Joker Poker (Aces or Better) uses a 53-card deck — the standard 52 cards plus one Joker that acts as a wild card. The Joker can substitute for any card to complete the best possible hand. The minimum winning hand is Aces or Better (a pair of Aces). This stricter minimum qualifying hand results in higher payouts for mid-range hands compared to the Kings or Better variant.
1. One wild card: The Joker substitutes for any card of any suit to make the best hand.
2. 53-card deck: Standard 52 cards plus the Joker — slightly different odds than standard poker.
3. Minimum winning hand: Aces or Better (pair of Aces only). Kings and lower pairs do not pay.
4. Special hands: Five of a Kind (four of a kind + Joker), Wild Royal Flush (Royal using the Joker), Natural Royal Flush (no Joker — maximum payout).
5. Always bet max (BET 5) for the Natural Royal Flush bonus (4000 vs. 1250 at BET 5 rate).
With only one wild card in a 53-card deck, the Joker appears in roughly 9.4% of dealt hands. Because only Ace pairs qualify as a minimum win, the frequency of the lowest paying hand is reduced compared to Kings or Better, but mid-tier hands pay more generously.
| Hand | Payout (BET 1) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 250 | 1 in ~41,000 |
| Five of a Kind | 200 | 1 in ~10,800 |
| Wild Royal Flush | 100 | 1 in ~9,500 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 1 in ~1,800 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 1 in ~120 |
| Full House | 8 | 1 in ~65 |
| Flush | 7 | 1 in ~65 |
| Straight | 4 | 1 in ~50 |
| Three of a Kind | 2 | 1 in ~8 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 1 in ~10 |
| Aces or Better | 1 | 1 in ~7 |
Always hold the Joker: Never discard the Joker under any circumstances. It's the most valuable card in the deck.
With Joker: Look for 4-card Royal Flush draws first, then made hands (straight flush, four of a kind, full house). With the Joker, Three of a Kind is guaranteed — aim higher.
Without Joker: Only Ace pairs pay as the minimum hand. Hold any paying hand or strong draw. Do not hold lone Kings — they don't qualify.
Higher mid-tier payouts: Full House pays 8, Flush pays 7, and Straight pays 4 — these improved payouts compensate for the stricter minimum hand requirement.
Natural Royal priority: With 4 cards to a Natural Royal Flush, always break any made hand to draw — the 250x payout (or 800x at BET 5 rate) justifies it.
Joker hands: When you have the Joker, you already have at minimum a pair. Focus on improving to Three of a Kind or better rather than chasing flushes/straights.
Aces or Better: Without the Joker, hold a pair of Aces over a 4-card flush or open-ended straight draw. The guaranteed payout beats the draw odds.
Flush draws: A 4-card flush draw (without Joker) is worth holding — the 7x payout for a Flush makes it a strong positive expected value play.
Low pairs: All pairs below Aces (K, Q, J, etc.) don't pay. Only hold them if you have Three of a Kind or a strong draw alongside them.
| Hand | BET 1 | BET 2 | BET 3 | BET 4 | BET 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Five of a Kind | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1000 |
| Wild Royal Flush | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
| Full House | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Aces or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Joker Poker Aces or Better returns 99.07% to the player (RTP) with optimal strategy. This means for every $100 wagered over the long run, the expected return is $99.07. 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 53-card deck. Joker serve as wild cards, substituting for any other card to form the best possible hand. 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 Pair of Aces. Always bet max coins (5) to qualify for the enhanced Royal Flush jackpot of 4,000 coins.
Joker Poker Aces or Better uses a 53-card deck that includes one Joker card as a wild card. The Joker substitutes for any card to make the best possible hand, enabling hands like Five of a Kind. Because the Joker makes winning hands easier to form, the minimum qualifying hand is typically higher than in standard games.
Joker Poker Aces or Better 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! Joker Poker Aces or Better 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.