Last Updated: 26 September 2025
How to Play Video Poker: A Guide to Rules, Hand Rankings & Payouts
Video Poker is a game of chance and skill blended with the magic of slot machines. Packed with excitement and some of the best returns in the casino, these games are incredibly popular. Read on to learn how to play video poker, master the gameplay, and maximize your payouts.
Guides
What is a Video Poker Game?
Video Poker is a unique casino game that combines the strategic decision-making of poker with the rapid, solo gameplay of a slot machine. A video poker game is played on any device with a screen that displays your cards, allowing you to play against the machine instead of other people. The objective is to make the best possible five-card poker hand to earn a payout.
Unlike traditional poker, there is no bluffing or complex betting against opponents. Instead, the game’s outcome is based purely on the hand you form and a fixed pay table, making it a perfect blend of skill and chance.
Origins of Video Poker
Created in the 1970s, video poker revolutionized casino gaming by allowing players to enjoy poker solo. Before its invention, poker was a social table game, which could be intimidating for some. The new video machines provided a less pressured alternative, with a fixed cost and return.
The first commercially successful machine, “Draw Poker,” was introduced in 1979 by SIRCOMA (later known as IGT), and it quickly grew in popularity, paving the way for the many variants we see today.
Rules of Video Poker
Video poker is a simple game with a clear objective: to create the best possible five-card poker hand. The game begins with you placing a bet, after which the machine deals you five cards. You then choose which cards to keep and which to discard.
After your discard, the game replaces the cards you swapped out with new ones. Your final hand is then checked for its strength, using standard poker hands. The pay table shows the payout for each winning hand, from a pair of jacks or better all the way up to a royal flush.
Video Poker Machine Set Up
A standard video poker machine looks similar to a slot machine, with a big screen and button console. The top of the screen displays the pay table, which is a crucial chart showing the payouts for all winning hands based on your bet size.
Below this is the playing area showing a table, where your five cards are displayed. The buttons that appear beneath the screen are for making your choices. These usually include buttons for “Deal,” “Bet One,” “Max Bet,” and “Hold” for each of the five card positions.
How to Play Video Poker: Step by Step
Playing a round of video poker is quick and easy, and each hand is simple and follows a consistent pattern. Here’s how a single round plays out, from start to finish.
Choose your Game
First, you need to choose your game.
While they all use the same basic rules, different versions have unique pay tables and features.
For example, choose a game like Jacks or Better, where you need at least a pair of jacks to get a payout, or Deuces Wild, where all 2s are wild cards.
Place Your Bets
Before the game begins, you need to place your bet (usually between one and five coins).
You can adjust your bet size using the Bet One button or press the Bet Five to max out.
Many people recommend betting the maximum amount as it unlocks a higher payout for the royal flush.
Receive your Cards
Once you’ve placed your bet, the game begins, with a few differences from regular poker.
The game will deal you an initial hand of five cards face-up.
From here, you must decide which cards you want to keep and which you wish to discard.
Hold or Discard
This is usually the most critical decision in video poker.
Based on the cards you have and the game’s pay table, you choose which cards you want to hold.
You do this by pressing the specific button under each card; any cards you don’t hold will be discarded.
Draw New Cards
After you’ve selected which cards to hold, you press the Draw button, which replaces any of the discarded cards.
These new cards will come from the same virtual deck to keep the game fair.
These new cards and the ones you held make your final, five-card hand.
Payout & Losses
Your final hand is automatically compared to the game’s pay table.
If your hand matches a winning combination (like a pair of jacks, three of a kind, or a full house), the game will instantly pay out your winnings.
If not, the hand is over, and you can start a new round.
Video Poker Hand Rankings
Just like in a traditional poker game, the goal in video poker is to create the best five-card hand you can. The strength of your cards determines your payout, and it uses the standard poker order of hand rankings.
The payouts are always listed on the pay table at the top of the game, with the highest-ranking hands offering the most significant returns. It’s a good idea to learn these rankings, as they are the foundation for all the strategic decisions you make. The better your hand, the bigger your reward.
