What is Jacks or Better?

How to Play Jacks or Better

The aim of the game is to form the strongest possible five-card poker hand. Once you place your ante bet, you receive five face-up cards. It is up to you to decide which of the five cards you would like to keep and which ones you want to discard. The discarded cards are then replaced by new cards, and you are paid out depending on the strength of your hand.

Winning Poker Hands

There are several possible winning hands in Jacks or Better. From weakest to strongest they are:

• Jacks or Better –

  Holding a pair of Js or above. 

• Two Pair –

  Holding two pairs, for example two 3s and two 5s.

• Three of a Kind –

  Holding three matching cards, such as three 9s. 

• Straight

   – Holding five sequential cards, such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The suit of the cards does not matter and an Ace can come at the beginning or end of a sequence (A, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, J, Q, K, A). 

• Flush

   – Holding five cards from the same suit, for example, 3, 7, 10, J and Q of clubs.

• Full House –

  Holding a pair and a three of a kind, for example two 5s and three Kings. The suit of the cards does not matter.

• Four of a Kind –

  Holding four matching cards, such as four Queens. 

• Straight Flush

   – Holding a straight with a flush. For instance, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of spades. 

• Royal Flush

   – Holding a straight flush composed of the highest cards, 10, J, Q, K, A of spades/clubs/diamonds/hearts.

A Jacks or Better Strategy

There are a few tips that you can use to increase your chances of winning at Jacks or Better. One of them is to play with the maximum number of coins. The Royal Flush in Jacks or Better offers a boosted payout when playing with the maximum number of coins bet. Therefore, it is better to use a smaller coin size and bet more coins.

For instance, if a player wants to play with $0.50 per round, it is better to place five $0.10 coins than one $0.50 coin. That way, if the player lands a Royal Flush, the payout will be far more rewarding.

Below, we have included an example paytable of a typical Jacks or Better game. Notice the boosted Royal Flush payout when five coins are bet.

Jacks or Better Strategy Chart

In addition to betting with the maximum number of coins in play, it is also recommended to follow the guidelines below for discarding cards. Simply start at the top of the list below and when you reach a hand that matches yours, follow the instructions.

1. Royal Flush - Hold all 5 cards
2. Straight Flush - Hold all 5 cards
3. 4 of a Kind - Discard the 1 card not involved
4. 4 cards to a Royal Flush - Discard the 1 card not involved
5. Full House - Hold all 5 cards
6. Flush - Hold all 5 cards
7. Straight - Hold all 5 cards
8. 3 of a Kind - Discard the 2 cards not involved
9. 4 cards to a Straight Flush - Discard the 1 card not involved
10. 2 Pair - Discard the 1 card not involved
11. High Pair (Jacks to Aces) - Discard the 3 cards not involved
12. 3 cards to a Royal Flush - Discard the 2 cards not involved
13. 4 cards to a Flush - Discard the 1 card not involved
14. 10, J, Q, K - Discard the 1 card not involved
15. 1 Pair - Discard the 3 cards not involved
16. 4 cards to a Straight with 3 High Cards - Discard the 1 card not involved
17. 3 cards to a Straight Flush - Discard the 2 cards not involved
18. 3 cards to a Straight with 3 High Cards - Discard the 2 cards not involved
19. 2 Suited High Cards - Discard the 3 cards not involved
20. 4 cards to an Open Ended Straight - Discard the 1 card not involved
21. J, Q, K - Discard the 2 cards not involved
22. K, Q or K, J - Discard the 3 cards not involved
23. 2 cards to a Royal Flush - Discard the 3 cards not involved
24. 2 High Cards - Discard the 3 cards not involved
25. 1 High Card - Discard the 4 cards not involved
26. Anything else - Discard all 5 cards

To Conclude

All video poker games are based upon Jacks or Better and while some of them may offer attractive features such as wild cards, it is worth taking the time to master this classic first. With a bit of luck, you’ll hit the Royal Flush jackpot.