Last Updated: 27 November 2025
Your Guide to Video Poker Odds & Payouts
Understand how often video poker hands hit, what the top-paying combinations are, and how paytables change your long-term returns. Learn the odds behind every draw and make smarter decisions every hand.
GuidesWhether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, understanding video poker odds and payouts can make all the difference between winning and losing. If you know the probability of winning a payout on every hand, you can make better decisions and enjoy bigger payouts. So, settle in as we dive into the numbers behind the game, exploring odds, payout structures, and strategies to help you make the best decisions at the video poker tables.
How Video Poker Odds Work?
Before we dive into the odds, let’s take a look at how to play video poker:
- Select Game & Bet: Choose your game, coin value, and coins per hand (usually 1–5).
- Deal Cards: The game deals you five cards.
- Hold/Discard: Select which cards to keep (hold) to make your best 5-card poker hand.
- Draw Cards: The game replaces the cards you discard.
- Payout: If your final hand matches the paytable, you win; otherwise, you can play again.
The underlying odds in video poker are pretty constant, even though there are lots of different varieties. Let’s check out the numbers:
| Hand | Odds by Percent | Odds by Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 0.0001539% | 1 in 649,740 |
| Straight Flush (non-royal) | 0.0013852% | 1 in 72,193 |
| Four of a Kind | 0.0240096% | 1 in 4,165 |
| Full House | 0.1440576% | 1 in 694 |
| Flush (non-straight) | 0.1965402% | 1 in 509 |
| Straight (non-flush) | 0.3924647% | 1 in 255 |
| Three of a Kind | 2.1128451% | 1 in 47.33 |
| Two Pair | 4.7539016% | 1 in 21.04 |
| Jacks or Better (pair of J/Q/K/A) | 13.0021239% | 1 in 7.69 |
Odds When Drawing for Better Hands
Once you’ve decided which cards to hold, the odds of improving your hand change. These are called conditional odds, showing your chances of upgrading from one hand to a stronger one after the draw. Knowing these odds helps you make more informed decisions about holds and discards in video poker. Understanding conditional odds turns guesswork into a strategic approach.
You can make mathematically sound choices instead of gut-based ones based on this knowledge. For example, a 4-card flush improves nearly one in five times, while chasing an inside straight only succeeds about 1 in 12 draws.
Below are some of the most common scenarios you might face, showing how often a hand improves after drawing five minus the cards you hold.
| Starting Hand | Drawing To | Odds of Success | Approx. % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to a Royal | Royal Flush | 1 in 47 | 2.13% |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | Straight Flush | 1 in 47 | 2.13% |
| 3 to a Royal | Royal Flush | 1 in 1,081 | 0.09% |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | Straight Flush | 1 in 1,081 | 0.09% |
| 4 to a Flush | Flush | 1 in 5.22 | 19.15% |
| 4 to an Open Straight | Straight | 1 in 5.88 | 17.02% |
| 4 to a Gutshot (Inside Straight) | Straight | 1 in 11.75 | 8.51% |
| Pair | Full House | 1 in 23.5 | 4.26% |
| Pair | Four of a Kind | 1 in 360 | 0.28% |
| Two Pair | Full House | 1 in 11.75 | 8.51% |
| Three of a Kind | Full House | 1 in 7.73 | 12.77% |
| Three of a Kind | Four of a Kind | 1 in 23.5 | 4.26% |
Real Examples of Using Video Poker Odds
Knowing the odds isn’t just about numbers; it’s about making smarter plays. Imagine you’re dealt four cards to a flush. With about a 1 in 5 (19%) chance of completing it, that’s a solid draw. If you compare that to four cards to an inside straight, which only hits 1 in 12 times, it’s not worth the risk unless you have high cards.
Let’s take another example, a low pair versus three to a royal. A low pair improves to a full house or quads about 4–5% of the time, while three to a royal completes less than 0.1%. In Jacks or Better, keeping the pair is the better play, but in wild-card variants, chasing the royal might pay off more.
RTP & House Edge in Video Poker
House edge in casino games is the built-in advantage the casino holds over a player. It’s the percentage of each bet that the casino expects to keep in the long run. For example, if a game has a 2% house edge, the average player will lose about two coins for every 100 wagered, though short-term results can vary wildly.
The opposite side of that coin is the Return to Player (RTP), the percentage that, statistically, returns to the player over time. RTP is determined by two factors: the fixed odds of each hand and the paytable. The odds of being dealt a full house never change. But if one version of Jacks or Better pays 50 coins for it, and another 100 coins, the long-term return shifts.
