Video Poker Paytable Calculator: Find the Best-Paying Machines

Not all video poker machines are created equal—paytables vary dramatically. Our calculator analyzes any paytable, showing expected return and revealing whether you've found a full-pay machine or a short-pay ripoff.

What Is a Video Poker Paytable?

The paytable shows what each winning hand pays. Differences in full house and flush payouts dramatically affect overall return. A "9/6" Jacks or Better (9 coins for full house, 6 for flush) returns 99.54%, while "6/5" returns only 95.00%—a massive difference.

Quick Answer: Always check the paytable before playing. Full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better returns 99.54%. Short-pay 8/5 returns 97.30%. 6/5 returns only 95.00%. The full house and flush payouts matter most—check these first. Full-pay machines exist but are increasingly rare. Finding and playing only full-pay machines is the single most important video poker decision you can make.

How to Use Our Calculator

Use the Video Poker Paytable Calculator →

Enter paytable values to calculate expected return.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select Game Variant: Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, etc.

2. Enter Paytable Values: Flush, full house, etc.

3. View Expected Return: RTP percentage

4. Compare to Full-Pay: How much you're losing

5. See House Edge: Casino advantage

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Full House	Per coin payout	9
Flush	Per coin payout	6
Straight	Per coin payout	4
Three of a Kind	Per coin payout	3
Expected Return	With perfect play	99.54%
House Edge	Casino advantage	0.46%

Jacks or Better Paytables

Common Paytables Compared

Name	FH/FL	Return	House Edge
9/6 Full Pay	9/6	99.54%	0.46%
9/5	9/5	98.45%	1.55%
8/6	8/6	98.39%	1.61%
8/5	8/5	97.30%	2.70%
7/5	7/5	96.15%	3.85%
6/5	6/5	95.00%	5.00%

Impact of One-Point Changes

9/6 vs 8/6:
Full house drops from 9 to 8
Return drops: 99.54% → 98.39%
Cost: 1.15% more house edge

9/6 vs 9/5:
Flush drops from 6 to 5
Return drops: 99.54% → 98.45%
Cost: 1.09% more house edge

Full House and Flush Analysis

Full house frequency: 1.15%
Flush frequency: 1.10%

9 vs 8 on full house:
1.15% × 1 coin = 1.15% return difference

6 vs 5 on flush:
1.10% × 1 coin = 1.10% return difference

These two hands drive most RTP variation

Other Game Paytables

Deuces Wild

Paytable	Wild RF	5K	Return
Full Pay	25	15	100.76%
Not So Ugly	25	16	99.73%
Ugly Deuces	25	15	98.91%
Colorado	25	15	96.77%

Full-pay Deuces Wild is over 100%! (With perfect play)

Bonus Poker

Type	4 Aces	4 2-4	Return
8/5 Bonus	80	40	99.17%
7/5 Bonus	80	40	98.01%
6/5 Bonus	80	40	96.87%

Double Bonus

Type	FH/FL	4 Aces	Return
10/7	10/7	160	100.17%
9/7	9/7	160	99.11%
9/6	9/6	160	97.81%

Double Double Bonus

Type	FH/FL	Return
9/6	9/6	98.98%
9/5	9/5	97.87%
8/5	8/5	96.79%

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Comparing Two Machines

Machine A: 9/6 Jacks or Better Machine B: 8/5 Jacks or Better

Analysis:

Machine A return: 99.54%
Machine B return: 97.30%
Difference: 2.24%

Playing $1,000 through each:
Machine A expected loss: $4.60
Machine B expected loss: $27.00

Machine B costs $22.40 more per $1,000

Example 2: Finding Full Pay

Casino floor search:

Station 1: 6/5 (95.00%) - AVOID
Station 2: 8/5 (97.30%) - Poor
Station 3: 8/6 (98.39%) - Acceptable
Station 4: 9/6 (99.54%) - PLAY HERE

Always check paytable before sitting

Example 3: Hourly Cost Difference

Session: 400 hands/hour, $1.25/hand ($5 max)

9/6 Machine:

Wagered: 400 × $1.25 = $500/hour
Expected loss: $500 × 0.46% = $2.30/hour

8/5 Machine:

Wagered: $500/hour
Expected loss: $500 × 2.70% = $13.50/hour

Difference: $11.20/hour more on 8/5

Example 4: Positive EV Game

Full-pay Deuces Wild found

Analysis:

Return: 100.76%
House edge: -0.76% (player advantage!)

