Video poker is one of the best bets on any Las Vegas floor — but only if you do two things: play the right machine, and make the right hold every hand. Get both right and a 9/6 Jacks or Better game returns about 99.5% with perfect play, better odds than almost anything else in the casino.
Here’s the whole strategy on one card. Grab it free, print it, and take it with you.
↓ Download the free video poker card (PDF)
Step 1: Only play a 9/6 machine
“9/6” refers to the pay table: a full house pays 9 and a flush pays 6 (per coin). That version returns ~99.5%. The same game on an 8/5 pay table drops to about 97.3% — a much worse deal for the identical machine. Always check the pay table before you sit down; if the full house isn’t paying 9 and the flush 6, walk.
Step 2: Always bet 5 coins
The royal flush pays a disproportionate jackpot — 800 per coin — but only when you bet the max of 5 coins. Betting fewer coins quietly raises the house edge. If a 5-coin bet is too steep, drop to a lower denomination machine, but always bet max coins.
Step 3: Hold the highest pattern on the list
Every hand, look at your five cards and hold the highest-ranked pattern you have on the card — then draw. That’s the entire game. A few that trip people up:
- Keep a made hand (straight, flush, full house) rather than chasing — unless you’re one card from a royal.
- A low pair beats holding a couple of unsuited high cards and beats a 4-card inside straight.
- Never break a high pair to chase a flush or straight draw.
- Never hold a kicker with a pair — just hold the pair and draw three.
Common mistakes that cost you
- Playing an 8/5 (or worse) machine because it “looks the same.”
- Betting fewer than 5 coins.
- Holding a single high card when you have a low pair.
- Chasing inside straights with no high cards.
The bottom line
Find a 9/6 Jacks or Better machine, bet max coins, and hold by the card. Do that and you’re playing one of the lowest-house-edge games in Las Vegas — around a 0.5% edge over the long run. It won’t guarantee a win on any given session, but it stretches your bankroll further than nearly anything else on the floor.
21+ · For entertainment and education only. Figures are long-run averages; nothing guarantees winning. Gamble responsibly — 1-800-GAMBLER.
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