If you walk through a casino and observe the video poker machines, you will likely see dozens of players mindlessly slapping the "Draw" button as fast as they can.
If you learn the optimal strategy, Video Poker transforms from a predatory casino trap into one of the most mathematically fair games on the entire casino floor.
In this article, we are going to break down the absolute perfect mathematical strategy for the most popular and foundational version of the game: Jacks or Better.
Step 1: Finding the "Full Pay" 9/6 Machine
The casino secretly alters their House Edge by changing the payouts on only two specific hands: the Full House and the Flush.
The absolute holy grail of Jacks or Better is the "Full Pay" machine, commonly known as a "9/6" machine.
However, casinos are greedy. They will frequently place "Short Pay" machines (like an 8/5 or a 7/5 machine) right next to the good ones.
If you sit down at an 8/5 or 7/5 machine, you have mathematically lost the game before you even pressed the deal button.
Why You Must Always Play 5 Coins
This is a catastrophic mathematical error that actively destroys your Expected Value (EV).
If you bet 1 coin, a Royal Flush pays 250 coins. But if you bet the maximum 5 coins, the Royal Flush payout jumps massively to 4,000 coins (instead of the mathematically linear 1,250).
If you hit a Royal Flush while only betting 1 coin, you have essentially robbed yourself of thousands of dollars purely because you were trying to save 4 quarters.
Playing less than maximum coins instantly turns a beatable game into a terrible mathematical trap.
How to Play Perfect Jacks or Better Strategy
You must memorize this hierarchy or bring a printed strategy card with you to the casino (which is completely legal).
For example, if you are dealt a High Pair (e.g., two Jacks, a guaranteed 5-coin payout) BUT you also have 4 cards to a Royal Flush (e.g., J, Q, K, A of Hearts), what do you do?
The payout for a standard Flush (30 coins) is not large enough to justify throwing away the guaranteed payout and the chance to draw Three of a Kind or Four of a Kind.
Holding the Ace reduces the number of cards you draw from three to two, drastically reducing your chances of hitting Three of a Kind (which pays 15 coins).
The Order of Operations (From Highest EV to Lowest)
Guaranteed Massive Wins: Take your hands off the buttons and make sure you don't accidentally discard a card. Chasing the Dream: This is the highest Expected Value draw in the entire game. The Mid-Tier Winners: Three of a Kind is especially valuable because you get to draw two cards for a chance at Four of a Kind. The Big Draw: A very strong draw, but still mathematically weaker than a guaranteed Three of a Kind. The Workhorse: Two Pair pays 10 coins. It keeps your bankroll afloat while you wait for the massive hands. 6. High Pair (Jacks, Queens, Kings, Aces): Hold the pair. Throw away everything else (including an open-ended straight draw). 7. 4 Cards to a Flush: Hold the four suited cards. This is mathematically better than holding a Low Pair (2s through 10s). The Foundation: A Low Pair pays nothing, but you hold it because it provides the best foundation to draw into Three of a Kind. 9. 4 Cards to an Outside Straight: Hold the four sequential cards (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8). Do NOT hold an "Inside" Straight (e.g., 5, 6, 8, 9). 10. Completely Trash Hand: If you have absolutely nothing (no pairs, no 4-card draws, not a single Jack or higher), throw ALL FIVE CARDS in the trash.
Why the Payouts Matter
The Poker HandYour Reward (Max Bet)How Often It Happens Royal Flush4,000 Coins (The Massive Bonus)Roughly 1 in 40,000 hands. You will play for days without seeing one. The Mini-MonsterA massive boost to the bankroll.A rare, incredibly satisfying hit. Four of a Kind125 CoinsRoughly 1 in 423 hands. Full House (The "9")45 Coins (9 x 5 coins)Roughly 1 in 86 hands. The FlushThe second critical metric of the paytable.The math demands 6 to 1. The Survival HandThe reason the game is called "Jacks or Better."Without this 5-coin refund, your bankroll would vanish in minutes.
You are essentially reducing the casino's massive, imposing fortress to a tiny 0.46% mathematical sliver.
Take your time, check your strategy card, and ensure every single decision you make is backed by Expected Value.