Joker Poker 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. Unlike Deuces Wild (which has 4 wilds), Joker Poker has just one wild card, creating a unique balance between wild and natural hand strategy. The minimum winning hand is Kings or Better (a pair of Kings or Aces).
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: Kings or Better (pair of Kings or Aces). Two Pair also pays.
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. Strategy changes dramatically depending on whether the Joker is present.
| 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 | 7 | 1 in ~65 |
| Flush | 5 | 1 in ~65 |
| Straight | 3 | 1 in ~50 |
| Three of a Kind | 2 | 1 in ~8 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 1 in ~10 |
| Kings or Better | 1 | 1 in ~5 |
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: Play similar to Jacks or Better but with Kings or Better as the minimum pair. Hold any paying hand or strong draw.
Two Pair caution: Two Pair only pays 1×, the same as Kings or Better. Don't chase Two Pair over better draws.
Natural Royal priority: With 4 cards to a Natural Royal Flush, always break any made hand to draw — the 250× payout (or 800× 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.
Kings or Better: Without the Joker, hold a pair of Kings or 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 5× payout for a Flush makes it a positive expected value play.
Low pairs: Pairs below Kings (Q, J, 10, 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 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Three of a Kind | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Kings or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Joker Poker returns 100.64% to the player (RTP) with optimal strategy. This means for every $100 wagered over the long run, the expected return is $100.64. This is one of the few video poker games with a positive expected return for the player.
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 Kings or Better. Always bet max coins (5) to qualify for the enhanced Royal Flush jackpot of 4,000 coins.
Joker Poker 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 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 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.