Jacks or Better Rules & Odds

Learn the rules of Jacks or Better video poker, understand different paytables, and discover why this game offers some of the best odds in the casino.

How to Play Jacks or Better

  1. Place your bet (1 to 5 coins). Always bet 5 coins for the maximum Royal Flush payout.
  2. Click "Deal" to receive 5 cards.
  3. Choose which cards to hold by clicking on them.
  4. Click "Draw" to discard unheld cards and receive replacements.
  5. Your final hand determines your payout according to the paytable.

Hand Rankings

HandDescription
Royal Flush10, J, Q, K, A all same suit
Straight Flush5 sequential cards, same suit
Four of a Kind4 cards of same rank
Full House3 of a kind + pair
Flush5 cards same suit
Straight5 sequential cards
Three of a Kind3 cards of same rank
Two Pair2 pairs of different ranks
Jacks or BetterPair of J, Q, K, or A

Understanding Paytables

Jacks or Better paytables vary by the Full House and Flush payouts. The notation uses two numbers:

  • First number: Full House payout (per coin)
  • Second number: Flush payout (per coin)

Common Paytables

9/6 Jacks or Better (Full Pay)

RTP: 99.54% with optimal play

House Edge: 0.46%

Hand
1
2
3
4
5
Royal Flush
250
500
750
1000
4000
Straight Flush
50
100
150
200
250
Four 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
Three of a Kind
3
6
9
12
15
Two Pair
2
4
6
8
10
Jacks or Better
1
2
3
4
5

9/5 Jacks or Better

RTP: 98.45% with optimal play

House Edge: 1.55%

8/5 Jacks or Better

RTP: 97.30% with optimal play

House Edge: 2.70%

Hand Probabilities

HandProbability
Royal Flush1 in 40,391 (0.0025%)
Straight Flush1 in 9,240 (0.0108%)
Four of a Kind1 in 424 (0.2358%)
Full House1 in 87 (1.1475%)
Flush1 in 23 (4.2784%)
Straight1 in 20 (4.9579%)
Three of a Kind1 in 15 (6.7500%)
Two Pair1 in 8 (12.9290%)
Jacks or Better1 in 4 (21.5490%)
Nothing47.0142%

Key Terms

Return to Player (RTP): The percentage of money wagered that a machine returns to players over time.

House Edge: The mathematical advantage the casino has over players. RTP + House Edge = 100%.

Expected Value (EV): The average amount you expect to win or lose per hand over the long term.

Optimal Play: Making mathematically correct hold/discard decisions based on expected value.

Practice and Calculate

Understanding these rules and odds is just the beginning. Use our calculator to practice with real hands and see expected values for different strategies.

Try the Calculator

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