Back
Video Poker Jackpots: Complete Guide | LeoVegas

Guide to Video Poker Jackpots

In video poker, jackpots are usually the top prize of the game. So, as is the rule in most forms of poker, a Royal Flush hand plays as the jackpot prize offering returns that far exceed the rewards for other hands.

Table of Content:

That’s not to say that online casinos haven’t unlocked some new forms of video poker jackpots. You need to understand the jackpots in video poker and how to win them in these classic games.

Understanding Video Poker

Video poker is a very straightforward game once you understand the aim. You need to make the best poker hand possible from two deals, between which you can hold whatever cards you want.

Each round of video poker usually only has one deck of cards in play, which is shuffled after each round. So, if you have an Ace of Hearts, you won’t be able to draw another one in the same round. However, to spice it up a bit, you’ll also find a few video poker variants that add some additional cards or rules to the game. A common one is the inclusion of a Joker or some form of Wild Card.

This can expand the paytable to offer wins that include the Wild Card, such as making five of a kind possible. The goal is still to make top-ranking poker hands, with video poker jackpots usually requiring you to hit a Royal Flush.

How Video Poker Works

You’ll set your bet in most casino games and then start the round. You’ll be dealt five cards. You choose to hold as many as you want from these cards or none before the second deal. After the second deal, you have your final hand, and it’s those five cards that you’ll want to combine into the strongest possible poker hand.

Some may offer a single-card bonus, especially if there’s a Joker, but otherwise, the paytable for video poker tends to follow this run, from lowest-paying to highest-paying. The examples show the card value followed by the suit (AS is Ace of Spades):

  • Two Pair: Two pairs of different values (2H, 2C, 5D, 5H)
  • Three of a Kind: Three of the same card value (KS, KC, KH)
  • Straight: Five cards of consecutive values (4H, 5H, 6C, 7D, 8S)
  • Flush: Five cards of the same suit (5S, 7S, 9S, QS, AS)
  • Full House: One pair and three of a kind (3H, 3S, 7S, 7C, 7D)
  • Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same value (AS, AH, AC, AD)
  • Straight Flush: Five cards of consecutive values and of the same suit (7D, 8D, 9D, 10D, JD)
  • Royal Flush: The five highest cards in the game of the same suit (10C, JC, QC, KC, AC)

As noted above, different game variants like Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, and Double Bonus Poker will have a few additional hands to make or include Wild Cards that help create winning hands.

Here’s how the core gameplay and sometimes the video poker jackpots differ in the main video poker games and variants.

1. Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better video poker adds an easier payout option to the base of the paytable. Under the Two Pair, you can now get a win from just a Jack Pair or better (QQ, KK, or AA). Wins tend to be small at 1x your bet, but a win is still a win. The inclusion of this additional payline usually won’t drop the jackpot for a Royal Flush of 4000 when playing at five coins per game.

2. Deuces Wild

In Deuces Wild, the twos (deuces) become Wild Cards. While this tends to erase the lower lines of the paytable – predominantly the Two Pair or Pair – the deuces can help any other payline as a Wild Card. You’ll also get some more paying combinations. You can win four Deuces and a Wild Royal Flush under the pure Royal Flush, which remains as the video poker jackpot.

3. Double Bonus Poker

A very popular form of online casino video poker, Double Bonus Poker offers increased returns for all forms of Four of a Kind, as well as an additional bump on four Aces payouts. Many also come with the Jacks or Better pays on Pairs, which only increases the chances to win. Even with this, the video poker jackpot prize with a Royal Flush still pays 250 for one-coin play or 4000 for five-coin play.

4. Joker Poker

Played with one deck that’s reshuffled after every round, Jokers have been added to the deck in Joker Poker to play as the Wild Cards. These can help create any of the standard paylines, bar the Royal Flush, which has to be a pure Royal Flush. However, the Wild Cards allow for some special paylines. You can get a Wild Royal Flush and Five of a Kind now.

