Jacks or Better Strategy: Tips for Maximizing Your Wins

For instance, if you see a board of 10h, Jh, Qh, 10s, 3s, you should discard the 10s and 3s and chase that royal flush. You have a slim chance of hitting the royal flush, but it’s the biggest hand in the game with a massive payout, and you only need a couple of cards to get there.

Not only could you hit a royal flush, but there are other straight flushes there, as well as straights and a flush.

Think of it this way: buying a lottery ticket doesn’t give you great odds, but if someone hands you the first three numbers, it’s a no-brainer.

Some other things to add to your Jacks or Better strategy chart include:

Hold a Pair

Even if you have a pair lower than Jacks, you should still hold onto it. The pair won’t give you anything at the end of the hand, but it can easily improve. You have a higher chance of landing a three-of-a-kind, four-of-a-kind, two-pair, or even a full house by changing 3 cards with a pair than you do of landing a paying hand by changing all five cards.

Of course, if you’re holding Jacks or higher, you have even more options. You should still hold them, as it means they might improve, and you’ll get a payout if they don’t.

Don’t be tempted to hold any of the other cards, though, even if it’s a high card like an Ace or King.

Hold High Cards Above Jacks

While you shouldn’t hold high cards alongside a pair, you should hold them if that’s all you have. At this point, your odds of hitting something big have significantly reduced. You’re in damage control and need the insurance that a high pair (Jacks or better, as the name suggests) can bring.

Value Current Hands More Than Potential Ones

As noted above, it’s a good idea to chase a royal flush when you need three cards, and it’s also worthwhile chasing a straight flush or flush when you need just one. But this draw potential should not overrule an existing high pair or better. If you have a guaranteed payout, work on improving it, knowing that you’ll walk away with a win regardless. You don’t need to change those big jackpots every time.

Draw Five New Cards When You Have Nothing

If there are no pairs or high cards in your hand, it’s time to change everything. This is one of the most obvious parts of Jacks or Better strategy, but it’s something that many players overlook, as they feel like they are making a mistake by discarding all cards.

It’s certainly not a great position to find yourself, but changing all five cards will give you a better chance of a payout than holding onto something small.

Stick to Your Bankroll and Record Your Wins/Losses

Create a bankroll, set a session stake and hand limit, and stick to it. You should also make use of the hand history function, paying attention to how many hands you’re winning and how successful you are over the course of each session.

Will a Jacks or Better Optimal Strategy Work Every Time?

No. A good Jacks or Better strategy will increase your chances of winning, but this game comes with a house edge, which means it is reliant on luck. Even if you use a Jacks or Better optimal strategy, you are still subject to this house edge and can’t guarantee success.

9/5 vs 9/6 Video Poker

Jacks or Better payouts can differ. The differences are slight, but they can impact the overall house edge and thus your chances of winning. 9/6 video poker means that the game pays 9x for a full house and 5x for a flush; 9/5 means it pays 9x for a full house and 5x for a flush.

Quick Jacks or Better Cheat Sheet

Considering all of the above, Jacks or Better strategy isn’t that complicated. It’s actually quite simple: chase the big hands when you have nothing, hold onto hands when you have them, and don’t be afraid to discard cards. It’s something that you’ll get better at the more you play, and the key consideration throughout all of this is that you maintain your bankroll, stick to your strategy, never chase losses, and only play when you are focused, sober, and awake.

Summary: Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy

Jacks or Better might not sound like a favorable game, considering you need a high-value hand to qualify. But the payouts mean it has one of the lowest house edges of any video poker variant, and if you approach the game with a solid Jacks or Better strategy, you could reduce that edge.