Best Video Poker Strategy Guide 2026: Expert Insights & Charts

Video poker is a casino game that integrates elements of five-card draw poker with the mechanics of slots. One big difference from other types of poker is that video poker eliminates the opportunity to play against other players but pits you directly against the game’s algorithm.

However, there are a few variations of the basic video poker concept, and each provides an interesting twist. You can play video poker in both online and land-based casinos. We prepared an overview of the best video poker games and highlighted some popular strategies you can use online. Read on to learn everything you need to know to play video poker more smartly.

Why Use a Video Poker Strategy?

Video poker is one of the casino games with the best odds. The odds of video poker vary depending on the variant. Although it is a game of luck, there are things you can do to improve your results. Strategies can help you improve your decision making process.

Master the game’s rules, card rankings, and the value of each hand, before you start using a video poker strategy. Every strategy can teach you the paytables of each variant, their RTPs, and recommend which cards to keep, discard, or substitute. However, remember that you have no control over the outcome of the game, as results are completely random using RNG.

Credit: Wazamba Casino

The Basics of Video Poker Strategy

You have no control when playing slots. However, that is not the case in video poker, where every choice about which cards to keep or throw away can influence outcomes. At its core, the best video poker strategies rely on these concepts:

• Bet the maximum number of coins: This will unlock the royal flush jackpot multiplier in most video poker games. In turn, it will increase your potential returns.
• Follow the best poker hand rankings: Use a strategy chart, since each hand has a mathematically best way to play it. Academic research published in the Gaming Research & Review Journal of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, found that an optimal Jacks or Better strategy can produce expected returns of nearly 99.7% under full-pay conditions.
• Adapt your strategy to the game: Strategies are not universal because wild cards and paytables are different for each game.
• Practice in demo mode: Free games make it possible to learn the best hand choices for each potential situation in the game.

By following these basic principles, you can avoid poker mistakes and prepare yourself for more advanced tactics.

Credit: Jackpot City Casino

Video Poker Strategies in 2026

Like most casino games, you need strategies to play a smarter game and also to help you improve your winning potential. Each video poker variant has its own strategy.

These strategy lists weren’t created by guesswork; rather are a product of our team’s expertise and multiple tests conducted in demo and real-money games. However, keep in mind that these are not all optimal strategies, which include hundreds of hand combinations, but rather simplified strategies that capture most of the expected value of optimal play.

In this section, we will explain the best strategy to use in a given variant. Let’s take a closer look at them.

🆚 Video Poker Variants Comparison

Selecting a video poker variant is equally important as learning the best strategy. Factors such as higher RTPs and games that offer a trade-off between larger jackpots, at the cost of higher volatility, must be considered. The table below compares the video poker variants.

Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better is a common variant of video poker, and comes with an RTP of 99.54% on most games. The rules are straightforward, and your hand needs at least a pair of Jacks to earn a payout. The stronger hands are Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush, which naturally payout significantly more.

Always check the paytable, since the most favorable version has the 9/6 paytable, which pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush. Different machines can offer different paytables. You can only implement a jacks or better video poker strategy if you have a good grasp of the game’s paytable breakdown.

Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild is another common variant of video poker with the best odds. Most Deuces Wild variants have an RTP in the range of 97.69% to 98.91%, but the Full Pay Deuces Wild variant has a high RTP of 100.762%.

The rules of Deuces Wild are pretty simple. You’re dealt five cards at the start of each hand. You decide which cards you want to keep, which card you want to discard, or substitute. In Deuce Wild, every deuce dealt is a wild card.

You have to pay attention to the pay table of Deuces Wild. Take a look at the paytable below showing the payout with a one-chip bet:

From the table, you would notice that standard made hands, such as Straights, Flushes, and Full Houses, pay less in Deuces Wild compared to games such as Jacks or Better. This is because the wild deuces make it easier to complete strong combinations. This leads us to our next section. We’re going to tell you what cards to keep or discard when playing Deuces Wild video poker.

