Video Poker Hand Rankings

When choosing a video poker variant, many players prefer 9/6 Jacks or Better. That means on the paytable, the game pays 9 credits for a full house and 6 for a flush, per credit bet. This is the "full-pay" version that returns 99.54% with optimal strategy.

Reading the paytable.

Before sitting down, check the paytable. If the full house or flush rows are lower than 9 and 6, it's short-pay. Full-pay Jacks or Better with optimal strategy returns 99.54%, while an 8/5 version pays 97.3%. The difference adds up over time.

You can do the 9/6 check on a phone. Zoom in on the paytable and check the numbers. A made Royal Flush and a made Straight Flush should both be held as five-card made hands. For made Flushes or FHs, keep them unless one card straightens a flush (which needs 4 cards to hold) or makes 4 to a Royal.

The Jacks or Better ranking ladder.

The Jacks or Better ranking order is as follows, from best to worst:

1. Royal flush: A, K, Q, J, 10, all the same suit.
2. Straight flush: Any straight, all in the same suit.
3. Four of a kind: Any 4 cards of the same rank
4. Full house: Any 3 cards of the same rank, plus any 2 cards of the same rank.
5. Flush: Any 5 cards of the same suit, but not a straight or royal.
6. Straight: Any 5 cards in sequence, but not of the same suit.
7. Three of a kind: Any 3 cards of the same rank.
8. Two pair: Any 2 cards of a rank, plus 2 cards of another rank.
9. Jacks or Better: a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces.

Why 9/6 matters and 8/5 does not

The "9/6" shorthand really matters. The paytable will pay 9 credits for a full house, and 6 for a flush, based on 1 credit bet. This is still 99.54% return with optimal play. The difference between an 8/5 "short-pay" game and the 9/6 "full-pay" version comes down to how much credit the player would receive for these two hands.