Here is a general overview of the hands, from highest-paying to lowest-paying:
| Hand Ranking | Description | Example |
| Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit. | A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠ |
| Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit. | 9♡8♡7♡6♡5♡ |
| Four of a Kind | All four cards of the same rank. | A♣A♢A♡A♠7♠ |
| Full House | Three cards of one rank and two cards of another. | Q♣Q♢Q♡8♠8♣ |
| Flush | Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. | K♢9♢6♢4♢2♢ |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards of different suits. | 10♠9♣8♡7♢6♠ |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank. | J♣J♢J♡5♠2♣ |
| Two Pair | Two separate pairs in one hand. | 8♣8♢4♡4♠K♣ |
| Pair | Two cards of the same rank. | A♣A♢9♡5♠3♣ |
| High Card | No other hand is made. The highest card in your hand plays. | A♡10♣7♢5♠2♣ |
Video Poker Odds & Payouts
Understanding the video poker odds and payout is key to maximizing your returns. Unlike games of pure chance, video poker offers some of the best odds in a casino. This is because a fixed pay table and probabilities determine the payouts.
The most important concept to grasp is Return to Player (RTP), which is the theoretical percentage of all wagered money that a game will pay back to players over a long period. This RTP is directly tied to the pay table of the specific game variant you’re playing.
For example, a full-pay Jacks or Better machine can have a high RTP of 99.54% with perfect strategy. But a low pay version reduces these payouts, significantly dropping the RTP, and increasing the house edge.
Understanding the frequency of different hands is also crucial. For example, in Jacks or Better:
- Royal Flush: About 1 in 40,000 hands
- Four of a Kind: About 1 in 423 hands
- Full House: About 1 in 87 hands
Knowing these odds can help you make better decisions when choosing which cards to hold and which to discard. For instance, while a Royal Flush pays the most, its rarity means you shouldn’t always chase it at the expense of more likely winning hands.
House Edge in Video Poker
The house edge is the casino’s mathematical advantage. In video poker, this edge can be as low as 0.46% with optimal play in a full-pay game, such as Jacks or Better. For example, with a 0.5% house edge, you’d expect to lose about $5 over 1,000 hands played at $1 each.
Short-term results can vary widely due to variance, but this low edge makes these games an excellent choice for players who want to maximize their odds and minimize the casino’s advantage.
What are the Different Types of Video Poker Games?
Video poker comes in a wide variety of exciting styles, each with its own unique pay table and rules. These subtle differences in hand rankings and payouts change your optimal strategy, making it crucial to understand which game you are playing. Here are some of the most popular types you’ll encounter.
Jacks or Better
Jacks or Better is the original and most common form of video poker, often considered the foundation for all other variants. It is the perfect game for beginners because of its straightforward rules and clear-cut strategy. As the name suggests, the lowest-paying hand is a pair of Jacks, and the payouts for other hands are standard. With a “full pay” table, this game offers an exceptional Return to Player (RTP) for those who play with perfect strategy.
Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild introduces a thrilling twist to the game: all four 2s in the deck are wild cards. A wild card can be used as any other card to form a winning hand. This significantly increases your chances of getting high-ranking hands like a straight or four of a kind. The pay table is adjusted to account for the wild cards, with a lower payout for two pair and no payout for a simple pair, but much higher payouts for five of a kind
Bonus Poker
Bonus Poker is a higher-volatility variant of Jacks or Better. While it keeps the same basic hand rankings and the Jacks or Better payout, it offers a larger bonus payout for specific four-of-a-kind hands. For instance, four Aces or four 2s through 4s typically pay out more than other four-of-a-kind hands. This makes the game more appealing to players who are seeking larger wins. The enhanced payouts for these specific hands can be pretty lucrative.
Double Bonus Poker
Double Bonus Poker takes the “bonus” concept a step further, offering even more generous payouts for various four-of-a-kind hands, especially for four Aces. A lower payout for a two-pair hand balances the high rewards for these specific hands. This variant appeals to players who are willing to accept a higher variance. This means more frequent small losses, in exchange for the chance at hitting a large jackpot
Aces & Faces
Aces & Faces is a fun version of video poker. Its unique feature is the significant bonus payout it offers for four-of-a-kind hands involving Aces or face cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings). This makes these specific hands the most valuable to hit. The enhanced payouts for these hands are often balanced by lower returns on other winning combinations, adding a new strategic element to the game.
How Does Video Poker Differ from Traditional Poker?
While video poker shares DNA with classic poker games like Texas Hold’em, it’s a distinct game with its own unique characteristics:
- Solo Play: In video poker, you’re not competing against other players or a dealer. It’s just you against the machine.
- Set Payouts: Unlike the variable pot sizes in traditional poker, video poker offers fixed payouts based on the strength of your hand.
- Rapid Gameplay: Video poker hands are resolved in seconds, offering a much faster pace than traditional poker games.
