Jacks or Better Calculator: Master Video Poker Strategy

Jacks or Better is the most popular video poker game—and with perfect strategy, full-pay 9/6 machines return 99.54%. Our calculator reveals optimal hold decisions, expected value for every hand, and why pay table differences matter more than you think.

What Is Jacks or Better?

Jacks or Better is a video poker game where the minimum winning hand is a pair of Jacks or higher. You're dealt five cards, choose which to hold, and draw replacements. Payouts start at 1:1 for Jacks+ pair and escalate to 800:1 for a royal flush with max bet.

Quick Answer: Jacks or Better = video poker, pair of Jacks minimum to win. Full-pay 9/6: 99.54% return. Hold optimal cards, draw replacements. Royal flush: 800:1 (max bet). Four of a kind: 25:1. Full house: 9:1. Flush: 6:1. Strategy matters—wrong holds cost money.

How to Use Our Calculator

Use the Jacks or Better Calculator →

Calculate optimal holds and expected value.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enter Your Hand: Five cards dealt

2. View Hold Recommendations: Optimal strategy

3. See Expected Value: Each hold option

4. Check Alternative Holds: Compare EV

5. Understand Why: Strategic reasoning

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Card 1-5	Your dealt hand	K♠ K♦ 7♣ 4♥ 2♠
Best Hold	Optimal keep	K♠ K♦
Expected Value	Average return	1.54 coins
Alternative	Second choice	K♠ K♦ 7♣
Alt EV	Comparison	1.28 coins

Pay Table Breakdown

Full-Pay 9/6 (Best)

Full-pay Jacks or Better:

Royal Flush: 800 (max bet)
Straight Flush: 50
Four of a Kind: 25
Full House: 9
Flush: 6
Straight: 4
Three of a Kind: 3
Two Pair: 2
Jacks or Better: 1

Return: 99.54%
House edge: 0.46%

8/5 Pay Table

Reduced pay:

Full House: 8 (was 9)
Flush: 5 (was 6)

Everything else same

Return: 97.30%
House edge: 2.70%

Much worse!

7/5 and 6/5 Tables

Even worse:

7/5: Return 96.15%
6/5: Return 95.00%

Avoid these machines
Check before playing

Optimal Strategy

Hand Rankings to Hold

Priority order (highest first):

1. Royal Flush (keep all 5)
2. Straight Flush (keep all 5)
3. Four of a Kind (keep all 5)
4. 4 to Royal Flush (hold 4)
5. Full House (keep all 5)
6. Flush (keep all 5)
7. Three of a Kind (hold 3)
8. Straight (keep all 5)
9. 4 to Straight Flush (hold 4)
10. Two Pair (hold 4)

Key Decision Points

Common strategic decisions:

Pair vs 4-to-flush:
Keep the pair (higher EV usually)

High pair vs 4-to-straight:
Keep the high pair (Jacks+)

3-to-royal vs made hand:
Sometimes break up flush for royal draw

Low pair vs 4-to-flush:
Keep 4-to-flush (higher EV)

Never Hold These

Automatic discards:

Kickers with pairs (hold pair only)
Two unrelated high cards with pair
Three disconnected high cards
Four to inside straight (usually)

Expected Value Analysis

Common Hands

EV per hand (5-coin bet):

Made royal flush: 4000 coins
Made full house: 45 coins
Made flush: 30 coins
High pair (J-A): ~7.7 coins
Low pair (2-10): ~4.1 coins
Four to royal: ~18.3 coins
Four to flush: ~3.0 coins
Nothing: ~2.4 coins (redraw all)

Why EV Matters

Choosing holds:

Hold option A: EV = 3.2 coins
Hold option B: EV = 2.8 coins

Always choose higher EV
0.4 coin difference adds up
Over 1000 hands = 400 coins

Strategic Examples

Example 1: Pair vs Flush Draw

Common decision:

Hand: K♥ 9♥ 7♥ 4♥ K♣

Option A: Hold K♥ K♣ (pair of Kings)
EV: ~7.7 coins

Option B: Hold K♥ 9♥ 7♥ 4♥ (4 to flush)
EV: ~3.0 coins

Correct: Hold the pair
Higher EV despite flush draw

Example 2: Break Up Made Hand

Royal draw:

Hand: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 9♣

Made straight!
Worth 20 coins (4 × 5)

But: Hold A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ (4 to royal)
EV: ~18.3 coins

Close, but keep the straight
Made hand beats draw here

Example 3: Low Pair vs Flush Draw

Opposite of Example 1:

Hand: 5♦ 5♣ Q♦ 9♦ 3♦

Option A: Hold 5♦ 5♣ (low pair)
EV: ~4.1 coins

Option B: Hold 5♦ Q♦ 9♦ 3♦ (4 to flush)
EV: ~3.0 coins (wait, recalculate)

Actually: Low pair beats flush draw
Hold the 5s

Example 4: Three to Royal

Premium draw:

Hand: A♠ K♠ Q♠ 7♣ 3♥

Hold: A♠ K♠ Q♠ (3 to royal)
EV: ~3.3 coins

Better than:
- Holding A K Q unsuited: ~2.6 coins
- Discarding all: ~2.4 coins

Three to royal is strong draw

Pay Table Math

Finding Full-Pay Machines

How to identify 9/6:

Look at pay table
Full House = 9
Flush = 6

If not 9/6, keep looking
Or accept lower return

Return Rate Calculation

9/6 Jacks or Better:

Played perfectly:
Every hand has EV
Sum all hands × probabilities
Total = 99.54% return

Your actual return depends on:
Making correct holds
Playing max coins

Max Bet Importance

Why bet 5 coins:

Royal flush pays:
1 coin: 250
2 coins: 500
3 coins: 750
4 coins: 1000
5 coins: 4000 (not 1250!)

Bonus only on max bet
~1% return difference

Common Mistakes

1. Wrong Pay Table

Mistake: Playing any machine Problem: 6/5 = 95%, 9/6 = 99.54% Fix: Check before playing

2. Not Max Betting

Mistake: Betting 1-4 coins Problem: Missing royal bonus Fix: Bet 5 coins or lower denomination

3. Holding Kickers

Mistake: K♠ K♦ A♣ → Hold K K A Problem: Reduces improvement odds Fix: Hold only the pair

4. Chasing Straights

Mistake: Holding inside straight draws Problem: Low probability, low EV Fix: Learn open-ended vs inside

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best video poker game?

Full-pay Jacks or Better (9/6) at 99.54% return. Some variants like Deuces Wild can be 100%+ with perfect play.

How do I find 9/6 machines?

Check the pay table before playing. Full House 9, Flush 6. Casino floors often hide them among worse games.

Does strategy really matter?

Yes. Perfect vs poor strategy can mean 2-3% difference in return. That's $20-30 per $1,000 wagered.

Should I always bet max?

Yes, due to the royal flush bonus. If you can't afford 5 quarters, play 5 nickels instead.

How often does a royal flush hit?

About 1 in 40,000 hands. Worth 800× bet (max coins). Provides ~2% of total return.

Are online video poker games fair?

Licensed casinos use certified RNGs. Look for licensing info. Same strategy applies.

Pro Tips

• 9/6 machines only: 99.54% return

• Max bet always: Royal bonus matters

• Learn strategy chart: Memorize hold priorities

• High pair > flush draw: Usually correct

• Check pay table first: Before sitting down

Related Calculators

• Deuces Wild Calculator - Wild cards
• Video Poker Odds Calculator - All variants
• Bonus Poker Calculator - 4-of-a-kind bonuses
• House Edge Calculator - Compare games
• Expected Value Calculator - Hand analysis

Conclusion

Jacks or Better with optimal strategy on 9/6 machines returns 99.54%—among the best odds in any casino. Our calculator reveals correct holds for every situation, why breaking up hands sometimes makes sense, and how pay table differences dramatically affect your expected return.

Calculate Jacks or Better Strategy Now →

That pair of Kings beats the four-to-flush draw every time. Our calculator shows the expected value behind every hold decision in video poker's most popular game.