Bonus Poker is a popular video poker variant that enhances Jacks or Better with significantly higher payouts for Four of a Kind hands. It's a favorite in Las Vegas casinos and online video poker rooms because it offers exciting bonus jackpots while maintaining familiar gameplay. The key difference: Four Aces pays 80×, Four 2s-4s pays 40×, and other Fours pay 25× your bet.
1. Bet max (BET 5) to qualify for the 4,000-credit Royal Flush jackpot.
2. Receive 5 cards from a 52-card deck and select which to HOLD.
3. Draw replacement cards and win if your final hand appears on the payout table.
4. Minimum win: A pair of Jacks or better pays 1× your bet — same as standard Jacks or Better.
5. Bonus hands: Four Aces (80×), Four 2s/3s/4s (40×), Four 5s–Kings (25×) are the key differentiators.
Bonus Poker (8/5 variant) returns approximately 99.17% RTP with perfect strategy. The enhanced Four of a Kind payouts shift strategy toward actively pursuing quads.
| Hand | Payout (BET 1) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 (4000 at BET5) | 1 in ~40,000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 1 in ~9,000 |
| Four Aces | 80 | 1 in ~5,100 |
| Four 2s-4s | 40 | 1 in ~2,000 |
| Four 5s-Ks | 25 | 1 in ~500 |
| Full House | 8 | 1 in ~87 |
| Flush | 5 | 1 in ~91 |
Prioritize Ace-heavy hands: A pair of Aces is more valuable in Bonus Poker than other pairs — you're one card away from a 80× jackpot.
Hold three Aces: Three Aces should always be held — the chance of hitting Four Aces (80×) is significant enough to justify.
Low pairs still matter: Despite the bonus focus, low pairs (2s-4s) are worth holding since Four 2s-4s pays 40× — more than most Full Houses in base games.
Ace kickers: Unlike standard Jacks or Better, in Bonus Poker it can be correct to hold an Ace kicker with a pair of Aces — because Four Aces pays 80×, keeping the Ace improves your chances of hitting the jackpot.
Two pair with Aces: With Aces and another pair, hold only the Aces — breaking up two pair to chase Four Aces is mathematically justified in many configurations.
Full House vs. Four of a Kind draw: With three of a kind plus a pair (full house), consider whether the three cards are Aces or 2-4s. If yes, breaking the full house to draw for quads can be +EV.
Flush reduction: Bonus Poker typically reduces Flush to 5× (vs. 6× in Jacks or Better). Compensate by being less aggressive chasing flush draws.
| Hand | BET 1 | BET 2 | BET 3 | BET 4 | BET 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Four Aces | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four 2s-4s | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full House | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Bonus Poker returns 99.17% to the player (RTP) with optimal strategy. This means for every $100 wagered over the long run, the expected return is $99.17. This is considered a very competitive return among video poker games.
Place your bet (1-5 coins), then press Deal to receive 5 cards from a 52-card deck. Select which cards to hold, then press Draw to replace the rest. Your final hand is evaluated against the pay table. The minimum winning hand is Jacks or Better. Always bet max coins (5) to qualify for the enhanced Royal Flush jackpot of 4,000 coins.
Bonus Poker offers enhanced payouts for specific Four of a Kind hands. Unlike standard Jacks or Better where all quads pay the same, bonus games have tiered payouts — typically paying more for Four Aces and Four 2s-4s. This creates higher variance but bigger potential wins. The tradeoff is usually a reduced payout for Two Pair (1:1 instead of 2:1).
Bonus Poker has medium variance. This means a balanced mix of frequent small wins and occasional larger payouts. A good choice for players who want some excitement without extreme bankroll swings.
Yes! Bonus Poker is completely free to play on Pure Video Poker. No download, no registration, and no real money required. You get 1,000 practice credits to play with. It works in any modern web browser on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Use it to practice strategy and learn the game before playing at a real casino.