Jacks Or Better Video Poker | The Ultimate Guide to Jacks or Better Video Poker 2023
Jacks or Better Video Poker is a type of draw poker, where players go against a computer’s random number generator to win the main jackpot. How to play Jacks or Better Video Poker requires an understanding of the Jacks or Better Video Poker rules. The following guide is all about the rules of Jacks or Better Video Poker. As you read through the following information, you will gain an understanding of rules for Jacks or Better Video Poker, plus find frequently asked questions about Jacks or Better online. Remember the Jacks or Better rules are just a variation on regular draw poker rules.
Getting Started with Jacks or Better - Rules Explained
Online Jacks or Better Video Poker is played with a 52 -card deck. A player needs to choose between one coin or more for the wager. As soon as the wager is placed, the computer will randomly deal five cards. Jacks or Better Video Poker rules state you can “hold” the cards you want to keep and discard those that are not going to help you make a hand that will win. Once the old cards are discarded, new ones are dealt, and this is what the computer will use to determine whether you have a winning or losing hand. The better your hand is in the rank of poker hands, the more you will earn in a payout.
The caveat to the game is having at least a pair of cards that are Jacks or higher. Queens, kings, and aces are higher cards than Jacks, and the only other pairs you can have to get the lowest payout from the game.
Understanding the Paytable - The Jacks or Better Paytable Layout
Every online casino will have a paytable for online Jacks or Better Video Poker. It is important to know what the table means and to access the online casino for the game, and the paytable before joining. Typically, the Royal Flush offers 800 coins as the payout based on how many coins you play. A pair of Jacks or Better is often a 1 to 1 payout, so if you play one coin, you earn one coin. Most paytables will list the hand, the payout per coin wagered, from one to five coins, and some will include the probability of gaining that hand. Other paytables also indicate the payout percentage for the casino based on the amount of coins you play.
Hands in Jacks or Better Video Poker
Poker variations differ in the type of poker hands you can have in order to win. The following are the types of hands that will have a payout in Jacks or Better Video Poker online.
HIGH – any high card, a single card of a jack or higher will payout.
ROYAL FLUSH – a hand with five sequential cards from 10 to aces that are in the same suit.
STRAIGHT FLUSH – five sequential cards all in the same suit, but not necessarily the high cards. In other words, a 2 through 6 in the same suit is a straight flush.
FOUR OF A KIND – when you have four of the same cards, such as 4 aces or 4 deuces.
FULL HOUSE – a three of a kind and two pair hand.
FOUR TO ROYAL FLUSH – you have four of the five cards in the royal flush. In this instance, you might need one card like the ace to complete the hand.
FLUSH – you have five cards, not sequentially that belong to the same suit, such as a 2, 5, 6, 9, and jack of hearts.
THREE OF A KIND – three cards of the same number or face, like three kings.
STRAIGHT – you have five cards in a consecutive order like 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, but not in the same suit.
FOUR TO A STRAIGHT FLUSH – this hand is where you have four of the five cards that will create a straight flush, which is a sequential hand in the same suit.
TWO PAIR – this could refer to aces and eights, where you have two aces and two eights in your hand. The idea is you have two cards of the same number/ face, and then another pair.
THREE TO A ROYAL FLUSH – again it is about having the same suit, with three cards that could lead to a royal flush.
FOUR TO A FLUSH – here you have four cards in the same suit, rather than five.
THREE TO A STRAIGHT FLUSH – like the four to a straight flush, you have sequential cards, three of them and in the same suit, but not the other two.
TWO TO A ROYAL FLUSH – you would have two cards of the same suit that would make up a Royal Flush if only you had the other three cards.
Jacks or Better – as the game implies, you need a pair of Jacks or Better to gain a one to one payout.
Jacks or Better Strategy
Strategically in Jacks or Better, you want to try for a hand that pays out based on the poker hands you can have and the paytable. It is riskier to try for a Royal Flush; however, you can still earn 1 to 1 for having two or three cards that are in a Royal Flush. In this game, a single high card does payout, the best strategy is to try for a better paying hand.
Low Pair
A low pair is something that is below the Jacks and would only work if you have another pair to match. It is risky to hope for a second pair to compliment this hand; however, if you have a low pair you can try for a three of a kind or four of a kind.
High Pair
It is a winning hand because you have a high card, and better you have two of those cards. You want to keep any high pair, and discard the other three cards, unless you already have a better winning hand.
When it comes to Jacks or Better Video Poker online strategy it is important that you focus on the paytable for the winning hands. If you know that a high card will win, then you need to keep any Jack, Queen, King, or Ace that appears in your hand. You can then form a hand around that one card. It is also based on what you have. If you have the 4, 5, and 6, all in the same suit, then hold those three cards for a potential win.
How Does Jacks or Better Strategy Differ from Other Video Poker Variations?
Jacks or Better Video Poker is one of the best draw poker games on the internet because you have many opportunities to make a win. The game actually pays out for incomplete hands like two to a Royal Flush. Most of the draw poker video games will not be as forgiving if you do not have at least a high pair.
FREQUENTLY THOUGHT QUESTIONS
What is Jacks or Better?
Jacks or Better Video Poker online is a draw poker game, with five cards, and 52-cards in the deck. It is a pair game, where you need at least a single high card or a pair of jacks to win.
What is High Card?
A high card is a Jack, Queen, King, or Ace.
What is an inside straight?
An inside straight is where you are missing a card to make the straight, but that card is only one option. For example, you might have a straight started that is the 5, 6, 7, and 8, where a 4 or 9 would complete the straight, but this is an outside straight. The inside straight requires only one card, for example if you had the 5, 6, 7, and 9, only the 8 would make the winning straight. The A, 2, 3, 4 requires the 5, and the J, Q, K, and A needs the 10.
What is a penalty card?
A penalty card is a card you might have to discard. In a rare situation, you might have to discard a potentially useful card. The concept is part of a strategy to win but is only a good concept if you are a professional player or for academic reasons.
What is the house edge in Jacks or Better?
The house edge of Jacks or Better is always based on the online casino you are choosing to play at and the software provider. Given the high card hand that can provide a win, the house edge is always lower than the other Video Poker variations that exist. Some casinos have a house edge as low as 0.22% for Jacks or Better.