Jacks Or Better

Jacks or Better Rules

Jacks or Better Video Poker has become the most popular form of Video Poker. It offers a better payoff than its predecessor, Five Card Draw Poker, because you get paid off for a pair as long as it’s a pair of jacks or better, whereas in Five Card Draw Video Poker, there is no payoff for anything less than two pairs.

Jacks or Better Video Poker uses a standard deck of 52 cards. To play, select the number of coins you want to play, and then push DEAL. The machine will deal you 5 cards, out of which you can opt to trade in between one and five. The object of the game is to create an optimal hand from the second round of cards dealt.

Select which cards, if any you want to keep by pressing HOLD, and then press DEAL again. The Video Poker game will replace whichever cards you didn’t hold, and then it will calculate your winnings.

Jacks or Better Strategy

While Jacks or Higher Poker is mainly a game of chance, certain strategies can improve your chances of winning. Since the only decision you make after you place your bet is which cards you want to hold and which you want to discard, all of the strategy will revolve around which cards should be held, and which are more of a liability than an asset. At Poker777.com, we have the following suggestions:

If your hand doesn’t have any winning combinations, but has a face card, (Jack, Queen, King, or Ace), you should hold that face card in hopes of getting a match for it. You should discard the other four.

If you have a pair, but it isn’t a winning pair, keep it. You may get another pair, or even three of a kind!

If you have 4 of a flush or a straight, keep those cards and throw out the extra. Two or three of one suit isn’t enough to hold for, but four is, unless you’d be throwing out a winning combination.

If you have a winning combination in your hand, hold on to it, even if you think you might have a chance at something better. It’s better to win a little than to lose!

If you have four of a kind, hold all your cards. The fifth card doesn’t make any difference to the payout anyway.

Another factor that can help you improve your Jacks Or Better video poker strategy is understanding the payouts coming to you for various hands. Our Poker777.com staff has made a chart to provide you with an explanation of the possible winning hands and their payouts, assuming five coin play on a machine with 9/6 odds.

Hand Description Payout

Pair of “Jacks or Better”2 Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces & 3 other cards5
Two Pairs2 pairs & 1 extra card10
Three of a Kind3 cards that are the same & 2 extra cards15
StraightFive cards in a row, but not all the same suit20
FlushFive cards that are the same suit, any order30
Full HouseThree-of-a-Kind and a pair45
Four of a Kind4 cards that are the same & 1 extra card125
Straight FlushFive cards in a row that are the same suit250
Royal Flush10, J, Q, K, A all in the same suit4000

Jacks or Better Tips:

At Poker777.com, we want to make sure that you’re informed and you know how to maximize your winnings for maximum fun! We’ve collected a few tips that can make you come out a winner!

Be sure to bet the top value of the machine, because proportionally, it gives you the best payout. If the top bet is more than you want to spend, choose a machine with a lower base value.

Don’t play on a machine that doesn’t give a 9/6 return, where 9 refers to the payout for a full house, and 6 refers to the payout for a flush. If the odds are 7/5, the overall payout will be close to 3% less.

Some casinos have a Progressive Royals system which gives you a better overall payoff as well. If your machine doesn’t have that system, make sure that a Royal Flush pays off 4000 or better. Some rare machines pay off 4700 for a Royal Flush. If you have a chance to play one of those, be sure to take it!

Some video poker machines give you a chance to double your winnings. The odds are 50/50, so it’s really up to you.

If you’re playing in a casino, and you get a jackpot win, be sure to call over an attendant for the payout. Don’t leave the machine or someone else may get your prize.

If you’re planning on playing in an area with several casinos, find out which ones offer the best incentives to players. Free meals and accommodations can also add up, though they aren’t really part of your winnings.

If you’re playing in a casino, make sure to take your credit from the machine before you leave it. Otherwise, your winnings could be someone else’s!

Know when to call it quits – Figure out how much money you can spend and don’t spend any more than that. When it runs out, stop gambling.

Know when to “cash in” – Many gamblers keep playing in an effort to increase their winnings. Set a goal. When you see that you’re up that much, take your winnings and enjoy!

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