Holding 4 Deuces

• Keep them

Holding 3 Deuces, keep the following:

• Wild Royal Flush
• 3 Deuces, Discard 2 non-paired cards
• 3 Deuces, Discard pair of 9s or lower
• Five of a Kind
• Four to a Royal Flush
• Straight flush or lower

Holding 2 Deuces, keep the following:

• Wild Royal Flush
• Five of a Kind
• Straight Flush
• Four of a Kind
• 2 Deuces and consecutive cards (6 and 7 or lower)
• 2 Deuces

Holding 1 Deuce, keep the following:

• Wild Royal Flush
• Five of a Kind
• Straight Flush
• Four of a Kind
• Four to a Royal Flush
• Full House
• 1 Deuce and three cards to a Straight Flush (5, 6, 7 or higher)
• Three of a kind
• A Straight
• A Flush
• Four to any Straight Flush
• Three to a Royal Flush having K as the highest card
• 1 Deuce and two cards to a Straight Flush (6 and 7 or higher)
• Three cards to a Royal Flush having A as the highest card
• 1 Deuce

Holding no deuce, keep the following:

• Natural Royal Flush
• Four to a Royal Flush
• Straight flush
• Four of a Kind
• Full House
• Three of a Kind
• Straight or a Flush
• Four to an open-ended Straight Flush
• Suited Q-J-T
• Four to an inside Straight Flush
• Three to a Royal Flush
• One pair
• Four to a Flush
• Four to an open-ended Straight
• Two to a Royal Flush having J as the highest card
• Four to an inside Straight
• Two to a Royal Flush having Q as the highest card
• Two to a Royal Flush having K as the highest card
• Discard all cards

Keep in mind that it will take you so many hands to realize your equity. We also advise that you stick to this strategy. Here are short explanations about the expected value implications of certain plays we recommend in the ranking list above, which might sound counterintuitive at first glance:

• A Wild Royal Flush outranks many combinations because the payout potential is larger compared to standard winning hands.
• Three Deuces are often stronger because the drawing potential with multiple wild cards is huge. Even strong completed hands can be less valuable than improving with additional draws.
• Holding a single Deuce is often a decision because one wild card can create many high-value drawing opportunities.
• Discarding paired cards with multiple Deuces might appear as a strange idea, but it often increases expected value since the wild cards already provide a good hand-building potential.
• Low-value hands, such as Straights and Flushes, pay less because it’s easier to complete them with wild cards. The game compensates by increasing payouts for rarer premium hands.

Double Bonus Poker

Double Bonus is a variation of Jacks or Better, and its appeal among players is the larger payouts for specific Four of a Kind hands, especially Four Aces. These boosted payouts require a slightly more aggressive strategy compared to Jacks or Better. The best version is the 10/7 Double Bonus Poker.

Similar to other video poker variants, you should always check the paytable before playing, since lower-paying versions can reduce your returns.

Take a look at the common 10/7 Double Bonus Poker paytable with a one-chip bet below:

The bonus payouts on Four of a Kind hands make this version more volatile than standard Jacks or Better. However, experienced players often target Double Bonus Poker because the higher RTP and premium payouts can lead to larger wins.

Here’s the strategy list of cards you want to keep from top to bottom:

• Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind
• Four cards to a Royal Flush
• Full House, Flush, Straight
• Three of a Kind
• Four cards to a Straight Flush
• High Pair
• Three cards to a Royal Flush
• Four cards to a Flush
• Low Pair
• Four cards to an outside Straight
• Two suited high cards
• Three cards to a Straight Flush
• Two unsuited high cards
• Suited J10, Q10, or K10
• One high card
• Discard all cards

Keep in mind that Double Bonus Poker has higher variance than most traditional video poker games. You may experience longer losing streaks, but the enhanced payouts on premium hands can make up for it over time when using the correct strategy.

Here are more details about a few of our recommendations so you can have a better picture of why these strategies can work:

• Breaking Two Pair can occasionally be the correct decision, but only in rare situations involving premium quad opportunities.
• Low pairs rank higher than many drawing hands because improving into Four of a Kind can bring more value than in standard video poker.
• Players sometimes chase premium quads over safer payouts because the enhanced bonus structure creates better long term expected returns.
• Three to a Royal Flush remains highly valuable because the Royal Flush contributes heavily to total RTP.
• Outside Straight draws remain relatively weak compared to pair-driven bonus potential.

Double Double Bonus Poker

Double Double Bonus Poker is one of the most volatile and rewarding video poker variants. It builds on Double Bonus Poker by adding even larger payouts for premium Four of a Kind hands, especially Four Aces with a kicker. Because of these enhanced payouts, strategy adjustments become extremely important.

The best version is the 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker paytable, which has an RTP of 98.98% with perfect play. While the RTP is lower than some other video poker games, the potential for large payouts makes it a favorite among experienced players.

