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From full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better to reduced-pay 6/5, video poker offers a range of payout schedules under the same game name. Knowing how to read the typical two-part paytable and compare pay schedules differentiates an informed player from anyone else at the machine.
What Is a Video Poker Paytable?
Every video poker machine displays a basic two-part table:
The poker hands that receive payouts
The payout for each hand
The payout promise matters more than the branded name of the variant. If you want to see where different video poker versions are actually available, online casinos makes it easier to compare casinos by game selection and playing terms instead of relying on the game name alone.
9/6 Jacks or Better Paytable
The 9/6 Jacks or Better paytable offered in the Wizard of Odds analysis is the canonical reference for this common pay schedule. In it:
A royal flush pays 800 units
A straight flush pays 50
Four of a kind pays 25
A full house pays 9 units
A flush pays 6
A straight pays 4
Three of a kind pays 3
Two pair pays 2
Jacks or better pays 1
Wizard of Odds' analysis of the 9/6 table offers optimal, intermediate, and simple strategies:
The optimal strategy returns 99.54%
The intermediate strategy returns 99.52%
The simple strategy returns 99.46%
But do not run too fast. Five more points matter here, though they do not fit the basic table. These points are the final thing the player can see before they play.
What Does "9/6" Mean in Video Poker?
When the full-pay Jacks or Better paytable is described as 9/6:
The 9 means a full house pays 9 units
The 6 means a flush pays 6
A player must choose the 9/6 paytable under the Jacks or Better name and use optimal strategy to achieve nearly 99.54% return.
But 9/6 is not the only option in the real world, either functionally or formally. Common alternatives include 9/5, 8/6, 8/5, 7/5, and 6/5.
Those payouts return much less than the conventional "full-pay" schedule:
99.54%: 9/6
98.45%: 9/5
98.39%: 8/6
97.30%: 8/5
96.15%: 7/5
95.00%: 6/5
That last point is crucial. Dropping from 9/6 to 8/5 Jacks or Better leaves the player 2.24 percentage points worse off over the expected lifetime of play.
9/6 vs 8/5 Jacks or Better
A player who can hold a steady return at 99.54% will face a meaningful difference at 97.30%. The difference is 2.24 percentage points.
This stands out because full pay does not mean that every video poker game offers the same return or pay schedule. Full pay is defined by each game and refers to a specific high-paying schedule for that game.
Note the full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better table:
Any named pay schedule—the "full-pay" 9/6 Jacks or Better schedule—still requires the appropriate strategy.
In the context of bonus-style video poker, "kicker" is a poker term for a relevant card not part of the main hand.
If you want to take that comparison beyond the paytable itself, guiadecasinos.mx gives you a clearer picture of where video poker is available and what casino terms come with it.
How Video Poker Payout Percentages Work
The stated return is the long-run average return. The exact payout schedule is crucial for both the strategy and the structure of these games, whether calculating the full-pay Jacks or Better tables or looking up further. The royal flush also appears at the top of the paytable.
The numerical example is straightforward: If a player played with perfect strategy on a 9/6 Jacks or Better game, the average theoretical loss would be about 0.46%.
Theoretical returns are long term. Short-term results do not equal long-term returns. The royal flush is a long shot.
Paytable returns and strategies differ according to specific tables; your strategy affects your return. Check each specific video poker paytable.
Once you know which paytable you want, Spelradarn.se is useful for the next part of the decision — checking the casino’s game selection, bonus terms, payment options and overall playing conditions.
How Strategy Changes the Effective Return
Each optimal strategy is crucial; play according to the exact paytable.
The strategy is analyzed card-for-card.
Theoretical returns do not promise you will get those numbers. Return percentages describe long-run mathematical expectations.
Common Video Poker Paytables
What poker can we compare?
The kinds of poker commonly identified include:
Jacks or Better
Bonus Poker
Bonus Poker Deluxe
Double Bonus
Double Double Bonus
These are potential samples — each has its own payouts and return.
Jacks or Better
The figures listed by Wizard of Odds are:
9/6: 99.54%
9/5: 98.45%
8/6: 98.39%
8/5: 97.30%
7/5: 96.15%
6/5: 95.00%
Bonus Poker
The 8/5 Bonus Poker example offers differentiated payouts for each four of a kind:
Four Aces: 80
Four 2s through 4s: 40
Four 5s through Kings: 25
The full house pays 8 and the flush pays 5.
With optimal strategy, the theoretical return is approximately 99.17%.
Bonus Poker Deluxe
The 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe example offers the same payout for each four of a kind:
Four of a Kind: 80
Full House: 9
Flush: 6
With optimal strategy, the theoretical return is approximately 99.64%.
Double Bonus Poker
The 10/7 Double Bonus paytable offers:
Royal Flush: 800
Straight Flush: 50
Four Aces: 160
Four 2s through 4s: 80
Four 5s through Kings: 50
Full House: 10
Flush: 7
Straight: 5
Three of a Kind: 3
Two Pair: 1
Jacks or Better: 1
With optimal strategy, the theoretical return is approximately 100.17%.
Double Double Bonus
The 9/6 Double Double Bonus paytable offers:
Royal Flush: 800
Straight Flush: 50
Four Aces with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker: 400
Four 2s, 3s, or 4s with an Ace, 2, 3, or 4 kicker: 160
Four Aces: 160
Four 2s through 4s: 80
Four 5s through Kings: 50
Full House: 9
Flush: 6
Straight: 4
Three of a Kind: 3
Two Pair: 1
Jacks or Better: 1
With optimal strategy, the theoretical return is approximately 98.98%.
How to Compare Two Video Poker Paytables
The article suggests the steps:
Identify the exact game variant
Check the full-house and flush payouts where those figures differentiate the tables
Check the bonus payouts for four of a kind and kickers in the bonus-family games
Check the royal-flush payout for any pay schedule
Match the paytable to its appropriate strategy and theoretical return
How to Compare Reduced-Pay Tables
Video poker paytables can seem the same:
Jacks or Better:
99.54%: 9/6
98.45%: 9/5
98.39%: 8/6
97.30%: 8/5
96.15%: 7/5
95.00%: 6/5
Check the examples: the names stay the same, but different payouts affect the theoretical return.
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