Jacks or Better, also known as “draw poker,” is perhaps the most well-known video poker game. In 2022, savvy players are lining their pockets with real money at online casino sites, where this classic title is experiencing a surge in popularity.
Interested in this game? Continue reading our comprehensive Jacks or Better guide to learn everything you need to know about the game’s strategies, rules, bonuses, winning hands, and more.
| RTP | 99.54% |
| Volatility | Low |
| Provider | Varies |
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Pros
Easy to Learn
You’re playing the most basic version of video poker available when you play online Jacks or Better video poker. There are no unique features, and the paytable is simple to comprehend. As a result, it’s a fantastic game for new players. Online Jacks or Better video poker is, for the most part, a recreation of the card game Five-Card Draw.
Low Volatility
Playing online Jacks or Better video poker has one of the lowest volatility rates of any video poker game. When compared to other casino games, video poker is relatively low on the volatility scale. In other words, when playing online Jacks or Better, you can expect fairly consistent play.
High RTP
Jacks or better has an RTP of 99.54% which is one of the highest RTP games you can find at an online casino.
Cons
Can Get Boring
Online Jacks or Better play may appear boring to those who have played video poker for a long time. This is particularly true if they’re only playing one hand at a time. If they’ve played the game a lot, it can feel like a chore.
About Jacks or Better
As you probably know, the most popular video poker game is “Jacks or Better,” which is played in a five-card draw format. To qualify for the payout, you must make a pair of Jacks or a better hand, as the name suggests.
You are initially dealt five cards, from which you must choose which to keep before discarding and replacing the others. The amount you are paid is then determined by the strength of your hand. Before you can start playing the game, you must first learn about the various hands.
How to Play?
The game begins with you choosing how many coins you want to bet, with the maximum bet of 5 coins being the best option for increasing your payout percentage. Following that, you will be dealt five initial cards from which you can choose which ones to keep and which ones to exchange. As soon as you do that, you’ll be dealt new cards in place of the ones you chose to discard, and you’ll have to use your new cards to form a winning hand.
Fortunately, it’s simple to figure out because almost every video poker game, including Jacks or Better, uses standard poker hand rankings. To win with your hand, you must have a pair of Jacks or better, and then you are paid according to the payout table based on the combination of cards you can make.
Otherwise, the house wins if you don’t have at least a pair of jacks. Because the player is not playing against another player, there is no manipulation or bluffing in this game. All of this appears to be simple, and it is until you want to know how to make the best decisions possible, which is where the Jacks or Better strategy comes into play.
It is nearly impossible to win in the long run in this game, as it is in all games played against the house in a casino. When played correctly, video poker, on the other hand, offers some of the best payouts of any slot machine. In fact, when combined with a good casino comp schedule, the freebies (like the welcome offer) given out can actually help you make money.
Paytable
There is one thing you should always do before starting a game of Jacks or Better. This is to ensure that the machine is a full pay Jacks or Better, which means that it pays out the maximum amount for each hand on the list.
The paytable is divided into six columns, the first of which contains the hands that qualify for a payout. Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and a pair of Jacks or Better are always listed in descending order from highest to lowest. The remaining five columns show how many credits players will receive for each credit wagered.
Below are the payout details for full pay Jacks or Better:
| Coins | 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 |
What makes it Unique?
Since Jacks or Better is one of the most basic video poker games out there, it is a little difficult to find unique features in the game. After all, it is a good old classic. However, some providers do provide a ‘gamble’ option to spice things up.
The “Gamble” Option
There is one bonus feature in Jacks or Better that adds to the excitement of any win. The “gamble” option is a bonus round feature that appears with every winning hand. Players are given six chances to guess the color or suit of the card that will be drawn correctly.
If the player guesses the color correctly, their winnings are automatically doubled, and if they guess the suit correctly, their winnings are quadrupled! If the player guesses incorrectly, they lose everything they’ve won in that round. If you use this feature do proceed with caution!
Tips for playing Jacks or Better
You should also follow the main guidelines to maximize your results in Jacks or Better games, in addition to these strategy tips:
- Always bet the maximum number of coins – this increases your chances of hitting the jackpot and winning big when you get a Royal Flush, as well as your overall win rate. If you don’t have enough money to pay higher video poker games and prefer to stick to 1 coin bet, choose a machine with a lower buy-in and play for 5 coins.
- Do not rush – it is critical to take your time in order to make the best decisions and follow the Jacks or Better strategy outlined previously. Everyone makes mistakes now and then, but the vast majority of them are caused by rushing to make decisions, so don’t be that player.
- Find a good deposit bonus or loyalty program – it’s pointless to play without any additional benefits these days, especially since almost every casino offers some sort of incentive to their customers. Make sure to take advantage of this and get those extra dollars without difficulty.
