Jacks Or Better Strategy
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On this page I've devised what I believe to be the perfect strategy for playing Jacks or Better video poker. By using the charts on this page you can achieve a payout percentage of 99.54% at full pay video poker, which is the highest mathematical return I've been able to achieve. Please keep in mind that this strategy was created for full pay Jacks or Better games. Here is an example of a full pay Jacks or Better pay table:
7/5 Jacks or Better. At 7/5 Jacks or Better, a full house pays 7 credits, and a flush pays 5 credits per coin wagered. The maximum payout to the player falls to 96.15%. 6/5 Jacks or Better. The 6/5 Jacks or Better payout is found in many casinos these days. It is even found at many online casinos where I think the payouts should be much higher. Using the simple strategy for Jacks or Better will theoretically result in an RTP of 99.46%. All you have to do is find out the best ways you can play your first hand. Obviously, this will depend on the cards you’ve been dealt. For example, in the hand shown here, your best. 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 machine. JACKS OR BETTER STRATEGY FOR FULL PAY 9/6 MACHINES.
| Hand: | Payout: |
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 |
| Full House | 9 |
| Flush | 6 |
| Straight | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 |
| Pair (Jacks or Better) | 1 |
The pay table above assumes you're betting five coins per hand. If you bet less than five coins per hand the royal flush will pay out less, and your return will go down. Also, if you're playing one of the other Jacks or Better pay tables this strategy will still be good, but not perfect.
Beginner Jacks or Better Strategy
If you want to play with decent strategy and increase your odds without following the full chart below, you should follow the rules listed here. We've identified the most troublesome hands for new players, and advised the correct move for each hand. To use this strategy, play your normal game and make the easy decisions, and if you come upon a tough decision refer to the rules below.
Here is how you should use the chart below:
- Find your trouble hand on the chart.
- Follow the chart's recommendation.
Example: Imagine you have Kc-Qc-Jc-Tc-9c. In this case you have a straight flush, but you also have a royal flush draw. By looking at the chart below, you'll see that a straight flush is better than a royal flush draw, so make sure to keep the straight flush and take your payout.
- Royal Flush Draw vs. Pat Straight Flush » Keep the Straight Flush
- Royal Flush Draw vs. Pat Flush » Keep the Royal Flush Draw
- Pat Straight vs. Four to a Straight Flush » Keep the Straight
- Open Four to a Straight Flush vs. Two Pair » Keep the Four to a Straight Flush
- Inside Four to a Straight Flush vs. Two Pair » Keep the Two Pair
- Four to a Straight Flush vs. High Pair » Keep the Four to a Straight Flush
- High Pair (Jacks or Better) vs. Four to a Flush » Keep the High Pair
- Four to a Flush vs. Four to a Straight » Keep the Four to a Flush
- High Pair (Jacks or Better) vs. Open Four to Straight » Keep the High Pair
- Low Pair (Twos - Tens) vs. Open Four to a Straight » Keep the Low Pair
- Inside Straight Draw vs. Discard All » Keep the Straight Draw
Expert Jacks or Better Strategy
Here is how you should use the chart below:
- Start at the top of the chart and work down.
- When you see a hand that matches up with yours, follow that strategy.
Example: Imagine you have Qs-Js-Ts-3s-Jh. In this case, you'd match up with a few rows on the table below. Your hand would qualify for a high pair of Jacks, a Q-J-T suited with one penalty (the other Jack is a penalty card), and four to a flush. However, on the table you'll notice that Q-J-T suited with one penalty is higher than a four flush or a pair, so you should keep the Q-J-T suited and ditch the four flush and pair.
Free Video Poker Jacks Or Better
Jacks or Better Full Strategy Chart
Here are the ranks for every possible Jacks or Better hand you can hold before the draw. Remember, find the highest match on the list for your hand and hold those cards. The middle column shows the expected return for the specific hand. In the example column, h = Hearts, s = Spades, c = Clubs, d = Diamonds, T = Ten, s = Suited.
