Video Poker Jacks Better

Table Of Contents

• This article is for those who don't know how to play Jacks or Better video Poker
• Read the best Jacks or Better strategy tips before you play real money games

If you want to take your video poker more seriously you can research correct strategy for any pay table or variation you come across. That being said, you’ll do pretty well on any Jacks or Better machine using this strategy. This strategy will get you an expected return of between 99.10 and 99.50 percent on a 9/6 or 8/5 Jacks or Better. Jacks or Better is was the first variant of video poker to be produced, which is why its play closely resembles the original Draw Poker game. As in most online video poker games, a hand of Jacks or Better begins with the player’s bet. He is then dealt five cards which he may keep or discard in search of a better.

Today, I am going to share some useful Jacks or Better video poker strategy tips that will help you increase your win rate and enjoy more this exciting casino game.

Did you know that video poker has the highest payout percentage of all casino games?

While the house edge for typical casino games varies between 90 and 97 percent, video poker can offer up to 99.54 percent.

But only if you know what you're doing.

DraftKings has several video poker games, the most notable being Jacks or Better, Double Double Bonus Poker and Game King Video Poker. DraftKings’ welcome offer consists of a 100% deposit match bonus up to $1,500 and a $45 no deposit bonus, which is awarded instantly upon signing up. Part 2 of the tutorial on playing jacks or better video poker. Here we play actual dealt hands and apply the video poker strategy that we learnt in part 1.

And for that, you need a good video poker strategy.

In this article, we will delve into my favorite variation of video poker - Jacks or Better (Draw Poker). I like it because of how simple and straightforward the game is.

(Another great game to play is Deuces Wild, but we'll keep that to another article.)

To play successfully (aka. to win), a sound Jacks or Better strategy is a must.

That's why today you are going to find out a few important things like:

• how to reduce the house edge
• how to make the best out of the cards you get
• how to maximize your chances to win

In case you already know how to play Jacks or Better and want to put your knowledge into action ASAP, you can visit this Casino site and play this video Poker game online for free and for real money.

Use my video poker strategy tips to play Jacks or Better like a pro!

As for the rest of us, let's continue with the article!

The Importance of Poker Hands at Jacks or Better Strategy

If you want to become good at Jacks or Better video poker, you need to understand its card combinations.

It comes without saying that you must know the basic video poker rules for a solid start, and I recommend this article for that.

Now, let's check out the possible poker hands that result in winnings.

• Royal Flush. It can't get any better than that. This hand has to include these cards: . Most games don't require them to be consecutive. All cards must be in the same suit.
• Straight Flush. Five consecutive cards from the same suit. Example:.
• Four of a Kind. Nothing complicated here: four cards of the same value. Example: .
• Full House. You collect Full House when you receive five cards that are comprised of one pair and three of a kind. Example: .
• Flush. Five cards of the same suit. Example:
• Straight. Five cards that form a consecutive sequence. The suits are mixed.
• Three of a Kind. You get Three of a Kind when you receive three cards of the same value. Example: .
• Two Pair. Two pairs of two cards of the same value. Example: .
• Jacks or Better. The easiest one to collect, this combination includes only one pair of jacks or a higher value. Example:

Suit abbreviations:

Spades (s)
Hearts (h)
Diamonds (d)
Clubs (c)

Don't worry if you can't remember them all - these video Poker machines online include a table with the winning combinations and payouts.

And if you really want to go deeper on the subjects, here's the most complete poker hands chart on the internet.

The most important thing is to choose the casinos with the highest payment possibilities.

Tip: If a game has full payouts, it should pay two times your bet for Two Pairs.

How to Actually Play Jacks or Better Poker

If you've ever played Jacks or Better, you know that this is a casino game that depends on both luck and your choices - a characteristic, this one, that is common to all online poker machines.

It goes like this:

You get five cards and must choose the ones that you want to keep for the next round. You click 'deal', and get your final combination.

The problem is:

Which cards should you hold?

Luckily, this choice is not as difficult as it might seem. Below, I prepared an easy Jacks or Better strategy for beginners that you should use when dealing with your cards.

Jacks or Better Strategy Made Easy

Here are the main tips for a basic Jacks or Better poker strategy:

• When you have four cards to a Straight or a Flush, hold all four of them and draw only one additional card.
• When you have three cards to a Royal Flush, keep them! Draw two additional cards and you might be lucky.
• Need only two more cards for a Straight Flush? Hold the three lucky cards you have and draw two more.
• When you get a pair of cards, hold them and draw three additional cards. However, this tip is not always applicable.
• If you have no matching cards in your hand, hold a card that is higher or equal of value to Jacks.
• No combinations and no Jacks or higher? Draw five new cards.

