Video Poker Guide
Master pay tables, learn optimal hold strategies, and understand why video poker offers some of the best returns in the digital casino.
Video poker sits at the intersection of slot convenience and poker skill. Unlike table poker where you compete against other players, video poker pits you against a fixed paytable — and optimal strategy can push returns above 99% on the best Ontario-available variants.
How Video Poker Works
You place a bet and receive five cards face-up. Select which cards to hold, then draw replacements for the discarded cards. Your final five-card hand is evaluated against the paytable displayed on screen. Pairs of Jacks or better typically represent the minimum qualifying hand, though this threshold varies by variant.
Most Ontario platforms offer multiple coin denominations and bet levels. Betting maximum coins often unlocks enhanced payouts for top hands — particularly royal flushes — making max-coin play mathematically important on full-pay machines.
Reading Pay Tables
Pay tables list coin payouts for each qualifying hand at one through five coin bet levels. The notation "9/6 Jacks or Better" means a full house pays 9 coins and a flush pays 6 coins per coin wagered. These numbers directly determine the game's theoretical return.
Always compare pay tables before playing. Two visually identical Jacks or Better machines can differ by several percentage points in expected return based on subtle payout reductions — often on full house and flush values.
Jacks or Better
The standard variant requiring a pair of Jacks minimum. Full-pay 9/6 tables return approximately 99.54% with optimal strategy — among the highest in the casino.
Deuces Wild
All twos act as wild cards, changing hand rankings significantly. Three-of-a-kind becomes the minimum paying hand, and four deuces carry premium payouts.
Joker Poker
Includes a 53rd joker card that substitutes for any card. Kings or better typically qualify, with five-of-a-kind possible using the joker wild.
Double Bonus
Enhanced four-of-a-kind payouts at the cost of reduced two-pair and full house values. Attractive for players who understand the adjusted strategy requirements.
Basic Strategy Principles
Optimal video poker strategy is deterministic — for every possible five-card deal, a mathematically correct hold exists. Strategy charts rank hands by expected value and tell you exactly which cards to keep.
High cards take priority in Jacks or Better when no made hand exists. Low pairs should be held over single high cards because their draw potential exceeds the value of chasing a high pair alone. Never break a made flush or straight to chase a higher hand unless the draw odds justify it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Playing short-pay tables without realising the reduced return is the most costly error. Holding a kicker card alongside a low pair wastes a draw opportunity. Chasing inside straight draws when a guaranteed low pair exists sacrifices expected value.
Ignoring max-coin requirements for royal flush bonuses leaves significant expected value on the table. If your bankroll cannot sustain five-coin bets, choose a lower denomination rather than playing fewer coins at a higher stake.
Video Poker on Ontario Platforms
Regulated Ontario operators host video poker from established providers including IGT, NetEnt, and Games Global. Multi-hand variants let you play 3, 10, or even 100 hands simultaneously from a single deal — multiplying action but also variance.
Strategy accuracy directly affects returns. Even small deviations from optimal play compound over hundreds of hands.