Video poker variations
Find the best house edge with our list of popular video poker variations.
There are several different versions of video poker, all of which come with extremely favourable odds for the player (even positive expectation by some estimates). See which variants present the best edge with our overview of video poker variants (along with pay-tables). All pay-outs are calculated according to betting five credits and assume ‘optimal’ play.
Jacks or Better
Also known as 9/6 Jacks or Better. This is the most common form of video poker and payoffs begin at a pair of Jacks.
| Hand | 1 Credit | 2 Credits | 3 Credits | 4 Credits | 5 Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four 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 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
House edge: 0.54%
Deuces Wild
In this game, all 2s (‘deuces’) are wild, changing their rank and suit to form better hands. This variant returns a higher return for ‘natural’ hands that contain no wild cards.
| Hand | Pay-out (multiple of bet) |
|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 800 |
| Four deuces | 200 |
| Deuces Royal Flush | 25 |
| Five of a Kind | 16 |
| Straight Flush | 13 |
| Four of a Kind | 4 |
| Full House | 3 |
| Flush | 2 |
| Straight | 2 |
| Three of a kind | 1 |
House edge: 1.1%
All American
This variant features higher pay-outs on flushes and straights and lower returns on full houses and pairs.
| Hand | Pay-out (multiple of bet) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 200 |
| Four of a Kind | 34 |
| Full House | 8 |
| Flush | 8 |
| Straight | 8 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
| Two Pair | 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 |
House edge: 1.5%
Tens or Better
As you would expect, pay-outs start at a pair of 10s.
| Hand | Pay-out (multiple of bet) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 |
| Full House | 6 |
| Flush | 5 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 |
| Tens or Better | 1 |
House edge: 0.9%
Joker Wild
This variant includes one Joker as a wild card. The lowest qualifying hand is a pair of Kings and, as with Deuces Wild, natural hands offer a better return.
| Hand | Pay-out (multiple of bet) |
|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 1000 |
| Five of a Kind | 200 |
| Joker Royal Flush | 100 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 17 |
| Full House | 7 |
| Flush | 5 |
| Straight | 3 |
| Three of a Kind | 2 |
| Two Pair | 2 |
| Kings or Better | 1 |
House edge: 1.4%
Aces and Faces
This variant offers different pay-outs for four of a kind, depending on rank, with aces giving the best return.
| Hand | Pay-out (multiple of bet) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 70 |
| Four of a Kind (Aces & 8s) | 80 |
| Four of a Kind (Sevens) | 50 |
| Four of a Kind (Other) | 20 |
| Full House | 8 |
| Flush | 5 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 |
House edge: 0.74%
Full and low pay video poker
Most online casinos offer full pay machines only, meaning that pay-outs are nine times your wager for a full house and six times for a flush. Low pay machines offer a lower return (8/5, where full houses and flushes return eight and five times your bet respectively are most common). This results in a higher house edge.
If possible, you should always aim for full paying machines with a better return. Any game with a lower return than those in the tables above would be considered ‘low-pay'. Be sure to check the pay-outs before hazarding any cash.
The right casinos to play video poker
Exploit video poker’s incredibly low house edge at some of our favourite casino partners.
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