Jacks or Better  is extremely popular because it is easy and quick to play but still contains an element of strategy.

To begin you choose what denomination of coins you wish to use, ranging from 25 cents to $5. You then deposit coins into the machine and bet up to five coins on the hand. Once the cards are dealt you may select which cards to change  in the second deal. After the second deal you are paid out based on the rank of the resulting poker hand.

Jacks or Better  is the classic version, using no wild cards and only one "deck" of cards. The minimum payout hand is a pair of Jacks, hence the name! This game most accurately represents the odds of poker, and gives high payouts for good hands.

Payoff

Rank	Hand	Description of hand	Example	Payoff
1	Royal Flush	A, K, Q, J, 10 of same suit	10S, JS, QS, KS, AS	250:1
2	Straight Flush	Five cards of same suit in sequence	4D, 5D, 6D, 7D, 8D	50:1
3	4 of a kind	Four cards of the same rank	7S, 7C, 7D, 7H	25:1
4	Full House	Three of a kind plus a pair	3D, 3S, 3C, KS, KH	6:1
5	Flush	Five cards of the same suit	3H, 7H, 10H, QH, AH	5:1
6	Straight	Five cards in sequence	5C, 6D, 7C, 8H, 9S	4:1
7	3 of a kind	Three cards of the same rank	JH, JS, JD	3:1
8	2 Pair	Two pairs of different rank	5H, 5S, 9C, 9S	2:1
9	1 Pair	Two cards of the same rank	AS, AD	1:1
Nothing	-	-	-	0

The following video poker techniques are guaranteed to keep you in the game longer and provide you with the best odds for hitting the jackpot!

 

These strategies will work for all Jacks or Better Poker Machines and most Bonus Poker Games.

Hold any pair, high or low, rather than keeping one or two high cards, even if they are suited.
Don't be tempted to hold two high cards, even if they are suited and connected
If you don't have a pair, hold any card above a Ten to a maximum of two.
If you have three high cards, hold only two, and hold the lower of the high cards because you have a better chance of making a straight.
If the two of the three high cards are suited, only hold the suited cards.
When confronted with confusing hands that seem to offer chances at different high-paying hands, use the following system - in order - to decide the priority of the various hands::
1. High pair
2. Three-card royal
3. Four-card flush
4. Low pair
5. Four-card straight
Keep all five cards in a straight rather than discard to go for the straight flush
Keep all five cards in a flush rather than discard to go for the straight flush
Break up a straight to go for a royal flush.
Break up a flush to go for a royal flush.
If you don't have: a low pair,
a high card,
a one-card draw to a flush,
a one-card draw straight open at both ends,
or three consecutive, suited low cards,
discard them all and draw five new cards.