Return for Different Variations of Video Poker
The tables below give the overall return for different
variations of video poker.
Note: these returns are calculated assuming optimal play (you choose
the best possible discard for every hand dealt). They also assume the machines
deal fairly, an underlying -- but rarely discussed -- assumption of all
writers on video poker strategies. For an explanation of how these returns
were calculated, click
here.
Video poker's high jackpots mean that, unless you play thousands and
thousands of hours, your actual return can be significantly different than
the average returns given here. I have written a Java-based "gambler's
ruin" calculator that you can play with if you want to get a feel for
this.
Using these tables. New types of video poker machines spring
up every day. I am having a hard time keeping track of all of them (especially
since this is just a hobby, not a job). Fortunately, you can often use
these tables to guess the expected return for a new variation you encounter.
For example, I recently came across a variation of Double Bonus: it changes
the payoff on the Full House from 10:1 to 9:1. It doesn't sound like much,
does it? But look at the Double Bonus
table: full houses account for 11.18% of your expected return. By reducing
it by 10% (10:1 to 9:1), the casino is pocketing about 1.12% extra on each
machine. This will give the machine roughly a 99% return -- not a rip-off,
but below my personal threshold. It may be possible to get a fraction of
this back by modifying your strategy, but a rule of thumb is that strategy
modifications are at least an order of magnitude less than payoff modifications.
Table of Contents
-
Jacks-or-better Machines
-
Tens-or-better Machines
-
"Bonus Poker" Machines
-
Joker Wild Machines
-
Deuces Wild Machines
-
Deuces/Joker Wild Machines
Last modified February 28, 1998.
For near-optimal strategies for some of these machines, return to Jeff
Lotspiech's Video Poker Page.
9/6 Jacks-or-better; 4700 Royal
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4700 |
2.46% |
1 in 38078 |
| Straight flush |
250 |
0.55% |
1 in 9019 |
| Four of a kind |
125 |
5.89% |
1 in 424 |
| Full house |
45 |
10.35% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
30 |
6.63% |
1 in 90 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.51% |
1 in 89 |
| Three of a kind |
15 |
22.30% |
1 in 13 |
| Two pair |
10 |
25.83% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or better |
5 |
21.35% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.90% |
|
9/6 Jacks-or-better
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.98% |
1 in 40391 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.54% |
1 in 9148 |
| Four of a Kind |
125 |
5.90% |
1 in 423 |
| Full House |
45 |
10.36% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
30 |
6.60% |
1 in 91 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.49% |
1 in 89 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
22.33% |
1 in 13 |
| Two Pair |
10 |
25.85% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
21.45% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.54% |
8/5 Jacks-or-better
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.99% |
1 in 40170 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.53% |
1 in 9288 |
| Four of a Kind |
125 |
5.90% |
1 in 423 |
| Full House |
40 |
9.21% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
25 |
5.45% |
1 in 92 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.49% |
1 in 89 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
22.33% |
1 in 13 |
| Two Pair |
10 |
25.85% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
21.50% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
97.29% |
10/6 Jacks-or-better
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.98% |
1 in 40391 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.54% |
1 in 9148 |
| Four of a Kind |
125 |
5.90% |
1 in 423 |
| Full House |
50 |
11.51% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
30 |
6.60% |
1 in 91 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.49% |
1 in 89 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
22.33% |
1 in 13 |
| Two Pair |
10 |
25.85% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
