Jacks or Better Poker Review
Is Jacks or Better the best video poker game? Find out how to play, its RTP & how it compares to other variants. Plus, best casinos for 2019 offering this game
Jacks or Better is one of the most well-known variations of video poker. The game has an extremely low house edge; making it a favourite for thousands of players down the years. Continue reading our Jacks or Better review as we thoroughly examine the rules, payouts and how to play it.
Yet, if you wish to get stuck in and learn as you go, take a look at our top Jacks or Better Poker casinos listed below to start playing in minutes.
Jacks or Better Poker Review
Casino players have enjoyed playing video poker for more than 40 years at land-based casinos. Now, this game is attracting a large following in the online world. Jacks or Better Poker is one of the original games - many newer variants are spin-offs of this classic.
It manages the perfect blend of offering a high theoretical return to player percentage whilst having a reasonably low qualifying level for even-money winning hands. This makes it a good game for all players, ranging from total beginners to seasoned pros.
What is Jacks or Better Poker
Put simply, Jacks or Better is a type of draw poker played with five cards. Essentially, before playing all you need to know is which cards make the various poker hands found in the game’s paytable. It is however also advisable to learn a basic Jacks or Better Poker strategy as well so you can play the game near to its maximum RTP.
Playing the game online is effortless. First you must select how much you want to bet. Most games range from £0.25 up to £5.00 but this can vary depending on your chosen casino. Next, you must choose how many coins to play. The simple way to think of these is as paylines. Therefore, your total stake for each hand is: bet value x number of coins.
A game (or hand) consists of two phases. Players begin by tapping the ‘deal’ button; this reveals the initial five-card hand. You are able to hold whichever cards you want keep. Most video poker software has an auto-hold feature but you don’t have to use this. When the player has held the cards (they wish to keep if any), they hit the ‘draw’ button. This changes the cards that were not held. The final hand is then compared against the paytable, and any winnings are paid accordingly.
Jacks or Better Poker Rules
There are very few rules involved with video poker, which adds to the enjoyment of playing. Basically, the only differences between the variants are the paytable and the minimum qualifying hand needed to win some cash.
This is the paytable used for the Microgaming Jacks or Better Poker game:
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 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 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No of coins | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
In order to achieve the 99% plus RTP of this game, you need to be playing with five coins. This is because of the 4000 coin payout for hitting a Royal Flush with 5 coins compared to only a 250 coin payout if played with one coin.
The Jacks or Better Poker rules in regards to the minimum payout have been copied by many other variants of the game. So, how does the original stack up against its newer rivals? The table below shows the different payouts with the RTP at the bottom.
| Poker Hand | Aces & Faces | Aces & Eights | Jacks or Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| 4 Aces | 80 | 80 | 25 |
| 4 Eights | 80 | 80 | 25 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 70 | 50 |
| 4 Kings, Queens, or Jacks | 40 | 10 | 25 |
| 4 Sevens | 25 | 50 | 25 |
| Four of a Kind (all others) | 25 | 20 | 25 |
| Full House | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Flush | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Two pair | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Theoretical RTP | 99.26% | 99.09% | 99.54% |
| House Edge | 0.74% | 0.91% | 0.46% |
*The 800 coin payout for a Royal Flush is the 4000 coin jackpot divided by 5 coins.
The payout for most quads (4-of-a-kind) can make it appear that players get better value for their money playing either Aces and Faces or Aces and Eights, but that is not so. Jacks or Better has a higher RTP because it pays 9 for a Full House and 6 for a Flush, compared to 8 and 5 respectively. As players hit these hands far more often, these wins outweigh the quad payouts.
Jacks or Better Poker Bonus
It’s not our intention to pull the wool over your eyes on this site. Finding a good Jacks or Better Poker bonus is not easy. A few sites exclude video poker games from bonuses but in general, you are allowed to play these games whilst being handicapped. This means that on top of the wagering requirement, you also have to contend with the ‘game weighting’ regulations. For example: if you took a £10 bonus with 30x wagering, you must playthrough £300. However, game weighting specifies that only 10% of video poker contributes to clearing the wagering, so the actual amount you must bet is £3000 - all for a £10 bonus.
Play Jacks or Better Poker Online
That covers the basics of what is Jacks or Better Poker. Even with new variants on the market, you can’t beat this classic. Easy to play and great payouts. As a player that’s all you can ask for.
All that remains is for you to play Jacks or Better Poker online yourself. Not sure where to start? Just look at the our partner casinos on this page. Each site offers this game in both free-play, practice mode and real money. So, pick the casino which suits you best, get signed up and start winning.
