Video Poker Strategy: Maximize Payouts with Perfect Play

Last updated: 2026-07-27 • Reviewed by: [Author Name], video poker player and trainer

A royal that almost was

I watched a man freeze on a strong hand. He had A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ and a red 9. He kept A-K suited and tossed the Q and J. He drew two blanks. He sighed and said, “I thought four to a royal was too thin.” It was not. Four to a royal is gold. That one choice cost him a huge swing in value. This is the heart of video poker: small choices, big money weight. Today we will fix those choices so your play aims at the right line, every time.

What “perfect play” really means

Perfect play is not a guess. It is a map. For each deal, there are many ways to hold and draw. Each choice has an “EV” (expected value). EV is the average return you would see if you made that choice a huge number of times. Perfect play is to pick the hold with the highest EV, hand by hand, for the paytable on your screen.

You can learn perfect lines with tools. A trusted place to start is Wizard of Odds. Try its video poker strategy calculator. It shows holds and EV for many game types and paytables.

Quick math check: EV ties to what the paytable pays for pairs, trips, flushes, straights, quads, and that rare royal. The royal is a big part of your long-term return. It also adds swing (variance). This is why good players do not “play by feel.” They use charts or apps, train, and follow the EV map.

Quick wins you can use today

• Four to a royal beats almost everything except a made straight flush. Hold it.
• In Jacks or Better, a low pair is worth more than a suited A‑Q (and most two high cards). Keep the pair.
• Four to a flush is better than two high cards not suited. Do not overrate high cards.
• Open-ended straight draw (e.g., 6‑7‑8‑9) is better than inside draws (e.g., 6‑7‑9‑10). Do not chase inside straights.
• Never break a made flush for a weak two-way draw. Take the made hand.

The paytable is the strategy

There is no one strategy for all video poker. The paytable shapes every hold. A “9/6 Jacks or Better” (full pay) pays 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush, and returns about 99.54% with perfect play. Drop it to “8/5,” and the return falls hard, and a few holds flip. Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, and Deuces Wild change even more. Some hands you would hold in Jacks or Better are wrong in Double Double Bonus. Learn the map for your paytable, not a random chart from memory.

Want to scout good games on real floors? Check the community-run live paytable database. It lists where players have found strong paytables in the wild.

Curious what cabinets offer which games? See the maker pages, like the IGT lineup. Start at IGT Game King specs to learn what menus and variants you may find.

Video Poker Variants: Best Paytables, RTP, Risk, and Bankroll Guide

Jacks or Better	9/6 (Full Pay)	~99.54%	Low/Med	Overvaluing suited A‑x vs low pairs	400–500
Jacks or Better	8/5	~97.30%	Low/Med	Chasing inside straights	400–500
Bonus Poker	8/5	~99.17%	Medium	Breaking small pairs too often	450–600
Double Bonus	10/7 (Full Pay)	~100.17%	Med/High	Missing kicker and penalty nuances	600–800
Double Double Bonus	9/6	~98.98%	High	Misplaying Aces and kickers	700–900
Deuces Wild	Full Pay (FPDW)	~100.76%	Medium	Overholding weak 3‑card straight flushes	600–800
Deuces Wild	NSUD	~99.73%	Medium	Wrong holds with 4‑to‑a‑SF vs made straights	600–800

Method and returns cross‑checked with video poker returns by paytable. Actual results vary by exact paytable and settings.

Misplay autopsy: five hands you may get wrong

1. Jacks or Better: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 9♦. Correct hold: A‑K‑Q‑J of spades (four to a royal). Many keep A‑K suited only. That leaks a lot of EV.
2. Jacks or Better: 7♥ 7♣ A♥ Q♥ 4♣. Correct hold: pair of 7s. Many chase the suited A‑Q. The pair wins more over time.
3. Bonus Poker: J♦ Q♦ K♦ 4♣ 9♠. Correct hold: J‑Q‑K of diamonds (three to a royal) or two high cards? In most cases, two high cards suited are worse than three to a royal with a gap; here, best hold is J‑Q‑K suited when charts say so. Train this spot with a chart; it is close but matters.
4. Double Double Bonus: A♣ A♦ 3♦ 9♠ 5♣. Correct hold: A‑A only. Do not hold the 3 with the Aces. The kicker pays only if you hit four Aces; you need max draws to the fourth Ace.
5. Deuces Wild: 2♣ 9♣ 10♣ J♣ Q♦. Correct hold: the deuce (wild) plus 9‑10‑J of clubs? No. In Deuces Wild, with one deuce and three to a straight flush, the right hold often is just the deuce or the higher-EV 4‑card draw if present. Follow the DW chart; many overhold weak 3‑card straight flushes.

Want deeper hand labs? See Bob Dancer’s strategy articles. He breaks down tough spots with math and clear lines.