21.45% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
100.69% |
|
9/7 Jacks-or-better
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.67% |
1 in 47862 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.55% |
1 in 9067 |
| Four of a Kind |
125 |
5.86% |
1 in 426 |
| Full House |
45 |
10.26% |
1 in 88 |
| Flush |
35 |
10.28% |
1 in 68 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.37% |
1 in 92 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
22.04% |
1 in 14 |
| Two Pair |
10 |
25.49% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
20.25% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.7 |
| TOTAL |
|
100.8% |
Tens-or-better
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
2.05% |
1 in 38937 |
| Straight flush |
250 |
0.51% |
1 in 9726 |
| Four of a kind |
125 |
5.89% |
1 in 424 |
| Full house |
30 |
6.89% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
25 |
5.32% |
1 in 94 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.94% |
1 in 81 |
| Three of a kind |
15 |
22.27% |
1 in 13 |
| Two pair |
10 |
25.80% |
1 in 8 |
| Tens or better |
5 |
25.42% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.9 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.13% |
|
Bonus Poker
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.98% |
1 in 40233 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.53% |
1 in 9360 |
| Four Aces |
400 |
1.56% |
1 in 5106 |
| Four 2's,3's,4's |
200 |
2.10% |
1 in 1897 |
| Four 5's-K's |
125 |
4.09% |
1 in 610 |
| Full House |
40 |
9.21% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
25 |
5.44% |
1 in 92 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.48% |
1 in 89 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
22.34% |
1 in 13 |
| Two Pair |
10 |
25.86% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
21.52% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.16% |
|
Double Bonus
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.66% |
1 in 48048 |
| Four Aces |
800 |
3.18% |
1 in 5030 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.56% |
1 in 8841 |
| Four of a Kind (5-K) |
250 |
8.03% |
1 in 622 |
| Four of a Kind (2-4) |
400 |
4.19% |
1 in 1908 |
| Full House |
50 |
11.18% |
1 in 89 |
| Flush |
35 |
10.46% |
1 in 67 |
| Straight |
25 |
7.50% |
1 in 67 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
21.65% |
1 in 14 |
| Two Pair |
5 |
12.46% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
19.23% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.7 |
| TOTAL |
|
100.17% |
|
Bonus Deluxe
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.90% |
1 in 42077 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.54% |
1 in 9173 |
| Four of a Kind |
400 |
18.87% |
1 in 424 |
| Full House |
40 |
9.18% |
1 in 87 |
| Flush |
30 |
6.67% |
1 in 90 |
| Straight |
20 |
5.13% |
1 in 78 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
22.21% |
1 in 14 |
| Two Pair |
5 |
12.83% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
21.12% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
98.49% |
|
High Fives
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.98% |
1 in 40231 |
| Four Fives |
500 |
1.86% |
1 in 5352 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
0.54% |
1 in 9250 |
| Four of a Kind |
125 |
4.14% |
1 in 604 |
| Four of a Kind |
125 |
1.31% |
1 in 1899 |
| Full House |
35 |
7.99% |
1 in 88 |
| Flush |
25 |
5.36% |
1 in 93 |
| Three Fives |
25 |
2.83% |
1 in 176 |
| Straight |
20 |
4.51% |
1 in 89 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
15.99% |
1 in 19 |
| Three of a Kind |
15 |
4.70% |
1 in 64 |
| Two Pair |
10 |
25.88% |
1 in 8 |
| Jacks or Better |
5 |
21.40% |
1 in 5 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
98.56% |
|
Full Pay Deuces Wild
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.76% |
1 in 45282 |
| Four Deuces |
1000 |
4.07% |
1 in 4909 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
125 |
4.48% |
1 in 557 |
| Five of a Kind |
75 |
4.80% |
1 in 312 |
| Straight Flush |
45 |
3.70% |
1 in 243 |
| Four of a Kind |
25 |
32.46% |
1 in 15 |
| Full House |
15 |
6.36% |
1 in 47 |
| Flush |
10 |
3.33% |
1 in 60 |
| Straight |
10 |
11.29% |
1 in 18 |
| Three of a Kind |
5 |
28.45% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