Even a 1% change in RTP makes a big difference over thousands of hands, especially for consistent players. And remember, a high RTP doesn’t always mean smooth sailing; a volatile game may still have big swings between wins and losses before it evens out over time.
House Edge and RTP Figures
In video poker, the house edge is the difference between a game’s Return to Player (RTP) and 100%. So, if a game has a 99.5% RTP, the house edge is 0.5%.
That may sound tiny, but over thousands of hands, it adds up. A lower house edge means your bankroll lasts longer and your chances of walking away ahead improve. Choosing games with strong paytables and playing optimal video poker strategy can further reduce the edge.
Let’s take a look at some actual numbers. Remember that the higher values are for playing a perfect video poker strategy. These games have one of the lowest edges in the casino world, for example, a full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better game is just 0.46%! Let’s compare that to some favourites:
- Slot machines: 2–15% house edge
- American Roulette: 15.26%
- Blackjack: 0.5–2%
Now, let’s flip that to the RTP, and what you can expect over time. That same 9/6 Jacks or Better game offers an RTP of 99.54%, meaning you could expect to get back 99.54 USDT for every 100 USDT wagered. Other video poker RTPs worth noting:
- Deuces Wild (full pay): 100.76%
- 9/5 Jacks or Better: 98.45%
- 6/5 Jacks or Better: 95.00%
The bottom line is that video poker rewards skill. Play optimally, and you’re not just minimizing losses, you’re playing one of the most player-friendly games in the crypto casino world.
Video Poker Games with Best Odds & Payouts
Each video poker variant comes with its own odds, payouts, and personality. Some come with frequent small wins, others chase those rare, high-paying hands. Understanding how paytables and RTP shift between games helps you choose the variant that fits your style, and gives you the best shot at profit.
In the classic Jacks or Better game, your objective is simply to obtain a pair of Jacks or better (or any higher poker hand). Because it’s the baseline video-poker variant, it tends to offer the most balanced flow of frequent wins and moderate payouts.
A “full-pay” 9-6 version (9 to 1 on a Full House, 6 to 1 on a Flush) delivers an RTP around 99.54% under perfect play. Because the payouts for the higher hands (especially the Royal Flush) are strong while the lower-hand wins are still common, this variant is highly playable for skilled players.
| Hand | Payout (1 Coin) | Payout (2 Coins) | Payout (3 Coins) | Payout (4 Coins) | Payout (5 Coins) |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | $250 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | $125 |
| Full House | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | $45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | $30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | $20 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | $15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | $10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
In Tens or Better, you shift the minimum winning pair from Jacks to Tens, meaning you can win with a pair of Tens or better. This slightly lowers the variance and increases the frequency of smaller wins, but typically it also reduces the payout for some higher hands .
As a result, the RTP is lower, as fewer big wins compensate for the extra small wins. According to strategy sources, optimal play in Tens or Better still approaches similar high RTPs when the pay table is full-pay, but such tables are rare. If you choose this variant, check the pay table carefully, as there are changes in how you hold and discard, as well as how strategy shifts.
| Hand | Payout (1 Coin) | Payout (2 Coins) | Payout (3 Coins) | Payout (4 Coins) | Payout (5 Coins) |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | $250 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | $125 |
| Full House | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | $30 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | $25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | $20 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | $15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | $10 |
| Tens or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
In Aces and Faces, your goal remains the same five-card poker hands, but the key difference is that four-of-a-kind pays especially well. This extra payout is for any of the ‘face cards’, four Aces, Kings, Queens, or Jacks. Because of this bonus for premium quads, you’ll see fewer frequent smaller wins but larger rewards when you hit the big hands.
The typical pay table (e.g., 8/5 version) yields an RTP of around 99.26% under optimal play. Since the odds of being dealt or drawing to four Aces or four faces are very low, the payout compensates you if you land any face quads.
| Hand | Payout (1 Coin) | Payout (2 Coins) | Payout (3 Coins) | Payout (4 Coins) | Payout (5 Coins) |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | $250 |
| Four Aces | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | $400 |
| Four J/Q/K | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | $200 |
| Four 2‑10 | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | $125 |
| Full House | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | $40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | $25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | $20 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
In Bonus Poker, you still want to make the best standard five-card poker hand, but you get bigger payouts for four of a kind. Because of this bonus structure on quads, the pay table generally lowers other payouts (straight, two pair, etc.). This means occasional big quads are more lucrative, but smaller wins may be less generous.