Jacks Or Better Strategy Chart
| Hand | Expected Return | Example |
| Pat Royal Flush | 800.0000 | Th-Jh-Qh-Kh-Ah |
| Pat Straight Flush | 50.0000 | 6h-7h-8h-9h-Th |
| Pat Four of a Kind | 25.0000 | 6c-6s-6d-6h-9s |
| Royal Flush Draw | 18.4255 | Th-Jh-Qh-Kh-4h |
| Pat Full House | 9.0000 | Ac-Ad-As-Js-Jc |
| Pat Flush | 6.0000 | Ac-Jc-6c-5c-4c |
| Three of a Kind | 4.3080 | 8c-8s-8d-9h-3d |
| Pat Straight | 4.0000 | 4c-5s-6h-7h-8h |
| Open Straight Flush Draw | 3.4809 | 4c-5c-6c-7c-Th |
| Two Pair | 2.5957 | 3c-3s-4d-4h-Ac |
| Inside Straight Flush Draw | 2.2766 | Qs-Js-9s-8s-4c |
| High Pair (Jacks or Better) | 1.5405 | Ac-Ad-Js-8c-5h |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5328 | Kh-Qh-Jh-4c-3c |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5291 | Qh-Jh-Th-4d-3d |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.5116 | Qh-Jh-Th-Kc-2c |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.5032 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Tc-4c |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.4829 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Js-3s |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.4792 | Qh-Jh-Th-Jc-4s |
| Q-J-T suited (w/ any two penalties*) | 1.4496 | Qs-Js-Ts-Kh-Jc |
| K-Q-J suited (w/ any two penalties*) | 1.4385 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Jc-Ts |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ no penalty*) | 1.4366 | Ac-Kc-Jc-2h-3h |
| K-Q-T suited, K-J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.4329 | Kh-Qh-Th-4c-3c |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.4191 | Ac-Kc-Qc-Jh-2h |
| K-Q-Ts, K-J-Ts (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.4154 | Kh-Qh-Th-Jc-2c |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.3867 | Ac-Kc-Qc-5c-4s |
| K-Q-Ts, K-J-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.3830 | Kc-Qc-Tc-4c-2h |
| A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ two penalties*) | 1.3691 | Ac-Kc-Qc-Ts-4c |
| K-Q-T suited, K-J-T suited (w/ two penalties*) | 1.3654 | Kh-Qh-Th-Jc-Qc |
| A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ no penalty*) | 1.3367 | Ac-Kc-Tc-6h-2h |
| A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ one St. penalty*) | 1.3080 | Ac-Kc-Tc-Jh-2s |
| A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.2868 | Ac-Kc-Tc-4c-2s |
| Four to a Flush, Two High Cards | 1.2766 | Ac-Jc-4c-3c-2h |
| A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ two penalties*) | 1.2692 | Ac-Kc-Tc-Jh-2c |
| Four to a Flush, One High Card | 1.2127 | Jc-7c-4c-2c-8s |
| Four to a Flush, No High Cards | 1.1489 | 9c-7c-4c-2c-8s |
| Open Four to a Straight (Three High Cards) | 0.8723 | Kc-Qh-Js-Ts-3h |
| Pair of Twos through Tens | 0.8237 | 5c-5h-Js-8d-2h |
| Open Four to a Straight (Two High Cards) | 0.7979 | Qh-Js-Ts-9c-3h |
| Open Four to a Straight (One High Card) | 0.7447 | Js-Ts-9c-8h-3h |
| Q-J-9 suited | 0.7280 | Qc-Jc-9c-4h-3h |
| J-T-9 suited | 0.7216 | Jc-Tc-9c-4h-3h |
| Open Four to a Straight (No High Cards) | 0.6809 | Ts-9c-8h-7c-3h |
| Q-J-8 suited | 0.6348 | Qc-Jc-8c-6h-4h |
| Three to a Straight Flush, Open, No High Cards | 0.6300 | 4c-5c-6c-Th-9h |
| K-Q-9 suited, K-J-9 suited | 0.6253 | Kc-Qc-9c-4h-2h |
| Q-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.6245 | Qc-Jc-4h-8s-2h |
| Q-T-9 suited, J-T-8 suited, J-9-8 suited | 0.6189 | Jc-9c-8c-4h-3h |
| Q-J suited (w/ one penalty*) | 0.6079 | Qc-Jc-4c-8s-2h |
| K-Q suited, K-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.6063 | Kc-Qc-8s-4h-2s |
