Video Poker Strategy

Below is a proper basic strategy chart for a video poker machine with a minimum payout for a pair of Kings or better which pays 7 coins for a full house and 5 coins for a flush with a Joker wild card. The Expected Value column on the right is the mathematically computed number that represents what you can expect to win in the long run based on the initial five cards dealt when playing five coins. Players should always choose the highest expected value for every hand and draw replacement cards accordingly.

Cards Held

Discard

Hand

Expected Value

5

0

Royal Flush

4000.00

5

0

Straight Flush

250.00

4

1

4 of a Kind

118.75

4

1

4 Card Royal

99.48

5

0

Full House

35.00

5

0

Flush

25.00

4

1

4 Card Straight Flush - open both ends

20.83

3

2

3 of a Kind

19.68

4

1

4 Card Straight Flush - inside draw

15.21

5

0

Straight

15.00

4

1

Two Pairs

8.12

3

2

3 Card Royal

7.21

2

3

Pair of Aces or Kings

7.00

4

1

4 Card Flush

5.21

2

3

Low Pair - Two through Ten

3.66

3

2

3 Card Straight Flush - open both ends

3.61

4

1

Ten, Jack, Queen and King any suit

3.12

2

3

Ace and King of same suit

2.85

4

1

4 Card Straight - non sequential order

2.81

2

3

2 Card Royal

2.31

1

4

Ace or King

2.23

0

5

Nothing

1.65

Strategy with Starting Joker

Hand

Expected Value

5

0

Five of a Kind

1000.00

5

0

Royal Flush with Joker

500.00

5

0

Straight Flush

250.00

4

1

4 of a Kind

118.75

5

0

Full House

35.00

4

1

4 Card Royal with Joker

30.73

4

1

4 Card Straight Flush - open both ends

29.69

5

0

Flush

25.00

3

2

3 of a Kind

19.68

4

1

4 Card Straight Flush - inside draw

18.65

5

0

Straight

15.00

3

2

2 Card Royal Flush with Joker

10.25

4

1

4 Card Flush - high cards

10.10

3

2

King-9 of same suit with Joker

9.03

3

2

Ace-2, Ace-3, Ace-4, Ace-5 same suit with Joker

9.03

2

3

Ace with Joker

8.57

2

3

Ace with Joker

8.53

4

1

4 Card Flush - no high cards

7.71

4

1

4 Card Straight - non sequential order with Joker

7.60

2

3

Six, Seven or Eight with Joker

7.38

2

3

Ten with Joker

7.36

2

3

Five with Joker

7.35

2

3

Nine with Joker

7.27

1

4

Joker Only

7.18