Video Poker Strategies: Your Winning Guide to Video Poker at Reels of Joy
Video poker strategies are what separate players who grind long sessions at breakeven from players who lock in real returns. At Reels of Joy, our video poker game library runs on Real Time Gaming and Galaxy Gaming software, giving Australian players access to every major poker variant at certified RTPs.
The difference between casual play and applying a solid strategy can be worth 4% in expected return per session. That is not a rounding error. Over thousands of hands, that gap is real money.
This guide covers the video poker tips and strategy charts you need, broken down by variant. From basic video poker strategy to advanced hand decisions, we lay out the plays clearly so you can act with confidence every time.
Reels of Joy Video Poker Strategies: Rules of Video Poker First
You cannot apply winning video poker strategies without knowing the rules of video poker cold. The game starts with you placing a bet, then being dealt five cards by the machine.
You choose which cards to hold and which to discard. The machine replaces your discarded cards with new cards drawn from the same shuffled deck. Your final poker hand determines your payout.
The minimum qualifying hand at most variants is a pair of jacks. Anything lower pays nothing. That single rule shapes every decision you make at the machine.
Video Poker Odds: What the Numbers Actually Mean
Video poker odds are fixed by mathematics, not the machine. The game uses a standard 52-card deck (or 53 with a joker in wild games). Probabilities do not change between sessions or after a big win.
| Poker Hand | Frequency with Optimal Play (9/6 Jacks or Better) |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush (dealt) | 1 in 649,740 |
| Royal Flush (final hand with optimal holds) | 1 in 40,600 |
| Straight Flush | 1 in 9,148 |
| Four of a Kind | 1 in 423 |
| Full House | 1 in 87 |
| Flush | 1 in 91 |
| Straight | 1 in 89 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 in 13 |
| Two Pair | 1 in 8 |
| Pair of Jacks or Better | 1 in 5 |
The house edge in full-pay Jacks or Better sits at 0.46% with optimal play. That makes video poker one of the lowest house edge casino games available at Reels of Joy.
Basic Video Poker Strategy: The Core Principles That Win
Basic video poker strategy comes down to one principle: hold the cards that give you the highest expected return on the next draw. Not the prettiest hand. Not the one that feels right. The one with the best mathematical edge.
Every starting hand has a priority. The video poker strategy charts below tell you exactly where each hand sits.
Video Poker Basic Strategies: Always Play the Maximum Coins
Play the maximum five coins on every hand. Here is why: a royal flush pays 250 coins per coin bet when you play 1 to 4 coins, but it pays 4,000 coins total when you bet five coins. That is an 800:1 return instead of 250:1. Missing that bonus because you bet short costs you roughly 2% in expected return per session.
If your session budget does not support max coins on the denomination you are playing, drop to a lower denomination and play five coins there. The math is identical; the stake adjusts.
Read the Paytable Before You Bet a Dollar
Two machines can look identical but pay very differently. The paytable is posted on every video poker machine. The columns you check first are the full house and flush payouts.
| Paytable Version | Full House Payout | Flush Payout | RTP with Optimal Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 Jacks or Better (Full Pay) | 9 coins | 6 coins | 99.54% |
| 8/5 Jacks or Better | 8 coins | 5 coins | 97.30% |
| 6/5 Jacks or Better (Short Pay) | 6 coins | 5 coins | 95.00% |
A 4.54% RTP difference between the best and worst paytable means you lose an extra $45 for every $1,000 wagered. Playing short-pay machines is the single fastest way to bleed your bankroll.
Jacks or Better Video Poker: The Strategy Chart That Counts
Jacks or Better is the foundational poker variant at Reels of Joy, powered by Real Time Gaming. Playing Jacks or Better correctly means following a strict hold priority. Use the video poker strategies chart below in order from top to bottom. Hold the first match you find.