The Problem of Low Pair Vs. High Pair

A couple of the main questions that most video poker players have are as follows:

When is it best to hold a low pair?
When should I hold a high pair?

Let's take a look at what you should do in different situations.

Jacks or Better Poker Strategy: Low Pair

Usually, I suggest you keep all the low pairs you receive. However, there are certain situations when it's better to skip them.

This is when you should keep a low pair:

• When you have four to a Straight, always keep the pair that you got. Example: 55678. In this case, hold 55 and discard 678.
• When you have three to a Straight Flush, keep the low pair. Example: 3h4h5h5s9c. Hold 5h and 5s.
• When you have a low pair and two cards that could result in a Royal Flush… you should still hold the low pair! Example: 6s6h2cKhAh. Hold 6s and 6h and discard the rest.

Here are the cases when you should discard your low pair:

• When you have three to a Royal Flush. The probability to get the best outcome is simply too high to keep the low pair. Example: 2sJhJsQsKs
• In case you have four to a Flush, break that low pair! Example: 5d5h8d9dQd

Jacks or Better Game Strategy: High Pair

The crucial difference between a low pair and a high pair in video poker is that the latter is a guaranteed win.

However, there will be certain situations when you'll think that you need to break the pair for a bigger win.

BUT - a seemingly right decision can cost you your bet.

Here are the cases when you have to keep your high poker pair no matter what.

Note: A high pair consists of two cards of the same value (Jacks or higher).

• If you have four to a Flush and a high pair, hold the pair and draw three other cards. When an identical situation occurs with a low pair in hand, you should break it.
• When you have four to a Straight, keep your high pair to have a higher chance to win.
• If you have three to a Royal Flush, it is still better to hold the pair! The odds to get a Royal Flush are not high enough in this case.
• It's more beneficial to keep the high pair when you have three to a Straight Flush. Over time, this will produce better results.

On the contrary, there is one case when you should break your high pay in Jacks or Better poker game:

• When you have four to a Royal Flush. In this situation, it would be a waste not to do it as the odds are simply too high for that sweet winning sequence!

Note: As soon as you decide to use a video poker game strategy, stick to it. Whether you play online or at a land-based casino, discipline is your truest friend when it comes to beating Jacks or Better.

You Can Play Jacks or Better Video Poker Game Online For Free!

No strategy can be useful without sufficient practice.

But you don't want to bet your hard-earned money on your first try at Jacks or Better. No, you need to play this video poker game for free first!

Video Poker Jacks Or Better Vs Deuces Wild

And that's an easy task. Why?

Because you can do that on this video poker site.

Here, each Jacks or Better game variation has a demo mode that does not require real money. At all.

Register a free account and use the bonus to play free Jacks or Better Video poker games online.

So, practice online all you want - and try to win real cash as soon as you learn how to play this game flawlessly.

May the odds be with you!

Video Poker Jacks Or Better

Jacks or Better is one of the most popular video poker formats. This has been the go-to version of the game since video poker terminals hit casinos and bars. It is based on draw poker, when you get a single draw and aim to hit jack-jack or better to win.

You’ll get to choose whether to hold or discard any or all of your five cards. The best payout in Jacks or Better is for a Royal Flush, which pays 800 coins (or in some casinos, a progressive jackpot prize).

Jacks or Better can be played in regulated states both at online and live casinos. This page details exactly how the game works, the best payouts you should look for and the optimal strategies behind playing the game.

Jacks or Better – Look for a full pay table, otherwise known as 9/6

There are two important considerations when you first play Jacks or Better. The first is the pay table, to ensure you are gaining the best odds possible. The second is the number of coins in play, which also has a large effect on the odds.

The first thing you should look at in the pay table are the prizes for a full house and a flush. You’ll want to ensure that the payout for the full house is 9 coins and that the payoff for a flush is 6 coins.

In some variations of the game, these payouts can be lowered to 8 and 5 coins respectively. While these differences might seem minor, the house edge increases from around 0.5% to 2.5% in the lower paid version. This is a 5x difference in the house edge. Take a quick glance at the pay table, and ensure you are playing the higher paying games (there are plenty of variations to choose from, especially online).