A common “8/5” pay-table (Full House 8, Flush 5) yields an RTP of about 99.17 % with optimal play. If you encounter this variant, examine how the enhanced quad payouts are balanced; it affects both your volatility (resulting in bigger swings) and which hands you prioritize.
| Hand | Payout (1 Coin) | Payout (2 Coins) | Payout (3 Coins) | Payout (4 Coins) | Payout (5 Coins) |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | $250 |
| Four Aces | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | $400 |
| Four 2‑4 | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | $200 |
| Four 5‑K | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | $125 |
| Full House | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | $40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | $25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | $20 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
The Double Bonus variant pushes the bonus concept even further: higher payouts for four-of-a-kind hands (especially Aces, 2s, 3s, and 4s). That means the pay table for common hands (such as straights and flushes) is often reduced. You want to build a good hand, but the strategy for quads becomes more critical.
Full-pay versions of Double Bonus can have an RTP up to 100% under perfect play (though such machines are rare). Most commonly, you’ll find machines with lower payouts and RTPs under 99 %. The trade-off: fewer frequent wins, but much bigger wins when quads hit. For players, this means higher variance and a stronger incentive to play perfectly.
| Hand | Payout (1 Coin) | Payout (2 Coins) | Payout (3 Coins) | Payout (4 Coins) | Payout (5 Coins) |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | $250 |
| Four Aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | $800 |
| Four 2‑4 | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | $400 |
| Four 5‑K | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | $250 |
| Full House | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | $50 |
| Flush | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | $35 |
| Straight | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | $25 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
In the classic Deuces Wild game, your objective is to create a hand that includes at least three of a Kind or better. All four “2” cards (Deuces) are wild, meaning they can substitute for any other card to complete a winning hand. Because of the wild cards, the game offers a higher variance, creating fewer lower-tier wins but the potential for much larger payouts on premium hands, especially with Four Deuces.
A “full-pay” version (often listed as 10-7, or 15/9/5) delivers an RTP of around 100.76% with a perfect strategy. Because the introduction of wild cards requires a unique strategic approach, this variant is highly appealing to experienced players looking for volatility and a competitive return.
| Hand | Payout (1 Coin) | Payout (2 Coins) | Payout (3 Coins) | Payout (4 Coins) | Payout (5 Coins) |
| Natural Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Four Deuces | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | $1,000 |
| Wild Royal Flush | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | $125 |
| 5 of a Kind | 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | $75 |
| Straight Flush | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | $45 |
| 4 of a Kind | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | $25 |
| Full House | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | $15 |
| Flush | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | $10 |
| Straight | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 3 of a Kind | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Leveraging Video Poker Odds into Strategy
Video poker isn’t just luck; it’s math in motion. Knowing the hand probabilities and how payouts work with those odds allows you to play smarter. Whether holding, discarding, or chasing premium hands, understanding odds helps guide your choices. Here are a few video poker strategy tips to help you leverage the odds:
Always bet the maximum coins to capitalize on the Royal Flush payout fully; that’s where the big wins come from. If max bets feel too expensive, switch to a lower-denomination machine. The difference in potential payout is massive, so playing with the maximum coins is a smart, long-term strategy.
Strategy charts show the mathematically optimal play for every possible hand. Learn them, trust them, and follow them; they take the guesswork out of video poker. Even experienced players rely on charts to maximize returns. Consistent use can mean the difference between small wins and long-term profit.
Not all video poker machines are created equal. Hunt for favorable pay tables, such as 9/6 Jacks or Better, where the RTP is higher and payouts are optimized. Avoid low-paying machines; even slight differences in paytables can impact your expected return dramatically over thousands of hands.
Conclusion
Now you know the odds, it’s time to put them into practice, sign up to CoinPoker, and put your strategy to the test. These odds are not abstract; they are very real, and you can use them to your advantage and play for big paydays.
Play NowFAQs
Full Pay Deuces Wild is your best bet, offering over 100% RTP if you play like a poker-bot!
Video poker, hands down! Lower house edge and you get to flex those brain muscles.
With perfect play, you’re looking at once every 40,000 hands. Pack a lunch; it might be a while!
Each hand is independent, so the odds don’t change, though playing multiple hands can make wins and losses feel bigger.
9/6 pays 9 for a Full House and 6 for a Flush, while 8/5 shortchanges you. Always go for 9/6 – your bankroll will thank you!
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