COMPLETE GUIDE • RULES • HAND RANKINGS • TIPS
Video poker is a casino game based on five-card draw poker, played on a computerized console similar to a slot machine. Unlike slots, however, video poker is a skill-based game where your decisions directly affect the outcome. By learning which cards to hold and which to discard, you can significantly reduce the house edge and improve your expected return.
Video poker offers some of the best odds in the casino. With optimal strategy, certain variants return over 99% to the player, and a handful even exceed 100% RTP (return to player). Games like Jacks or Better 9/6 return 99.54%, while Full Pay Deuces Wild can reach 100.76%. This combination of favorable odds, strategic depth, and fast-paced gameplay makes video poker one of the most rewarding casino games for knowledgeable players.
Whether you are a complete beginner or transitioning from table poker, this guide covers everything you need to start playing confidently. You can practice any variant for free right here at Pure Video Poker with no download and no registration required.
Every video poker hand follows five straightforward steps. Understanding this flow is essential before diving into strategy.
Select your wager by pressing BET 1 through BET 5 (or BET MAX). You can bet between 1 and 5 coins per hand. Always play the maximum 5-coin bet whenever possible. The reason is simple: the Royal Flush payout jumps dramatically at max bet. With 1 to 4 coins wagered, a Royal Flush typically pays 250 coins per coin. At 5 coins, the payout increases to 4,000 total (800 per coin). This bonus payout is the single biggest factor in achieving a high return percentage.
Press DEAL to receive five cards drawn randomly from a standard 52-card deck (or a 53-card deck in Joker Poker variants that include one Joker). All five cards are dealt face up so you can fully evaluate your starting hand. The deal uses a random number generator (RNG) to ensure fair, unpredictable results on every hand.
This is where skill matters most. Analyze your five cards and decide which ones to keep. Click or tap each card you want to hold -- a HELD indicator will appear on your selected cards. You may hold all five cards if you already have a strong hand, hold none to draw a completely new hand, or hold any combination in between. The decision of which cards to hold is what separates skilled players from beginners and directly determines your long-term return.
Press DRAW to replace the cards you did not hold. New cards are dealt from the remaining cards in the same 52-card deck to fill the empty positions. You cannot receive a card that was already dealt to you or that you discarded. This single draw completes your final five-card poker hand.
Your final hand is automatically evaluated against the pay table displayed at the top of the screen. If your hand matches a winning combination, the corresponding payout is added to your credit balance. The minimum winning hand varies by game variant -- in Jacks or Better you need at least a pair of Jacks, while in Tens or Better a pair of Tens is enough. If your hand does not qualify, your bet is lost and you begin a new round.
Winning hands in video poker follow standard poker rankings. The table below shows all paying hands from highest to lowest, along with a description and the typical payout in a Jacks or Better 9/6 game at max bet (5 coins wagered).
| HAND | DESCRIPTION | PAYOUT (5 COINS) |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit. The highest possible hand and the jackpot payout. | 4,000 |
| Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 5-6-7-8-9 of hearts). | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank (e.g., four Queens). In Bonus Poker variants, different ranks pay different amounts. | 125 |
| Full House | Three of a kind plus a pair (e.g., three Kings and two 7s). | 45 |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence (e.g., 2-5-8-J-A of diamonds). | 30 |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards of mixed suits (e.g., 4-5-6-7-8). Ace can be high or low. | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank with two unrelated cards. | 15 |
| Two Pair | Two different pairs (e.g., two 9s and two Jacks). | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | A pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces. The minimum winning hand in most classic games. | 5 |
Note: In Wild Card games like Deuces Wild, additional hands such as Five of a Kind and Wild Royal Flush are added to the pay table. In Bonus Poker variants, Four of a Kind hands are split into categories (Aces, 2-3-4, 5-K) with different payouts for each.
The pay table is the single most important factor in choosing which video poker game to play. It determines the theoretical return to player (RTP) and tells you exactly how much each winning hand pays. Two machines offering the same game variant can have dramatically different pay tables, so always check before you play.
The pay table is displayed at the top of every video poker machine. It shows each winning hand and the payout for 1 through 5 coins wagered. The key numbers to focus on are the Full House and Flush payouts per coin, as these are the values that typically vary between machines. For example, a Jacks or Better machine that pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 for a Flush (per coin wagered) is called a "9/6" machine.
A "Full Pay" machine offers the highest standard pay table for its variant. Full Pay games give you the best possible odds. Casinos often reduce the Full House and Flush payouts to increase their edge. A Jacks or Better machine labeled "8/5" pays only 8 for a Full House and 5 for a Flush, lowering the RTP from 99.54% down to 97.30%. Even a single coin reduction in these payouts costs the player roughly 1% in expected return.
Here are three popular full-pay video poker games with their theoretical RTP when played with optimal strategy:
The gold standard of video poker. Full House pays 9 per coin, Flush pays 6. The most widely analyzed game with well-established optimal strategy. Perfect for beginners learning the fundamentals.
Enhanced Four of a Kind payouts with Aces paying 160 for 1. The 10/6 pay table (Full House 10, Flush 6) actually gives the player a positive expected return with perfect play. Higher variance than Jacks or Better.
All four 2s act as wild cards, substituting for any other card. The full pay version returns over 100% to the player with optimal strategy, making it one of the most favorable video poker games ever offered.
The difference between a 9/6 and an 8/5 Jacks or Better machine is over 2% in RTP. Over thousands of hands, that translates to a significant difference in your bankroll. Always seek out full-pay machines and check the pay table before committing your credits. You can compare different pay table versions here on Pure Video Poker -- we offer multiple pay table variants for the most popular games.
Video poker comes in dozens of variants, each with its own pay table structure and strategic considerations. Our collection of 120 free games is organized into four main categories.
Traditional draw poker with a standard 52-card deck and no wild cards. Includes Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, Nines or Better, and other pair-based minimum hand games. The minimum qualifying hand determines the difficulty and payout structure. Ideal for learning fundamental video poker strategy.
Enhanced Four of a Kind payouts make these games more exciting and volatile. Includes Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, Triple Bonus, and more. Four Aces typically pay the highest bonus, followed by four 2s-4s, with four 5s-Kings paying a standard amount.
Specific card ranks act as wild cards, substituting for any other card to form winning hands. Deuces Wild makes all four 2s wild. Other variants include Sevens Wild, Threes Wild, and Tens Wild. Wild card games add Five of a Kind and Wild Royal Flush to the pay table, changing strategy significantly.
A 53-card deck including one Joker that acts as a wild card. Includes Joker Poker, Joker Poker Aces, Double Joker Poker, and Deuces and Joker Wild. The extra wild card shifts the minimum winning hand and creates unique strategic decisions.
Explore all 120 games on our home page or browse by category to find the variant that suits your style.
Getting started with video poker is easy, but developing good habits from the beginning will pay dividends. Here are six essential tips for new players.