Video Poker Strategy for Beginners 2026 — How to Play and Cut the House Edge

Video poker is one of the best-value games in any online casino — with the highest RTP of any slot-style game when played with correct strategy. Unlike slot machines, video poker involves real decisions that directly affect the outcome. Understanding the basics gives beginners a significant advantage over random play.

How Video Poker Works

Video poker is based on five-card draw poker. You are dealt five cards and choose which to hold and which to discard. The discarded cards are replaced by new draws. Your final hand is evaluated against a pay table — the better the poker hand, the higher the payout. No other players are involved. You play against the pay table only.

Jacks or Better — The Best Starting Game

Jacks or Better is the most common and most beginner-friendly video poker variant. The minimum paying hand is a pair of Jacks or better. With optimal strategy on a full-pay (9/6) Jacks or Better machine — which pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 for a Flush — the RTP is approximately 99.54%. This is significantly higher than most slot games and only achievable with correct play.

Reading the Pay Table

Always check the pay table before playing. The numbers that matter most are the Full House and Flush payouts per coin. A 9/6 machine (9 for Full House, 6 for Flush) is full-pay and offers the best RTP. An 8/5 machine offers worse returns. A 6/5 machine is significantly worse. Always find and play the highest-paying version available.

Core Strategy for Jacks or Better

The hierarchy of hands to hold from strongest to weakest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, High Pair (Jacks or better), Four to a Royal Flush, Three to a Royal Flush, Low Pair, Four to a Flush, Four to an Outside Straight, Two suited high cards, Three to a Straight Flush, Two unsuited high cards, One high card, draw all five new cards.

Key decisions for beginners: always hold a high pair over four to a flush. Always hold three of a kind over any drawing hand. Never break a full house, four of a kind, or flush to chase a royal flush — except when you have four to a royal flush already.

Always Bet Maximum Coins

Video poker pay tables typically offer a bonus on the Royal Flush when betting maximum coins — usually five coins. The Royal Flush pays 250:1 at one coin but 800:1 at five coins on most machines. Always bet the maximum to receive the Royal Flush bonus payout. If maximum coin play exceeds your comfortable stake, move to a lower denomination machine and bet maximum coins there.

Other Popular Variants

Deuces Wild: twos are wild cards, enabling higher hand frequencies. RTP can exceed 100% with perfect strategy on full-pay versions. Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus: higher payouts for four Aces but lower returns on two pair. More volatile than Jacks or Better.

18+ | Please gamble responsibly | BeGambleAware.org | GamStop: gamstop.co.uk