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Video poker: Jacks or Better
You are dealt five cards, hold what you want, and the rest are replaced once. A pair of jacks or better is the smallest paying hand.
Pay table (9/6)
| Hand | Per coin | At 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250× | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50× | 250 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25× | 125 |
| Full House | 9× | 45 |
| Flush | 6× | 30 |
| Straight | 4× | 20 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3× | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2× | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1× | 5 |
A royal flush pays a 4,000 jackpot at the maximum bet of 5, which is why betting max is correct here.
Why 9/6 matters
The name comes from the full house and flush payouts — 9 coins and 6 coins per coin bet. Those two rows are where casinos quietly shave the return; a 8/5 machine looks identical but pays noticeably less over time. This table is the full-pay version, which returns about 99.5% with perfect play.
Holding rules that carry most of the value
- Never break a made hand to chase a bigger oneA pat straight or flush is worth more than four cards to a royal, except when the royal draw keeps the flush intact.
- Keep a low pair over four to a straightThe pair improves far more often than the open-ended draw pays.
- Never hold a kicker with a pairIt reduces your chance of trips, a full house or quads for no gain.
- Always bet the maximumThe royal flush jackpot only applies at max bet. Playing fewer coins gives up a chunk of the return.