100.76% |
|
Deuces Wild (4:1 for Four of a Kind)
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
5000 |
2.42% |
1 in 41251 |
| Four Deuces |
1000 |
3.73% |
1 in 5359 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
125 |
4.87% |
1 in 513 |
| Five of a Kind |
75 |
4.67% |
1 in 321 |
| Straight Flush |
45 |
4.41% |
1 in 204 |
| Four of a Kind |
20 |
24.45% |
1 in 16 |
| Full House |
20 |
10.47% |
1 in 38 |
| Flush |
15 |
6.20% |
1 in 48 |
| Straight |
10 |
11.38% |
1 in 18 |
| Three of a Kind |
5 |
26.75% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.7 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.38% |
|
Double Deuces (2500 for Four Deuces)
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.76% |
1 in 45311 |
| Four Deuces |
2500 |
10.63% |
1 in 4702 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
125 |
4.24% |
1 in 589 |
| Five of a Kind |
85 |
5.39% |
1 in 315 |
| Straight Flush |
50 |
4.34% |
1 in 230 |
| Four of a Kind |
20 |
26.04% |
1 in 15 |
| Full House |
15 |
6.34% |
1 in 47 |
| Flush |
10 |
3.29% |
1 in 61 |
| Straight |
10 |
11.06% |
1 in 18 |
| Three of a Kind |
5 |
28.47% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
101.60% |
|
Double Deuces
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.78% |
1 in 44920 |
| Four Deuces |
2000 |
8.37% |
1 in 4779 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
125 |
4.39% |
1 in 569 |
| Five of a Kind |
80 |
5.03% |
1 in 318 |
| Straight Flush |
55 |
5.02% |
1 in 219 |
| Four of a Kind |
20 |
25.93% |
1 in 15 |
| Full House |
15 |
6.31% |
1 in 48 |
| Flush |
10 |
3.35% |
1 in 60 |
| Straight |
10 |
11.15% |
1 in 18 |
| Three of a Kind |
5 |
28.32% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.70% |
|
Loose Deuces
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.78% |
1 in 44763 |
| Four Deuces |
2500 |
10.69% |
1 in 4674 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
125 |
4.28% |
1 in 583 |
| Five of a Kind |
60 |
3.81% |
1 in 315 |
| Straight Flush |
40 |
3.13% |
1 in 255 |
| Four of a Kind |
20 |
26.12% |
1 in 15 |
| Full House |
15 |
6.35% |
1 in 47 |
| Flush |
10 |
3.28% |
1 in 61 |
| Straight |
10 |
11.21% |
1 in 18 |
| Three of a Kind |
5 |
28.49% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.8 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.19% |
|
Kings-or-better Jokers Wild (Full Pay)
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.94% |
1 in 41214 |
| Five of a Kind |
1000 |
1.86% |
1 in 10713 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
500 |
1.04% |
1 in 9611 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
2.87% |
1 in 1740 |
| Four of a Kind |
100 |
17.11% |
1 in 117 |
| Full House |
35 |
10.97% |
1 in 64 |
| Flush |
25 |
7.78% |
1 in 64 |
| Straight |
15 |
4.97% |
1 in 60 |
| Three of a Kind |
10 |
26.78% |
1 in 7 |
| Two Pair |
5 |
11.08% |
1 in 9 |
| Kings or Better |
5 |
14.19% |
1 in 7 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.7 |
| TOTAL |
|
100.64% |
|
Kings-or-better Jokers Wild (Full Pay, 4700 Royal)
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Royal Flush |
4700 |
2.43% |
1 in 38614 |
| Five of a Kind |
1000 |
1.86% |
1 in 10725 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
500 |
1.08% |
1 in 9246 |
| Straight Flush |
250 |
2.87% |
1 in 1739 |
| Four of a Kind |
100 |
17.08% |
1 in 117 |
| Full House |
35 |
10.96% |
1 in 64 |
| Flush |
25 |
7.87% |
1 in 63 |
| Straight |
15 |
4.98% |
1 in 60 |
| Three of a Kind |
10 |
26.73% |
1 in 7 |
| Two Pair |
5 |
11.07% |
1 in 9 |
| Kings or Better |
5 |
14.02% |
1 in 7 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 1.7 |
| TOTAL |
|
101.01% |
|
Five Wild Cards
| HAND |
PAYS |
RETURN |
FREQUENCY |
| Five Wild Cards |
10000 |
1.54% |
1 in 129801 |
| Royal Flush |
4000 |
1.58% |
1 in 50516 |
| Four Deuces |
125 |
0.37% |
1 in 6754 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
60 |
3.06% |
1 in 391 |
| Five of a Kind |
45 |
5.17% |
1 in 174 |
| Straight Flush |
30 |
4.48% |
1 in 134 |
| Four of a Kind |
15 |
24.37% |
1 in 12 |
| Full House |
15 |
7.98% |
1 in 38 |
| Flush |
15 |
8.72% |
1 in 34 |
| Straight |
10 |
13.22% |
1 in 15 |
| Three of a Kind |
5 |
28.47% |
1 in 4 |
| Loss |
|
|
1 in 2 |
| TOTAL |
|
99.00% |
|