All American Poker Calculator: Enhanced Flushes and Straights

All American Poker boosts straight and flush payouts to 8:1 each while reducing full house and two pair. This shifts value toward drawing hands—making flush and straight draws more valuable than in standard games. Our calculator shows optimal strategy for this balanced variant.

What Is All American Poker?

All American Poker is a video poker variant that enhances flush and straight payouts (both 8:1) while reducing full house (8:1) and two pair (1:1). This creates a more balanced pay structure where drawing hands compete with made pairs.

Quick Answer: All American = enhanced straights and flushes. Straight: 8:1 (vs 4:1 in JoB). Flush: 8:1 (vs 6:1). Full house: 8:1 (vs 9:1). Two pair: 1:1 (vs 2:1). Full pay: 99.60% return. Chase flush/straight draws more aggressively. Drawing hands gain value. Slightly more variance.

How to Use Our Calculator

Use the All American Calculator →

Calculate optimal holds with enhanced draw payouts.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Enter Your Hand: Five cards dealt
Identify Draws: Flush and straight potential
View Optimal Hold: Best cards to keep
Compare Draw Values: Enhanced payouts
Calculate EV: Expected return

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Your Hand	Five cards	A♠ K♠ Q♣ 7♥ 3♠
Flush Draw	4-card flush	3 spades
Straight Draw	4-card straight	A-K-Q
Enhanced Value	Draw bonus	+0.08
Optimal Hold	Best keep	A♠ K♠ Q♣
Return Rate	Machine RTP	99.60%

Pay Table Structure

Full Pay All American

Hand              | Coins (5-coin max)
------------------|-------------------
Royal Flush       | 4000 (800:1)
Straight Flush    | 200 (40:1)
Four of a Kind    | 40 (8:1)
Full House        | 40 (8:1)
Flush             | 40 (8:1)
Straight          | 40 (8:1)
Three of a Kind   | 15 (3:1)
Two Pair          | 5 (1:1)
Jacks or Better   | 5 (1:1)

Return: 99.60%

vs Jacks or Better (9/6)

Hand              | AA   | JoB
------------------|------|------
Straight Flush    | 200  | 250
Four of a Kind    | 40   | 125
Full House        | 40   | 45
Flush             | 40   | 30
Straight          | 40   | 20
Three of a Kind   | 15   | 15
Two Pair          | 5    | 10
Jacks or Better   | 5    | 5

Key shifts:
+ Flush: 8:1 vs 6:1
+ Straight: 8:1 vs 4:1
- Full house: 8:1 vs 9:1
- Two pair: 1:1 vs 2:1

The Balance

What's gained vs lost:

Gains:
Flush +33% value
Straight +100% value

Losses:
Full house -11% value
Two pair -50% value
Four of a kind varies

Net: ~99.60% return
Slightly better than many JoB

Strategy Shifts

Flush Draw Priority

Flush draws more valuable:

JoB (6:1 flush):
4-flush draw EV: ~1.22

All American (8:1 flush):
4-flush draw EV: ~1.62

Difference: +33%
Chase flushes more often

Straight Draw Priority

Straight draws MUCH better:

JoB (4:1 straight):
Open straight EV: ~0.85

All American (8:1 straight):
Open straight EV: ~1.70

Difference: +100%!
Straights are aggressive plays

Two Pair Devaluation

Two pair worth less:

JoB: Two pair = 2:1
AA: Two pair = 1:1

Half the value!
This affects strategy:
May chase draws over two pair
In close situations

Key Strategy Changes

Flush Draw vs Pair

Classic decision shift:

Hand: J♠ J♦ 9♠ 6♠ 3♠

JoB (6:1 flush):
Hold: JJ (pair is better)

All American (8:1 flush):
Hold: 9♠ 6♠ 3♠ J♠ (flush draw!)

Enhanced flush wins

Straight Draw vs Pair

Straight now competitive:

Hand: 10♠ J♦ Q♣ K♥ 4♠

JoB (4:1 straight):
Outside straight draw: ~0.85 EV

All American (8:1 straight):
Outside straight draw: ~1.70 EV

Much more aggressive straight chasing

Two Pair Breaks

May break two pair:

Hand: J♠ J♦ 9♠ 9♣ 3♠

JoB:
Hold two pair (2:1 value)

All American:
Two pair only 1:1
Consider breaking for draws?

