Keith Cooper | May 11, 2022 | Updated on: March 7th, 2024
Jacks or Better is likely the most popular video poker game at casinos. When most people hear video poker mentioned they think of Jacks or Better. Jacks or Better is a video poker game where the minimum paying hand is a pair of Jacks. Like all other video poker games, Jacks or Better winning hands are based on poker hand rankings with the variation of the pair of Jacks. Playing Jacks or Better at the casino or online is like playing draw poker on a slot machine. Get the best Jacks or Better strategy tips here and learn how to play in a few easy steps.
Jacks or Better is a video poker game where the minimum paying hand is a pair of Jacks. Like all video poker games, Jacks or Better is a masterful and fin blend of poker and online pokies. With Jacks or Better, your payouts are based on poker hand rankings. You will get a payout as long as you have a pair of Jacks or Better, hence the name.
You play Jacks or Better with 1 to 5 coins. The more coins you play the bigger your payout will be. The game uses a 52-card deck. When you place your bet and start the game you are present with five randomly assigned cards. The aim is to make the best five-card poker hand. There’s an option to discard or hold on to the cards you want. Afterwards, you get a payout based on the hand that you have.
In Jacks or Better you have up to five coins to bet and these can be adjusted, similar to how you choose how many lines or coin sizes in online pokies. You can also select a unique bet size. At the best Australian online casinos, you can bet from as little as $0.01! Below is a step-by-step tutorial of how to play Jacks or Better.
After making a real money deposit, select the bet size and number of coins you want to play with, you can choose up to five.
Then click “Deal” to show your first five-card hand.
Select the cards you want to keep by clicking on them to “hold” them. The rest are discarded.
If you are left with less than five cards after step three, click “Deal” again and get more randomly assigned cards.
You can no longer deal or discard more cards now; you will get a payout based on the hand that you have now.
Jacks or Better Video Poker Rules
Jacks or Better is an easy video poker game with very simple rules. You should familiarise yourself with the rules by playing free Jacks or Better games at any of the top video poker sites that we recommend.
The lowest paying hand is a hand made up of two Jacks or any pair of a higher value.
You can only discard and get new cards once when you play Jacks or Better.
The game uses a single 52 card deck with no jokers.
You have up to five coins to bet with.
Jacks or Better Winning Hands
Jacks or Better follows poker hand rankings.
Royal Flush – the best hand in Jacks or Better made up of an Ace; K; Q; J; 10 – all in the same suit
Straight Flush – a hand made up of five cards of the same suit in a consecutive descending or ascending sequence. E.g., 4; 5; 6; 7; 8 all in hearts, diamonds, clubs or spades.
Four of a Kind – a hand made up of 4 cards of the same kind in varying suits, that is a five-card hand made up of 4 similar cards and one other. E.g., four Qs in any suit and one other card
Full House – a hand made up of a pair and three of a kind. E.g., two 8’s of any suit and three 6’s of any suit.
Flush – a hand of any five cards in an identical suit
Straight – similar to a flush the straight hand is made up of five cards in a consecutive sequence but with mixed suits
Three of a Kind – a hand with three cards of the same kind/value. e.g., three 5’s in any suit and any other two cards
Two Pair – a hand made up of double pairs and one other card. Two 10’s of any suit, Two Qs of any suit and one more card.
Jacks or Better – a five-card hand with at least a pair of Jacks or a pair of cards that have a higher value than Jacks like Queens, Kings and Aces along with any other three cards.
Jacks or Better Winning Strategy
Jacks or Better allows you to get rid of cards and get new ones, so that gives it better odds than online pokies. But since you can only discard and hold cards once you have to be strategic about which cards to hold. We have outlined some of the best tips and strategies to increase your chances of getting more payouts in Jacks or Better.
Play all five coins to increase your potential payout
Where you have no combinations or any cards that are of a higher value than Jacks discard all cards and deal to get new ones.
If you have no cards that form any combination hold on to any Ace, King or Queen you may have in case you form a pair and get the minimum Jacks or Better payout.
Hold on to the following cards:
Three to Four cards that form part of a royal flush
Any three or four cards in a consecutive sequence, you may get a straight flush or straight
Always hold on to any pair, you may get to form a two pair or a full house.
Jacks or Better FAQs
Is Jacks or Better the Best video poker game?
Jacks or Better has the best payout of all video poker games and is the most popular video poker game.
Is Jacks or Better poker?
Jacks or Better is a video poker game and Draw Jacks or Better is a poker game.
What cards do you hold in Jacks or Better?
You should always hold on to a pair of Jacks because that way you are guaranteed a payout.
Which is better Deuces Wild or Jacks or Better?
Jacks or Better will payout the minimum for a pair of Jacks or Queens or Kings or Aces. While Deuces Wild’s minimum payout is a three of a kind so Jacks or Better is better in terms of odds.
What are the odds of getting Jacks or Better?
The odds of getting Jacks or Better are 0.21
Is bonus poker better than Jacks or Better?
Jacks or Better pays out minimum for Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces while bonus poker has bigger bonus payout for four 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s while everything else remains the same.
What’s Jacks or Better mean?
Jacks or Better means the minimum payout is for a pair of Jacks or a better value card like King, Queen, or Ace.