- No Bluffing: Your poker face is irrelevant here. Success in video poker comes down to making mathematically optimal decisions.
- Multi-Hand Options: Many video poker machines allow you to play multiple hands simultaneously, increasing the excitement and potential winnings.
Video Poker vs. Other Casino Games
Video poker’s casual style gives it a unique position in the casino world. It blends the strategic depth of card games with the solo, rapid-fire gameplay of slot machines. Here’s a look at how it stacks up against other popular casino classics.
Vs. Slots
The most significant difference between video poker and slot machines is the role of skill. While slots are based entirely on chance and have no strategy, video poker requires you to make decisions. These choices can directly impact your odds of winning, which is why they consistently offer a much higher RTP percentage. This can often be around 99% when played with a perfect strategy. Slots have a lower and unpredictable RTP, making video poker a better choice.
Vs. Texas Hold’em
While both are skill-based poker games, the core challenge is different. Texas Hold’em is a game played against human opponents, which relies on reading your competition, bluffing, and understanding cues. In contrast, video poker is a solo game against a machine with a fixed pay table. Your decisions are purely mathematical, with no opponents to read. This makes it an excellent choice for players who prefer to apply a precise strategy without the psychological pressure of a poker table.
Vs. Blackjack
Both video poker and blackjack are considered skill-based casino games with a low house edge. However, the gameplay experience is quite different. Blackjack is a table game where you play against a dealer and must react to their up-card, or the decisions of other players. At the same time, video poker is a solo game where you play alone. While both games rely on probability, the extra layer of the banker and busting your hand make for a different atmosphere when you play vs video poker.
Video Poker Strategy
Video poker is a game of skill where your decisions directly influence your odds of winning.
By using a solid, simple strategy, you can increase your RTP and minimize the house edge. The key is to make mathematically correct moves on every single hand. To do this, you need to know which cards to hold and which to discard, based on your hand and the pay table. While a perfect strategy is challenging to master, there are a few fundamental tips that can immediately improve your game.
Like any game, it takes time and practice to become a master. Before risking real money, use free video poker games to practice with strategy charts and learn the right plays. Just as important is effective bankroll management. Always set a budget for your play and stick to it, regardless of whether you are winning or losing. This ensures that video poker remains an enjoyable form of entertainment rather than a financial strain.
Before you even deal your first hand, you should always check the pay table displayed on the game’s screen. The pay table is your guide to the game’s odds and payouts. Small differences in the payouts for hands like a full house or a flush can have a big impact on the overall RTP. Learning to spot a “full pay” machine with the best possible odds is the first step toward becoming a profitable player.
To achieve the highest possible Return to Player, it is essential to always play with the maximum number of coins. The main reason for this is the bonus payout for a royal flush. A royal flush pays out at a much higher rate when you wager five coins compared to one to four coins. This special bonus is what drives the RTP for many full-pay machines to over 99%, making it the single most important rule to follow.
Is Video Poker a Game of Chance or Skill?
The simple answer to the question of whether poker is a game of skill or luck is that it’s both. The initial five cards you are dealt are a matter of pure chance, determined by a random number generator. However, from that point on, the game becomes one of skill.
You need to make strategic decisions on which cards to hold or discard to get the highest possible return. By using an optimal strategy based on mathematical probability and expected value, you can reduce the house edge to less than 1%. This reliance on a perfect strategy is what separates video poker from games of pure luck.
Master Video Poker with CoinPoker
Here at CoinPoker, you can master every aspect of video poker across our hand-crafted selection of the best games. Sign up today and enjoy award-winning poker, anywhere, anytime on your favorite devices.
Whether it’s learning a strategy in the simple Jacks or Better or hunting huge prizes, we have you covered. Discover our deep dives into video poker strategy or your favorite game and maximize your winnings.
FAQs
You are dealt five cards in the initial deal of a video poker hand.
Yes, you have the option to discard any or all of the five cards you are dealt.
Yes, video poker hand rankings generally follow the standard poker hand hierarchy, from a Royal Flush down to a high pair.
A full-pay machine offers the highest possible payouts for certain hands, providing the best return to player (RTP) when played with a perfect strategy.
Yes, most standard video poker games use a single, 52-card virtual deck.
After you hit the draw button, the machine replaces any cards you chose to discard with new ones from the deck.
Yes, different variants often have unique rules and paytables, which means the optimal strategy changes from game to game.
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