Usually still hold
But closer decision

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Flush Draw vs High Pair

Enhanced flush wins:

Hand: K♠ K♦ 7♠ 5♠ 2♠

Option 1: Hold KK
Pair value + improvement

Option 2: Hold 4-flush
8:1 flush potential

All American:
HOLD FLUSH DRAW

This is opposite of JoB!
Enhanced flush > pair

Example 2: Straight Draw Priority

Straights are gold:

Hand: 9♠ 10♦ J♣ Q♥ 3♠

Outside straight draw: 9-10-J-Q
8 cards complete (8s and Ks)

All American:
Hold: 9♠ 10♦ J♣ Q♥

EV of straight draw: ~1.70
Much better than JoB's ~0.85

Aggressive straight chase

Example 3: Low Two Pair

Two pair less exciting:

Hand: 5♠ 5♦ 7♣ 7♥ K♠

JoB:
Hold two pair
Pays 2:1 (10 coins)

All American:
Hold two pair
Pays only 1:1 (5 coins)

Half the payout
Still hold (improvement possible)
But less satisfying

Example 4: Combo Draw

Multiple draws:

Hand: J♠ 10♠ 9♠ 8♣ 2♦

Analysis:
- 4-card flush draw (J-10-9 spades)
- 4-card straight draw (J-10-9-8)

All American:
Both draws pay 8:1
Either completion = 40 coins

Hold: J♠ 10♠ 9♠
Flush draw + keeps straight options

Variance Analysis

Slightly Higher Variance

Volatility comparison:

Jacks or Better: Low
All American: Low-Medium
Bonus Poker: Medium

More variance because:
Chasing draws more
Draws are boom or bust
But not extreme variance

Bankroll Requirements

Session recommendations:

All American:
25-35× max bet

$1 machines:
$125-175 session roll

Slightly more than JoB
Drawing games swing more

Finding Pay Tables

What to Look For

Full pay indicators:

Flush: 8:1 (40 coins)
Straight: 8:1 (40 coins)
Full house: 8:1 (40 coins)
Four of kind: 8:1 (40 coins)

All four equal = good sign
Return: 99.60%

Avoid Short Pay

Red flags:

Flush < 8:1
Straight < 8:1
These are the whole point

Bad tables exist
Check before playing

Common Mistakes

1. Using JoB Strategy

Mistake: Holding pairs over flush draws Problem: Flush draws more valuable here Fix: Learn All American adjustments

2. Ignoring Straight Value

Mistake: Treating straights like JoB Problem: Straights pay 2× more (8:1 vs 4:1) Fix: Chase straights aggressively

3. Overvaluing Two Pair

Mistake: Celebrating two pair Problem: Only pays 1:1 (half of JoB) Fix: Adjust expectations

4. Wrong Pay Tables

Mistake: Playing unbalanced tables Problem: Miss the enhanced payouts Fix: Verify flush/straight at 8:1

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are straights and flushes enhanced?

Game design choice to make drawing hands more exciting. Creates more "chase" moments where you're hoping for that completing card.

Is All American better than Jacks or Better?

Return is similar (~99.60% vs ~99.54%). Gameplay feels different—more drawing, less made-hand focus. Personal preference.

Should I always chase flush draws?

Over pairs, usually yes. But not over made straights, trips, or better. Calculate full EV.

Why is two pair only 1:1?

Balances the enhanced draws. Two pair is common (~13% of hands), so reducing it frees value for straights/flushes.

How much does strategy change from JoB?

Moderate change. About 5-10% of hands have different optimal holds due to enhanced draw values.

Is card counting effective?

Same as other VP—possible but minimal edge. Enhanced draws don't change counting fundamentals.

Pro Tips

Flush draws over pairs: Usually correct
Straights pay 8:1: Double JoB value
Two pair only 1:1: Adjust expectations
Drawing game: Embrace the chases
All 8:1s balance: Easy to remember

Jacks or Better Calculator - Standard game
Bonus Poker Calculator - Quad focus
Video Poker Odds Calculator - General
Poker Odds Calculator - Full poker
Expected Value Calculator - Bet analysis

Conclusion

All American Poker enhances flush and straight payouts to 8:1 each, shifting value toward drawing hands. Our calculator shows why chasing that flush draw beats holding the pair, how straights become twice as valuable as in Jacks or Better, and why two pair paying only 1:1 matters less than it seems.

Calculate All American Odds Now →

Your four-card flush draw is worth more here than a pair of kings. Our calculator reveals why All American Poker's balanced payouts reward aggressive drawing strategy.