If you walk through a casino and observe the video poker machines, you will likely see dozens of players mindlessly slapping the "Draw" button as fast as they can.
If you learn the optimal strategy, Video Poker transforms from a predatory casino trap into one of the most mathematically fair games on the entire casino floor.
Prepare to stop guessing and start playing the math.
The Payout Table: Why You Must Hunt for the 9/6
In Jacks or Better, all the payouts for the massive hands (Royal Flush, Four of a Kind) are generally identical across different machines.
If you play a 9/6 machine with perfect mathematical strategy, the overall Return to Player (RTP) is an incredibly high 99.54%.
This means the casino's House Edge is a microscopic 0.46%, making it vastly superior to almost any slot machine or table game in the building.
If you sit down at an 8/5 or 7/5 machine, you have mathematically lost the game before you even pressed the deal button.
Why You Must Always Play 5 Coins
Once you find a 9/6 machine, you must adhere to the second unbreakable rule of Video Poker: you must ALWAYS play the maximum number of coins allowed (usually 5 coins).
If you look at the paytable, the payouts for all hands scale perfectly linearly for coins 1 through 4 (e.g., a Flush pays 6 coins for a 1-coin bet, and 24 coins for a 4-coin bet).
This massive, disproportionate bonus for hitting a Royal Flush on Max Bet is the entire mathematical engine that allows the game to achieve a 99.54% RTP.
Playing less than maximum coins instantly turns a beatable game into a terrible mathematical trap.
Step 3: Executing Basic Strategy (The Hierarchy of Hands)
You must memorize this hierarchy or bring a printed strategy card with you to the casino (which is completely legal).
For example, if you are dealt a High Pair (e.g., two Jacks, a guaranteed 5-coin payout) BUT you also have 4 cards to a Royal Flush (e.g., J, Q, K, A of Hearts), what do you do?
You must hold the High Pair and throw away the 4-card Flush draw.
Holding the Ace reduces the number of cards you draw from three to two, drastically reducing your chances of hitting Three of a Kind (which pays 15 coins).
The Order of Operations (From Highest EV to Lowest)
Guaranteed Massive Wins: Take your hands off the buttons and make sure you don't accidentally discard a card. 2. 4 Cards to a Royal Flush: The only hand powerful enough to make you break a guaranteed winner. If you have a High Pair and 4 to a Royal, dump the pair. Solid Winners: Take the guaranteed money. The math says these payouts are too valuable to risk for a massive gamble. 4. 4 Cards to a Straight Flush: Hold these. The payout for a Straight Flush (250 coins) justifies the risk. The Workhorse: Two Pair pays 10 coins. It keeps your bankroll afloat while you wait for the massive hands. The Baseline Winner: This simply returns your original bet (a "Push"). It is the most frequent winning hand in the game. 7. 4 Cards to a Flush: Hold the four suited cards. This is mathematically better than holding a Low Pair (2s through 10s). 8. Low Pair (2s through 10s): Hold the pair. Throw away everything else (including a single High Card). Do NOT hold a kicker. Never Chase the Gutshot: Drawing to an inside straight is one of the most expensive amateur mistakes in the game. The Complete Redraw: Do not hold a random 10 because it "feels lucky." Let the machine give you five brand new cards.
The Math of the 9/6 Paytable (For a 5-Coin Bet)
Winning HandThe Payout (5 Coins Bet)The Mathematical Frequency The Holy GrailThe reason you must play 5 coins.An incredibly rare event that single-handedly pulls the RTP up to 99.54%. The Mini-MonsterA massive boost to the bankroll.A rare, incredibly satisfying hit. The Session SaverA solid, reliable winner.This is what you are truly hunting when you hold a Low Pair. The Full HouseThe critical metric of a good machine.This is why you always draw one card to Two Pair. Flush (The "6")30 Coins (6 x 5 coins)Roughly 1 in 91 hands. Jacks or Better (High Pair)5 Coins (Your money back)Roughly 1 in 5 hands.
You are essentially reducing the casino's massive, imposing fortress to a tiny 0.46% mathematical sliver.
Do not be intimidated by the speed of the professional players next to you.