Video Poker Strategy & Best Machines

Video poker is one of the casino's best-kept secrets: a game that blends the simplicity of slots with the strategy of poker, and offers some of the highest returns on the floor. On a full-pay machine played with correct strategy, the RTP can reach 99.5% or more — better than almost any slot.

How video poker works

You're dealt five cards and choose which to hold and which to discard. The discarded cards are replaced, and you're paid according to the strength of your final five-card poker hand. Unlike table poker, you're not playing against anyone — you're aiming to build the best hand against a fixed paytable.

Reading the paytable

The paytable is everything in video poker. The classic benchmark is 'Jacks or Better', and the payouts for a full house and a flush tell you the machine's quality:

• 9/6 Jacks or Better ('full pay'): pays 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush — an RTP around 99.5%. This is the one to look for.
• 8/5 or lower: reduced payouts that quietly raise the house edge. Avoid where possible.

Always check the full house and flush payouts before you sit down — two machines that look identical can have very different returns.

Basic strategy

Video poker has a mathematically correct hold for every hand, and following it is what unlocks that high RTP. Some reliable rules of thumb:

• Always keep a made paying hand, but break it only to draw to a royal flush.
• Hold a low pair over a single high card.
• Never keep a kicker with a pair — draw three fresh cards.
• Keep four cards to a flush or an open-ended straight draw.

Popular variants

Beyond Jacks or Better, you'll find Deuces Wild (where all twos are wild), Bonus Poker and Double Bonus, each with its own paytable and optimal strategy. Learn one variant well rather than jumping between them.

Video poker vs slots and table poker

Video poker sits neatly between slots and table poker. Like slots, it's a solo game against a paytable, with instant results and no opponents to read. Like poker, your decisions matter — the cards you hold change your expected return. Compared with slots, a full-pay machine played correctly returns more of your money over time; compared with table poker, there's no bluffing or reading opponents, just you and the math. If you enjoy the strategy of poker but not the head-to-head pressure, video poker is an ideal middle ground.

Progressive video poker and bankroll

Some machines add a progressive jackpot, usually for the royal flush, that grows until someone hits it. When that jackpot is large enough it can tip the game's expected return in the player's favour — but chasing it requires a bigger bankroll and always betting max coins, since a sub-max bet slashes the royal-flush payout. Whatever variant you play, size your bankroll for the swings: even a 99.5% RTP game has losing streaks, so bring enough to ride them out and always bet the coins your strategy assumes.

Where to play video poker in Canada

Look for casinos offering full-pay machines and a range of variants. If you like the skill-plus-strategy appeal, you'll likely enjoy blackjack and table poker too. Compare our top-rated online casinos and read our reviews to find the best places to play.