| Priority | Hand to Hold | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush / Straight Flush / Four of a Kind | Hold all five cards |
| 2 | Four cards to a Royal Flush | Hold four royal cards, discard the fifth |
| 3 | Full House / Flush / Straight / Three of a Kind | Hold the paying hand |
| 4 | Four cards to a Straight Flush | Hold the four suited cards in sequence |
| 5 | Two Pair | Hold both pairs, discard the fifth card |
| 6 | High Pair (Jacks or Better) | Hold the pair |
| 7 | Three cards to a Royal Flush | Hold the three royal cards |
| 8 | Four cards to a Flush | Hold the four suited cards |
| 9 | Low Pair (Tens or lower) | Hold the pair |
| 10 | Four cards to an outside Straight | Hold the four in sequence |
| 11 | Two suited High Cards | Hold both |
| 12 | Three cards to a Straight Flush | Hold the three |
| 13 | Two unsuited High Cards | Hold both |
| 14 | One High Card (Jack, Queen, King, Ace) | Hold the single high card |
| 15 | No playable hand | Discard all five cards and draw five new cards |
Playing Jacks or Better: Hands That Catch Players Out
The biggest leak in Jacks or Better is holding a kicker. You are dealt a pair of aces and a king. You keep three cards because the king feels valuable. Wrong move. That king reduces your chance of improving to three of a kind or better. Hold the pair only.
The second common error: breaking a paying flush to chase a royal. You have a flush that includes four cards to a royal. The flush is a guaranteed payout right now. The royal draw is roughly 1 in 47. Hold the flush.
Low pair versus single high card is another trap. A low pair, even tens or nines, returns more expected value than keeping one ace and hoping to pair up. Hold the low pair every time.
Deuces Wild Strategy: Winning Video Poker with Wild Cards
Deuces Wild is a different game from Jacks or Better. All four 2s (deuces) act as wild cards, substituting for any card in the deck. The paytable shifts, accordingly, and the minimum paying hand rises to three of a kind.
Full-pay Deuces Wild returns 100.76% RTP with optimal play. That means with correct video poker strategy, the house edge technically flips in your favour on the best paytables. Most players never achieve that because they misplay the wild games.
| Hand Dealt | Correct Action |
|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | Hold all five cards |
| Four Deuces | Hold all four deuces |
| Wild Royal Flush | Hold all five cards |
| Five of a Kind | Hold all five cards |
| Straight Flush | Hold all five cards |
| Four of a Kind | Hold the four matching cards |
| Full House | Hold all five cards |
| Three of a Kind or Better with One Deuce | Hold the paying hand |
| Four Cards to a Royal Flush (No Deuces) | Hold four, discard one |
| Flush | Hold all five cards |
| Straight | Hold all five cards |
| Three Cards to a Royal Flush | Hold three, discard two |
| One Deuce Only, No Other Playable Hand | Hold the deuce and discard the other four |
| No Deuces, No Playable Hand | Discard all five cards and draw new cards |
Never discard a deuce. That is the non-negotiable rule of wild games. A deuce as your only card gives you a better expected return than any non-paying natural hand without wild cards.
Video Poker Variants at Reels of Joy: Choosing Your Game
Reels of Joy offers several video poker variants powered by Real Time Gaming. Each variant changes the paytable, the minimum paying hand, and the correct strategy. Play one variant until you have the strategy cards memorised before moving to another.
| Variant | Wild Cards | Min. Paying Hand | RTP (Optimal Play) | Key Strategic Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacks or Better (9/6) | None | Pair of Jacks | 99.54% | Foundational strategy, lowest variance |
| Deuces Wild (Full Pay) | 4 Deuces | Three of a Kind | 100.76% | Never discard a deuce; paytable shifts |
| Double Bonus Poker (10/7) | None | Pair of Jacks | 100.17% | Enhanced four aces payout; two pair reduced |
| Double Double Bonus (9/6) | None | Pair of Jacks | 98.98% | Four aces with kicker pays massive bonus |
| Bonus Poker (8/5) | None | Pair of Jacks | 99.17% | Premium payout for four aces |
| Joker Poker | 1 Joker | Two Pair (variant dependent) | 98.60% | Joker changes min hand and strategy priorities |
Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus pay extra for four of a kind hands, particularly four aces. That upside comes with a reduced payout on two pair. If two pair is a core part of your winning rate in Jacks or Better, switching to Double Bonus requires a strategy adjustment, not a paytable swap.
Bonus Poker and Video Poker Tips for Big Hand Variants
Bonus poker variants pay a premium for specific four of a kind combinations. In Double Double Bonus, four aces with a 2, 3, or 4 as the fifth card pays at a massive multiplier, 400 coins per coin bet at full pay. The correct strategy in this game means being more aggressive about drawing to four aces, even when that means passing up a smaller paying hand.
The swings in your bankroll are wider in bonus variants. That is the trade-off. Higher peaks, more variance. Players who need steady returns stick with 9/6 Jacks or Better. Players chasing jackpots and four of a kind hits work the bonus poker variants.
Video Poker Strategy Tips: The Plays That Move Your Expected Return
These video poker strategy tips apply across all variants. Apply them every session.
- Hold a low pair over a single high card. A pair of fours has better expected return than holding one ace and discarding four cards.
- Choose an outside straight over an inside straight. An outside straight has two cards that complete it. An inside straight has one. You double your outs.
- Do not break a paying hand to chase a royal flush. The one exception: if you hold four cards to a royal flush, break the paying straight or flush for the royal draw.
- Keep three cards to a royal flush over a low pair. Three to a royal beats a low pair in expected return in most Jacks or Better strategy charts.
- Never hold a kicker alongside a pair. The extra card reduces your odds of improving the pair. Hold the pair only.
- In wild games, discard a full house if you hold three deuces. Three wild cards give you a better expected return than locking in the full house.
Bonus Plays at Reels of Joy and the Progressive Jackpot Angle
Reels of Joy offers progressive jackpot games separately from standard video poker. Standard video poker machines do not carry a progressive jackpot by default. The royal flush bonus is built into the paytable, paying 4,000 coins at max bet. This is fixed, not progressive.
If you play a progressive jackpot video poker variant where the royal flush meter is high enough, the expected return can cross above 100% even with a mediocre base paytable. Check the jackpot amount makes the maths work before you sit down at those machines.
Play Video Poker at Reels of Joy: Bonuses, Wagering, and Real Money
Playing video poker online at Reels of Joy means you access the full Real Time Gaming and Galaxy Gaming library directly through your browser. No download. No app. Your account balance, bonus funds, and cashback credits all sit in one place.
Video Poker and Your Reels of Joy Bonus: What to Know
The Reels of Joy welcome package offers a 200% match up to $500 on your first deposit using code WELCOME1, plus 25 free spins on Storm Lords. Second and third deposits attract a 100% match up to $250 each, with another 25 free spins per deposit.
Video poker contributes 10% toward bonus wagering requirements. That means if your wagering requirement is 30x the deposit and bonus amount, video poker play counts at a tenth of each bet toward clearing that requirement. Pokies contribute 100%.
The maximum bet during any active bonus is $10 per hand. Betting above $10 during bonus play voids your winnings. Stick to max coins at a denomination that keeps your bet at or below $10.
Daily cashback of 10% applies to pure cash deposits of $20 or more. Cashback earnings carry a 20x playthrough and are only available on slots, keno, bingo, and scratch cards. Video poker does not clear cashback bonuses.
Manage your funds, review bonus terms, and make deposits via the banking page.
Guide to Video Poker: Slot Machines to Video Poker Machines in Australia
Australian players who move from slot machines to video poker machines notice the shift immediately. Pokies are pure RNG with no player input. Video poker machines offer the same RNG framework but with a decision layer on top.
That decision layer is where video poker becomes a game of skill. The machine does not change outcomes based on your strategy. The maths is fixed. Your choices determine which outcome distribution you land in.
Slot machines to video poker machines are not a downgrade in entertainment. You get the same speed of play, the same potential for a big hit on a royal flush or four of a kind, and the added element of knowing your decisions actually matter.
The World Series of Poker has produced champions who began their card training on video poker machines, learning hand rankings and probability before stepping to a live poker table. The game builds real pattern recognition for five-card draws poker hands.
Browse the full range of table games and video poker titles at Reels of Joy.
Responsible Gambling at Reels of Joy Casino
Gambling at Reels of Joy is entertainment. Video poker is a casino game with a house edge, even on the best paytables. None of the video poker strategies eliminates the risk of loss.
You must be 18 years or older to register and play. Set deposit limits, session time limits, and use our self-exclusion tools if gambling stops being enjoyable.
Support is available through:
- Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858 (Australia)
- BeGambleAware: begambleaware.org
- GamCare: gamcare.org.uk
- Gamblers Anonymous: gamblersanonymous.org.au
- Gambling Therapy: gamblingtherapy.org
- Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
Review our full responsible gambling tools and resources at the responsible gambling page.