Practice that works

Good play is a skill. You can build it in short, smart drills. Pick one game and one paytable. Use a trainer in “show mistake” mode. Play 500 hands. Log each wrong hold. Note the pattern. Make flashcards for those exact leaks. Repeat until the error rate drops under 1%.

Also, learn what variance feels like. You can win or lose many bets fast and still play great. Read a clear guide on this here: variance in video poker explained.

When you are ready to play for real, make sure the site or hall has fair paytables and clear rules. I like to cross‑check reviews that show real screenshots and list exact paytables. One clean, simple source that does this is https://casinoswelt.com/. It helps you avoid weak games and bad bonus terms.

Scouting the floor: paytables, denoms, and promos

Strong games hide in plain sight. Check the help/paytable screen before you sit. The same cabinet can hold both 9/6 and 8/5 Jacks or Better. Denom matters too: the $1 game may be full pay, the 25¢ game may not. Always check. Progressive royals can push returns up. When the royal meter rises, some holds change. Bring a note of those switch points, or a trainer that supports progressives.

Want to study industry stats and history? The UNLV Center for Gaming Research hosts solid papers and data on games and payback trends.

Curious how devices are tested? See GLI‑11 standards for gaming devices. These rules cover how machines must work and be checked.

Bankroll, risk of ruin, and when to walk

Plan your stake by variance. For Low/Med games like 9/6 Jacks or Better, bring 400–500 bets for a calm session. For Medium games like 8/5 Bonus Poker, bring 450–600. For High variance like Double Double Bonus, bring 700–900. This does not mean you will lose that much. It means swings can reach that size. Set a stop loss and a stop win. Take player comps, but do not chase losses.

If play gets tense, take a break. If you feel tilt, stop. Help is there if you need it. See the National Council on Problem Gambling for tools and support.

Edge cases: progressives, penalty cards, and promos

Sometimes you should bend the base chart. When the royal meter is high, it can be right to favor royal draws more. This shift is small but real. “Penalty cards” can also swing close calls. These are cards that block straight or flush outs when you hold certain draws. Good charts note them. Also, add promo value. Mailers, multipliers, and loss rebates can raise EV, but only if rules are clear and you play the right games while they run.

For online play, fairness depends on the RNG and audits. A clear set of rules is here: the UKGC technical standards on RNG. Pick sites that publish test seals and lab reports.

Field notes: a 30‑day perfect‑play plan

• Days 1–3: Pick one game (9/6 Jacks or Better). Print or save the strategy chart. Learn the top 15 holds.
• Days 4–10: 1,000 hands per day in a trainer. Log mistakes. Make flashcards for any spot you miss twice.
• Days 11–15: Add paytable checks to your habit. Before each session, read the screen, name the paytable out loud.
• Days 16–20: Drill edge hands: four to a royal, small pair vs two high cards, open‑ended vs inside straights.
• Days 21–25: Play small stakes live or online. Stick to the chart. Review hands after each session.
• Days 26–30: Aim for <1% error over 10,000 trainer hands. If you pass, add a second game (8/5 Bonus Poker) and repeat.

FAQ

What is “perfect play” in video poker?
It means you choose the hold with the highest EV for your exact paytable on each deal. You use a chart or app to guide you. It is not a hunch. It is math.

Which machines have the best paytables right now?
It changes by venue and denom. Check the machine’s help screen, and scout with community tools like vpFREE2. Look for 9/6 Jacks or Better, 8/5 Bonus Poker, 10/7 Double Bonus, FPDW, or NSUD.

Should I hold a low pair or four to a flush in Jacks or Better?
Four to a flush beats a low pair. But a low pair beats two high cards, even when suited.

How much bankroll do I need for $1 Jacks or Better?
For a steady session, plan 400–500 bets. At $1 denom, single‑hand, five coins per hand, that is $2,000–$2,500. You can run fine with less, but swings will feel sharper.

Does Double Double Bonus need a different strategy?
Yes. Kickers matter for Aces and some quads. Many holds change from Jacks or Better. Train with a DDB chart.

Are online video poker games fair?
Pick sites that show test seals and audits. Look for labs like eCOGRA testing and fairness. Also check your local rules and licenses.

Author’s note: where I learned to stop guessing

For years I played “close enough.” It was not. My win graph swung hard, and I blamed luck. When I switched to charts and drills, the leaks showed up. I fixed the worst ten spots first. My comps rose. My cash swings made more sense. I still lose some nights. But now I know if I lost with the right holds. That peace of mind alone is worth the work.

Sources and further reading

• Wizard of Odds strategy calculator
• Wizard of Odds returns by paytable
• vpFREE2 live paytable database
• IGT Game King specs
• Bob Dancer’s articles
• UNLV Center for Gaming Research
• GLI‑11 standards
• UKGC Remote Technical Standards
• National Council on Problem Gambling
• eCOGRA

Responsible play

Gambling has risk. Only play what you can afford to lose. Know your limits. If you need help, visit the NCPG or your local help line. 18+/21+ as per your laws. Strategy raises EV but does not promise profit.