Jacks or Better 9/6 Video Poker Game

How to Play

Jacks or Better is a simple game that's easy to learn. To win a hand, you must have at least one pair with a rank of Jack, Queen, King or Ace. Your goal is to build the strongest hand with the cards you're dealt. Aces can be played low or high.

• Place your bet, $5-25
• Select DEAL to begin play and be dealt five cards
• Select which, if any, cards you would like to hold
• Select DRAW to receive new cards to replace those discarded
• Your hand will then be scored and any winnings will be added to your bank in the amount of the hand's payout multiplied by your bet

Scoring hands for Jacks or Better are:

• High Pair - 2 cards with the same rank, Jacks or better
  
  8♠Q♦4♥Q♥7♣
• Two Pair - two pairs of any rank
  
  8♠8♦4♥Q♥4♣
• Three of a Kind - 3 cards with the same rank
  
  8♠8♦4♥Q♥8♣
• Straight - 5 cards of any suit ranked in sequential order
  
  A♠2♦4♥3♥5♣
• Flush - 5 cards of any rank with the same suit
  
  8♠4♠J♠Q♠9♠
• Full House - three of a kind and a pair
  
  8♠8♦8♥Q♥Q♣
• Four of a Kind - 4 cards with the same rank
  
  8♠8♦4♥8♥8♣
• Straight Flush - 5 cards of the same suit ranked in sequential order
  
  8♦10♦9♦7♦J♦
• Royal Flush - the strongest possible hand, 5 cards of the same suit ranked in sequential order from 10 to Ace
  
  10♠A♠Q♠J♠K♠

Payouts

Strategy

A little bit of skill will increase your winnings and make the game more fun and interesting to play. If played "perfectly", this game has an expected payback ratio of 99.5%, which is just about the best you can find in a casino. Using the heuristics below, you can expect a payback of about 99%. More optimal play is possible but a bit more complex. It's worth the research and effort if you're serious about the game. Play based on the first matching hand from the chart below. If you have the cards in your hand, hold them before drawing new cards. Good luck!

• 4 cards of a Royal Flush (the potential payout is just too high to pass up)
• Any cards that make a hand of two pair or better
• 4 cards of a Straight Flush
• Any high pair, ranked J or better
• 3 cards of a Royal Flush
• 4 cards of a Flush
• Any pair lower than Jacks
• 4 cards of a Straight
• J, Q, K, and A of different suits
• Any 2 cards of the same suit ranked J or better
• 3 cards of a Straight Flush
• J, Q, and K of different suits
• 2 cards of different suits ranked J or better
• J, Q, or K, if you have a 10 of the same suit
• Any card ranked J or better
• Otherwise, keep nothing and draw a new hand