Video Poker Jackpots

The Basics of Video Poker Jackpots

The basics of playing video poker with jackpots are that you need to get a Royal Flush in just about every variant. Whether it’s Joker Poker or Double Bonus Poker, you’ll be looking to align Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suit. Due to this, many opt to hold when they land two of these cards on the opening deal.

Progressive vs. Fixed Jackpots

Video poker jackpots are a form of fixed jackpot. The expected return will rise if you increase the maximum number of coins and bet size, but the rate will remain the same. For the Royal Flush jackpot, it tends to be 250 for one-coin games and 4000 for five-coin games. This doesn't make them progressive jackpots as they do not increase with every bet placed.

Exploring Bonus Features in Video Poker Machines

Video poker jackpots in the most popular games remain fixed, however, this doesn’t mean that there are no big prizes to be won between your first hand and the winner of a potential Royal Flush jackpot.

In variant, forms of video poker like Double Bonus Poker (or Triple Double Bonus Poker), bonus features offer more pay. In this game variation, for example, Four of a Kind variations pay more, while in Joker Poker, the Joker card acts like a Wild bonus feature. The smash-hit Jacks or Better adds another baseline pay for a Pair of Jacks or better.

Hitting the Royal Flush: The Ultimate Jackpot

In the end, the only thing that matters when it comes to video poker jackpots is the Royal Flush. It’s a high-paying jackpot for a reason. You have a 1:649,740 chance of getting a Royal Flush from the very first deal. If you get an encouraging two card potential Royal Flush from the deal and hold them, you then have a 1:16,215 shot at completing the set and landing the mother of all video poker jackpots.

Strategies for Maximizing Jackpot Potential

Bankroll Management

Video poker is completely randomized: regardless of how much you pay in, it won’t increase your chances of drawing or holding to get a Royal Flush. So, to have a better chance of eventually landing a Royal Flush, you’ll want to stick to a good strategy of bankroll management. For many video poker online, this will be a case of playing the same size bet and coin count on every hand. Note, it’s always best to play the full five-coin game.

Optimal Card Discarding Techniques

As a general rule, on the initial deal, you should always hold all of your cards if you have a Full House or better. The Flush can raise question marks if you’re eyeing up a potential Royal Flush or even a Full House, but it’s usually safer to stay put. Due to the return rate, sometimes it’s better to discard a pair or even two pair if none of your cards are of the Royal Flush variety and they don’t lend themselves to a Flush or Straight.

Understanding Pay Tables and Payouts

The video poker pay tables show the ranking and essentially, the probability of each winning hand. They will have Royal Flush at the top and Two Pair, Jacks, or Better at the base. The numbers reflect the multiple of your coin value that a win will return. The columns represent the return on each coin count. So, if you increase the coins to move along the columns to higher potential payouts, the numbers in the column are how much your coin value is multiplied by if you get that hand.

Betting Strategies for Video Poker Jackpots

The best betting strategy for online video poker games with jackpots is to play five coins in each game, adjust the coin value so that it’s within your limits, and hold to a high limit room that bet size for the duration of your play.

Video Poker Jackpot FAQs

What is a video poker jackpot?

A video poker jackpot is the top prize of money that can be won in a game of video poker, usually won by hitting a Royal Flush.

How do progressive jackpots work in video poker?

If there is a progressive jackpot tied to a video poker game, it will draw a small amount from each bet to add to a prize pool. The building jackpot will continue to increase until won and that happens either by being randomly triggered or will be the prize for hitting a Royal Flush.

Are video poker jackpots more likely to hit at certain times?

Video poker jackpots are not more likely to hit at many casinos at certain times: they are completely randomized at playing online video poker casinos.

Can you improve your chances of hitting a video poker jackpot?

You can only improve your chances of hitting a video poker machine jackpot by holding the right cards from your initial gambling deal.

Read more about jackpots in our guides: