlier, 9/6 Jacks or Better is a fine game in terms of simplicity and payback. You won’t do much better than 99.54% payback in many land-based casinos.
But the key word here is “land based,” because it’s easier to look for higher-paying games in online casinos.
You can move from casino to casino with a few taps and swipes on your smartphone. Contrast this to land-based casinos, where you need to physically travel to play.
I won’t fault you for playing online Jacks or Better, because it does offer a decent chance to win. But I also urge you to look around for better-paying options.
What You Should Play Instead: RealTime Gaming’s Aces & Eights and Microgaming’s All Aces
RealTime Gaming (RTG) and Microgaming offer two of the best online video poker machines in terms of payback. In fact, I haven’t found an online game that pays higher than Microgaming’s All Aces.
All Aces is basically Double Bonus Poker with enhanced payouts for four aces and four 2s-4s. The larger bonus payouts give this game 99.92% payback, which is outstanding.
Note:The only catch is that you’ll need to purchase video poker software to practice strategy for this game.
All Aces’ pay table is unlike any other in video poker, meaning you need to customize the pay table you’re practicing for.
As for RTG, Aces & Eights isn’t an exclusive game, because certain Las Vegas casinos offer the same pay table. But not many online software providers offer the full-pay version like RTG does.
Aces & Eights is characterized by offering a special bonus payout for four aces or four 8s. You can also look forward to another bonus for four 7s.
Here are the pay tables for both Microgaming’s All Aces and RTG’s Aces & Eights.
Microgaming’s All Aces (Double Bonus)
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 60 | 120 | 180 | 240 | 300 |
| 4 aces | 400 | 800 | 1,200 | 1,600 | 2,000 |
| 4 2s-4s | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
8/5 Aces and Eights
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces or eights | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 sevens | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 of a kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Conclusion
Video poker is a strange casino game in that there are so many different variations and pay tables. It pays to know the best of the best so that you can earn the highest payback possible.
Finding the top games won’t increase your short-term prospects of winning much. After all, video poker is really volatile due to the royal flush jackpot.
But consistently playing video poker machines with high payback will boost your long-term winnings.
Just remember that you don’t have to settle for less when it comes to these games. Use your knowledge of pay tables and different games to choose the top commonly offered variations.
You can find free video poker trainers online that allow you to practice. But you’ll need to purchase software with customizable tables to practice games like Microgaming’s All Aces.
As long as you put the work into strategy, then you’ll have a strong chance to win money.