Take a look at the standard 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker paytable with a one-chip bet below:

The large bonus payouts for special Four of a Kind combinations increase the game’s volatility. This means bankroll swings can be much bigger compared to Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker. Here’s the strategy list of cards you want to keep from top to bottom:

1. Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind
2. Four cards to a Royal Flush
3. Full House, Flush, Straight
4. Three of a Kind
5. Four cards to a Straight Flush
6. High Pair (Jacks or Better)
7. Three cards to a Royal Flush
8. Four cards to a Flush
9. Low Pair
10. Four cards to an outside Straight
11. Two suited high cards
12. Three cards to a Straight Flush
13. Two unsuited high cards
14. Suited J10, Q10, or K10
15. One high card
16. Discard all cards

It’s time to dive into the logic we used to tailor these recommendations:

• You can break made hands to chase kicker combinations, because Four Aces with a kicker offers huge payouts.
• Certain low cards become valuable kickers because they trigger premium bonus payouts alongside quads.
• Holding specific pairs is mathematically correct due to the significant long-term value of premium Four of a Kind hands.
• Variance is much higher than most video poker games because a large portion of RTP comes from rare premium combinations.
• Conservative-looking plays are sometimes incorrect because the game rewards high-risk drawing decisions more than what is the case with Jacks or Better.

We strongly encourage players to practice Double Double Bonus Poker in free-play mode first. The strategy is less forgiving than standard video poker because chasing kicker combinations can tempt players into making costly mistakes. Consistent decision-making and proper bankroll management are essential for long-term success.

Bonus Poker

Bonus Poker has a lower RTP of 99.17% or less depending on the version. In Bonus Poker, different hands get different bonus payouts. Let’s take a look at the 8/5 paytable with a one-chip bet below:

Now, let’s take a look at the strategy list of cards you want to hold from top to bottom:

If some of our advice seemed strange we can offer some words to justify our logic:

• Low pairs outrank Straight draws because Bonus Poker heavily rewards Four of a Kind combinations. That’s why keeping pairs offers advantages.
• Three to a Royal Flush is highly valuable because the Royal Flush payout remains one of the biggest contributors to long-term RTP.
• Breaking weaker made hands can occasionally be correct when the mathematical value of chasing premium bonus payouts is a possibility.
• Two suited high cards rank surprisingly well because they can improve into multiple premium-paying combinations.
• Inside Straight draws remain low priority because the odds of completion are too poor compared to pair-based opportunities.

Tens or Better

Tens or Better video poker is also one of the easiest casino games to play and it pays out with a pair of tens. It has an RTP of 97.96%.

Tens or Better is quite similar to Jacks or Better. The difference is that the paytable for Tens or Better video poker isn’t as profitable as Jacks or Better. Payouts for hands like Royal Flush, Full House, and Flush are much lower when compared to Jacks or Better.

Let’s take a look at the paytable with a one-chip bet below:

Now, let’s get to the strategy list of cards you should keep from top to bottom:

Here are a few in-depth explanations for some of our suggestions made above:

• Pairs of Tens are viewed as premium hands because they already secure a payout and still offer better improvement opportunities.
• Retaining high-card combinations over weak draws is often the correct play, because premium cards create more long-term value through pairs and potential for a Royal Flush.
• Three-card Royal Flush draws rank highly because of the large jackpot payout attached to the Royal Flush.
• Open-ended Straight draws rank made pairs below because completed paying hands consistently outperform speculative draws.
• Single high cards can sometimes outperform weak connected cards because face-card value increases the probability of future paying combinations.

Credit: Nomini Casino

Aces and Faces

What makes Aces and Faces video poker different is that is the bonus payout on Four of a Kind. There are no wild cards in Aces and Faces. There are different versions of this video poker, but the best one is the 8/5 Aces and Faces with an RTP of 99.26%. Other versions include:

For the sake of this article, we will focus only on the 8/5 since it has the best payouts and should be your main target. Take a look at the paytable table with a one-chip bet below:

The strategy list of Aces and Faces is quite simple. Here’s a list of cards you want to keep from top to bottom:

Let’s offer insight about some of the strategies outlined above:

• High pairs offer better value because they can improve into Four of a Kind hands.
• Face cards are prioritized since Kings, Queens, and Jacks directly contribute to bonus payouts.
• Breaking weak draws for premium card combinations can be the correct move because the boosted quad payouts increase their expected value.
• Three-card Royal Flush draws remain powerful because, from a mathematical perspective, the Royal Flush payout outweighs many smaller made hands.
• Low pairs still outrank speculative Straight draws because the chance of improving into premium quads creates stronger long-term returns.