Playing $500/hour:
Expected WIN: $500 × 0.76% = $3.80/hour

Rare but real
Requires perfect strategy

Reading Paytables Quickly

What to Check First

Step 1: Look at Full House payout
9 = Good, 8 = Okay, 7 or less = Avoid

Step 2: Look at Flush payout
6 = Good, 5 = Okay, 4 or less = Avoid

Step 3: Verify other payouts match
Some machines short-pay straights too

Quick Reference

If Full House =	And Flush =	Then
9	6	Play
9	5	Marginal
8	6	Marginal
8	5	Avoid
7 or less	Any	Avoid

Where to Find Full-Pay Machines

Las Vegas

More likely:
- Off-strip casinos
- Locals casinos (Station, Boyd)
- Downtown
- Higher denomination ($1+)

Less likely:
- Strip casinos
- Quarter machines
- Airport

General Tips

1. Higher denominations often full-pay
2. Local/regional casinos better than tourist
3. Ask VP-knowledgeable staff
4. Use apps that track full-pay locations
5. Be willing to walk if no full-pay available

Online Casinos

Typically better paytables:
- Lower overhead than physical
- Check terms carefully
- Verify game variant

Some online = full-pay standard
But bonuses may have restrictions

The Impact of Strategy

Paytable vs Strategy

Full-pay 9/6 with perfect strategy: 99.54%
Full-pay 9/6 with good strategy: ~99.2%
Full-pay 9/6 with poor strategy: ~97-98%

Short-pay 8/5 with perfect strategy: 97.30%

Good strategy on full-pay beats
Perfect strategy on short-pay

ROI of Finding Full-Pay

Time spent finding 9/6 vs 8/5:
15 minutes searching

Value of that time:
$11.20/hour × 4 hours = $44.80 saved

Always worth looking

Common Mistakes

1. Not Checking Paytable

Mistake: Sit at first available machine Problem: Could be losing 5% instead of 0.5% Fix: Always verify paytable first

2. Assuming All Machines Equal

Mistake: Think denomination determines return Problem: $0.25 machine could be 9/6 or 6/5 Fix: Check actual paytable, not denomination

3. Playing Short-Pay for Convenience

Mistake: Accept 8/5 because "it's close" Problem: Costs 2.24% extra per hand Fix: Walk to full-pay machine

4. Ignoring Other Pay Lines

Mistake: Only check full house/flush Problem: Some machines short-pay straights too Fix: Verify full paytable matches

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "9/6" mean in video poker?

The full house pays 9 coins, flush pays 6 coins (per coin bet). It's shorthand for the paytable quality. 9/6 is full-pay for Jacks or Better.

Are full-pay machines really that much better?

Yes. The difference between 9/6 (99.54%) and 6/5 (95.00%) is 4.54%—enormous over time. At $500/hour wagered, that's $22.70/hour difference.

Where can I find full-pay machines?

Local casinos (not tourist), higher denominations, off-strip Vegas, and online. Ask floor staff—they often know where the good machines are.

Does the strategy change with different paytables?

Slightly. Some holds change between 9/6 and 8/5. But finding full-pay matters more than perfect strategy adjustment.

Why do casinos offer different paytables?

Tourists don't check. Full-pay machines attract knowledgeable players who play longer but give less edge. Short-pay maximizes profit from casual players.

Is there an app to find full-pay machines?

Yes. VP resources exist online and in apps. Las Vegas Advisor and VPFree2 maintain full-pay location databases.

Pro Tips

• Check before sitting: 5 seconds saves hours of losses

• Higher denomination = often better pay: Check $1+ machines

• Local casinos trump strip: Tourists subsidize locals' better games

• Walk if no full-pay: Your time is worth more than convenience

• Learn to spot quickly: 9/6 should be automatic recognition

Related Calculators

• Video Poker Strategy Calculator - Optimal plays
• Slots RTP Calculator - Slot returns
• Expected Value Calculator - EV analysis
• Gambling Bankroll Calculator - Session sizing
• House Edge Calculator - Edge comparison

Conclusion

The paytable is everything in video poker. Our calculator reveals exactly what each machine returns, helping you avoid the short-pay traps that cost casual players thousands over time. Finding and playing only full-pay machines is the single biggest edge you can give yourself.

Calculate Paytable Return Now →

Stop playing blindly. A 9/6 machine and a 6/5 machine look identical—until you check the paytable. Our calculator does the math instantly, showing the true cost of every machine. Never sit at another short-pay game again.