| Q-J suited (w/ two penalties*) | 0.6000 | Qs-Js-Th-6c-4s |
| A-K-Q-J | 0.5938 | Ac-Ks-Jh-Ts-3s |
| Q-J suited (w/ three penalties*) | 0.5902 | Qs-Js-Tc-8c-2s |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.5896 | Ks-Qs-8s-6h-2h |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ one or two Straight penalties*) | 0.5888 | Ks-Qs-Jc-9c-2h |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ no penalty*) | 0.5880 | Ac-Kc-6s-9d-2h |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ 1 St. penalty + 1 Flush penalty*) | 0.5847 | Ks-Qs-Tc-6s-4d |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 0.5794 | As-Ks-Tc-2h-6h |
| K-Qs, K-Js (w/ three penalties*) | 0.5721 | Ks-Qs-Th-Td-2s |
| A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ one or two penalties*) | 0.5714 | Ac-Kc-5c-2h-3h |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, 1 High Card | 0.5375 | 8h-Th-Qh-9c-2s |
| Four to a Straight, Inside, Three High Cards | 0.5319 | Qc-Js-Ts-8d-2h |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 1 Gap, 0 Hi Cards | 0.5301 | 4h-5h-7h-9c-Tc |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, 1 Hi Card, 1 St. Penalty* | 0.5227 | Jc-9c-7c-8s-2s |
| J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.5153 | Jc-Tc-6s-4d-2d |
| K-Q-J | 0.5153 | Kh-Qs-Jc-4c-2h |
| Q-J | 0.5038 | Qc-Jh-7d-5c-2h |
| J-T suited (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.4987 | Js-Ts-6s-4c-2h |
| K-Q, K-J (w/ no Straight penalty*) | 0.4940 | Ks-Qc-8h-5h-3d |
| J-T suited (w/ one or two Straight penalties*) | 0.4929 | Js-Ts-8c-7c-2h |
| K-Q, K-J (w/ one or more Straight penalties*) | 0.4901 | Kc-Qs-9d-5h-2c |
| Q-T suited (w/ no Flush penalties*) | 0.4873 | Qc-Tc-7s-5h-2s |
| J-Ts (w/ 1 Straight penalty + 1 Flush penalty*) | 0.4841 | Js-Ts-8c-2s-5h |
| J-T suited (w/ three penalties*) | 0.4790 | Js-Ts-7c-Ad-2s |
| AK, AQ, AJ | 0.4783 | Ac-Ks-8s-7c-2h |
| Jack (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4769 | Jd-9s-7c-4h-2h |
| K-T suited (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4715 | Kc-Tc-7s-5d-2d |
| Q-T suited (w/ one flush penalty*) | 0.4698 | Qc-Tc-7c-5h-2h |
| Queen | 0.4680 | Qc-9d-7d-4s-2s |
| King (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4663 | Kc-9h-8d-4s-2s |
| Jack (w/ one or more Flush penalties*) | 0.4650 | Jd-8d-5d-3s-2s |
| Ace (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4635 | Ad-Tc-7s-4s-2h |
| K-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.4622 | Kc-Tc-8c-5h-2s |
| King (w/ one or more Flush penalties*) | 0.4619 | Kh-Ts-8d-5h-2c |
| Ace (w/ one or more flush penalties*) | 0.4579 | Ah-Th-7s-5c-2d |
| 3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, No Hi Cards | 0.4376 | 5h-7h-9h-2d-3d |
| Everything Else » Draw Five New Cards | 0.3598 | 10s-8c-6d-4s-2h |
*Penalty cards are any cards which you plan to discard that hurt your chances of completing a draw. For example, if you have 7c-9c-Jc-8s-5h and plan to keep the 7c-9c-Jc, the 8s that you're discarding actually hurts you because there is one less card in the deck that completes your straight. However, it still makes sense to discard the 8s because you have better expected return going for the straight flush than to draw to the inside straight.
Jacks Or Better Strategy
Straight (St.) penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a straight. Flush penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a flush. High Pair (HP) penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a high pair (a pair Jacks or better).