Aces & Eights

Aces and Eights is similar to Aces and Faces. They both offer bonus payouts on Aces and Four of a Kind, all other bonus prizes are different. There are different paytables and RTPs of Aces and Eights depending on the version.

We will focus on the 8/5 paytable in this article.

Why should you expect value from some of the tips we recommend? Here are some clarifications:

• Pairs of Eights have value because they contribute toward one of the game’s premium bonus hands.
• Suited high cards outrank weak made draws because they contribute toward multiple premium-paying outcomes.
• Low pairs often outperform drawing hands because quad-focused payouts increase the long-term value of improving pairs.
• Three-card Royal Flush draws remain highly ranked due to the massive payout potential attached to the Royal Flush.
• Open-ended Straight draws are lower priority than many expect because bonus-focused gameplay favors pair development.

Joker Poker

Joker Poker is sometimes called Joker Wild. It is similar to Jacks or Better, the difference is that the joker is a wild card. In Joker Poker, you’re playing with a virtual 53-card deck instead of the normal 52-card deck.

The most common version is the 7/5 Joker Poker with an RTP of 100.64%. Take a look at the paytable with a one-chip bet below:

Here’s the strategy list for Joker Poker:

Here is our reasoning behind some of the strategies:

• A Joker is always worth retaining because it can dramatically boost your odds of completing premium hands.
• Four to a Wild Royal Flush outranks many made hands due to the high payout potential.
• Three to a Straight Flush becomes more valuable with a Joker because the wild card increases the completion probability.
• Kings and Aces are prioritized heavily because Kings or Better are required for the minimum qualifying payout.
• Breaking weaker made hands can occasionally be optimal when the Joker creates better long-term drawing value.

Play Video Poker Responsibly

Video poker is an exciting game, but it’s important to play responsibly, because this game operates at a much faster pace than traditional table games. Hands are dealt and resolved in seconds, and the high speed can deplete your bankroll much faster, since it’s easy to lose track of time.

Remember that no strategy can overcome the game’s long-term variance, and video poker outcomes are determined by RNG, meaning every hand is independent and unpredictable. Always set a strict gambling budget and use deposit limits before you start playing.

If you ever feel that playing video poker is negatively affecting your life, please seek help by contacting organizations such as BeGambleAware or the National Council on Problem Gambling for confidential help.

Final Thoughts – What Is the Best Strategy for Video Poker?

If you’re looking to win big at the casino, we recommend playing games with favorable odds and video poker is one of them. Now that you know the best video poker strategy to win online, study each of them and pick the right one for you.

If you’re a beginner, we recommend practicing these strategies on free video poker sites. As long as you play the right cards and use the right strategy, you have a better chance of winning the game.

FAQ

Can I Increase My Chances of Winning Video Poker?

Yes, we strongly encourage sticking to full-pay games because small payout differences matter. Pick high RTP games and use strategy charts. Along with smart bet sizing, disciplined play performs much better over long real money action sessions.

Is Video Poker Skill or Luck?

Yes, video poker combines both skill and luck. The cards are random, however your decisions directly affect the potential return. Compared to slot machines, skilled players can reduce the house edge significantly. Which means strategy knowledge plays a much bigger role than many beginners realize.

What Video Poker Has the Best Odds?

Yes, full-pay versions of Jacks or Better usually offer the best odds for most players. We chose this casino favorite because the strategy is straightforward and the RTP can exceed 99%. Compared to other online casino games, that is very tough indeed to beat consistently.

Are Video Poker Games Rigged?

No, licensed online casinos use certified RNG software, which means properly regulated video poker games are not rigged. Independent testing organizations such as eCOGRA regularly audit casino games’ RNGs to ensure fair outcomes. Mind you, choosing unlicensed platforms is a big flaw many players overlook. We strongly encourage the use of reputable operators and avoiding shady poker sites.

Is Video Poker Truly Random?

Yes, outcomes are random. We tested several variants extensively and discovered results cannot be manipulated through timing or betting patterns. Even though streaks happen naturally, each hand remains statistically independent from the previous one.

Can I Play Video Poker for Free?

Yes, many online casinos let you play video poker for free. You do not even need to make an account on some websites. You can play in demo mode for fun, to try out strategies, learn the payouts, and see which game you would like to play.