Number of Coins in Play

This is another serious consideration, as you should always opt for the 5-coin option. The payout for a Royal Flush betting one coin is 250 coins. If you bet 2, 3 or 4 coins, the payout increases to 500, 750 and 1,000 coins respectively.

However, if you play for the maximum 5 coins, the Royal Flush payout jumps to 2,000 coins (instead of the expected 1,250 coins).

Therefore, if you were to play a game with a total stake of $5 for example, you should always play 5 coins for $1, instead of 1 coin for $5. If you don’t play for 5 coins you are missing out on expected value.

How Jacks or Better Works

To start the game, you’ll hit the ‘Deal’ button which will deal you five cards. You’ll now get to choose how many of those 5 cards you want to hold or discard. Any of the cards you discard (which when playing the best strategy will usually be most of them) will now be replaced by new cards. You now have your final hand and you’ll be paid if you do indeed have Jacks or Better.

Here is an example payout for Jacks or Better (with the 9/6 pays for the full house and flush).

• Royal Flush: 800
• Straight Flush: 50
• 4 of a Kind: 25
• Full House: 9
• Flush: 6
• Straight: 4
• 3 of a kind: 3
• 2 Pair: 2
• Jacks or Better: 1

Strategy for Playing Jacks or Better

Much of the strategy around playing Jacks or Better is seemingly common sense, especially if you are dealt a series of big cards. However, things can get a little tricky when you have two potential ways to go (such as five cards that include a pair and the potential of a straight).

Here are some key pointers you can use in your strategy:

If you are dealt a royal flush, a straight flush, four of a kind, a full house and a flush, these hands play themselves and you should hold all cards. If you have four to a Royal Flush, hold those above a full house and a flush.

Pairs are all-important in Jacks or Better. If you receive a single high pair (Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces) within your five cards, these should be held instead of four cards of the same suit or even three of the five cards that make up a Royal Flush.

Even holding a low pair is deemed the best strategy over a number of deals. For example, if you are dealt a pair of 3’s in a hand that includes 7, 8 and 9 that are suited, you should hold those 3’s and discard the straight flush opportunity.

If you have a hand with just two high cards (with no other possibilities such as flushes and straights), or even just a single high card, you should simply hold them and discard the others. You’ll hold those high cards to give you a better possibility of hitting those high pairs.

Remember, when you are playing Jacks or Better, a high card is considered to be any picture card or an ace.

Jacks or Better Cheat Sheet

This strategy chart (cheat sheet) outlines what you should do in the event you are met with the following conditions.

• 2 Pairs: Unless you’re drawing to a four card royal flush, you should always keep any two pair combination.
• 4 card straight flush: You’ll want to keep any 4 card straight flush.
• Jacks or better: Hold if you have a pair of jacks or better (any).
• 3 cards to a royal flush: Hold if you have three cards to a royal flush.
• 4 cards to a flush: Hold if you have four cards to a flush
• Pair lower than J’s: Hold if you have a pair lower than J’s.
• Open straight draw: Hold if you have any four card open straight draw.
• AKQJ: Hold if you have unsuited AKQJ in your hand.
• 2 suited high cards: Hold if you have any two high cards (suited).
• 3 cards to a straight flush: Hold if you have three cards drawing to a straight flush.
• KQJ: Hold if you have any KQJ (unsuited).
• Unsuited high cards: Hold if you have any two high cards (unsuited).
• K, Q, J + 10 of same suit: Hold if you have any K, Q, or J, but only if you’re holding a 10 of the same suit.
• High card: Hold if you have any single high card.
• None of the above: Draw five new cards

Jackpot Variations of Jacks or Better

Occasionally, you can come across jackpot versions of this popular game, with the maximum prize for the Royal Flush awarding you a progressive jackpot. If the jackpot prize is much larger than the standard payout for the Royal Flush, this can change your strategy slightly, especially in situations where you have three cards to the hand (at this point you should prioritize the Royal Flush more).

Wrapping Up – Is there a ‘Better’ Video Poker Variation than Jacks or Better?

Jacks or Better can be considered one of the classic video poker games. With no wilds thrown into the mix, the big hands can be hard to land. While this sounds like a bad thing, it’s actually the opposite – due to that difficulty, the payouts are that much bigger in Jacks or Better.

Likewise, if you can find a full pay table, you can decrease the house edge significantly. Correct play,

The game can now be enjoyed online, as well as in the live casinos. Online casinos in NJ, Pennsylvania, MI and WV are regulating online casinos, giving you the chance to play the game if you are located within the state lines. Check out Jacks or Better and many other video poker formats online.