How it works
You are dealt five cards, choose which to hold, and the rest are replaced once. The final hand is paid from the pay table. The lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks or better; lower pairs lose.
Read the pay table first
| Pay table (per coin) | Full house | Flush | RTP with perfect play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 (full pay) | 9 | 6 | 99.54% |
| 8/5 | 8 | 5 | about 97.3% |
| 7/5 | 7 | 5 | about 96.2% |
| 6/5 | 6 | 5 | about 95.0% |
The two numbers in a pay table's name are the payouts for a full house and a flush. A one-step cut costs more than a percentage point of return.
What to hold
- Always keep a made paying hand: a pair of jacks or better or anything above it.
- Four to a royal flush beats a made flush or straight.
- Four to a flush beats a low pair.
- Keep a low pair over unsuited high cards.
- With nothing, keep high cards (J, Q, K, A), up to two, preferably suited.
- Never keep a kicker with a pair.
Bankroll
Video poker is volatile because a large share of the return sits in the rare royal flush, which comes about once in 40,000 hands. Size your session so that a run of losses does not end it after a few dozen hands. Bonus terms often count video poker at a reduced rate; check before you play with bonus money.