Video Poker Strategies FAQs
What is the best video poker strategy for Australian players?
The best video poker strategy for most players starts with 9/6 Jacks or Better at max coins. The RTP sits at 99.54% with optimal play, and the hold priority chart is the most straightforward of all variants. Master this game before moving to higher-variance options.
What does video poker strategy mean in practice?
Strategy in video poker means using a fixed hold priority chart to decide which cards to keep after your initial five-card deal. You compare your hand to the chart from top to bottom and hold the first match. The chart is built from expected return calculations across all possible draw outcomes.
How do I win at video poker consistently?
Win at video poker by playing full-pay machines, betting max coins every hand, and following the correct strategy chart for your chosen variant without deviating based on hunches. Consistency across thousands of hands is what realises the RTP advantage.
What are strategy cards and how do I use them?
Strategy cards are printed or digital reference charts that list every possible starting hand in priority order. You check your dealt five cards against the chart, starting at the top. You hold whichever matching hand appears first on the list and discard the rest.
How does the Jacks or Better strategy differ from Deuces Wild?
In Jacks or Better, no wild cards exist and the minimum paying hand is a pair of jacks. In Deuces Wild, four wild 2s can substitute for any card and the minimum paying hand is three of a kind. The strategy charts are completely different. Never apply a Jacks or Better chart to a Deuces Wild game.
Is a royal flush achievable in online video poker?
Yes. The odds of hitting a royal flush with player-assisted holds are approximately 1 in 40,600 hands on 9/6 Jacks or Better with optimal play. At a reasonable pace of play, most regular video poker players will hit a royal flush once every few hundred hours of play. At max coins, the royal flush pays 4,000 coins on a standard Jacks or Better paytable.
What is the house edge on video poker at Reels of Joy?
The house edge varies by variant and paytable. Full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better carries a house edge of 0.46% with optimal play. Full-pay Deuces Wild flips that edge slightly in the player's favour at 100.76% RTP. Short-pay versions of any variant carry a significantly higher house edge.
Can I play video poker with a bonus at Reels of Joy?
Yes. Video poker is eligible for bonus play. It contributes 10% to wagering requirements. The maximum bet during an active bonus is $10 per hand. Bets above $10 during bonus play void your winnings. Check the terms page for full bonus conditions.
What is a four of a kind worth in video poker?
In standard Jacks or Better, four of a kind pays 25 coins per coin bet. In Bonus Poker and Double Bonus variants, four aces pay significantly more, often 80 coins per coin bet. In Double Double Bonus, four aces with a qualifying kicker card can pay 400 coins per coin bet.
What happens if I discard all five cards?
Discarding all five cards means you receive five completely new cards from the remaining deck. This is the correct play when you hold no pairs, no high cards, no three-card royal flush draws, and no straight or flush draws of value. It happens more often than most players expect.
How does Bonus Poker differ from standard Jacks or Better?
Bonus Poker pays a premium for four aces, four 2s, 3s, or 4s, and four 5s through Kings, each at different multipliers. The trade-off is a reduced two-pair payout. The base game mechanics and minimum hand requirement remain the same as Jacks or Better.
What is Double Double Bonus poker?
Double Double Bonus is a video poker variant that pays massively for four aces with a 2, 3, or 4 as the fifth card, returning 400 coins per coin bet at full pay. This creates significant bankroll swings in your session, and the peak payouts are among the highest in non-progressive video poker.
Can I play video poker for free before betting real money?
Reels of Joy is a real money casino platform. The games are designed for real money play. If you want to understand a new variant before committing funds, start with the lowest available denomination at max coins to minimise cost while learning the strategy chart.
Why does video poker have a lower house edge than pokies?
Video poker has a lower house edge than pokies because player decisions affect the outcome. The RTP figures published assume optimal strategy. A player using correct strategy realises close to the full RTP. Pokies have no decision layer, and their house edges are set independently of player input.
Does playing online poker differ from video poker?
Online poker is a player-versus-player card game where you compete against other people at a virtual table. Video poker is a machine game where you play against the paytable. There are no other players in video poker, no bluffing, and no betting rounds. The hand rankings overlap and the games are entirely different in structure.
