How to play Jacks or Better
Jacks or Better is the classic video poker game: five cards, one chance to swap, and a pair of Jacks or better is the smallest winning hand. These are play credits for fun. There’s no real money here, nothing to buy, and nothing to win except bragging rights.
A hand, step by step
- Bet 1 to 5 credits. Bet 1 raises the bet by one; Max bet bets 5 credits and deals straight away.
- Deal: you get five cards.
- Hold: tap the cards you want to keep. “HELD” appears under them. Tap again to let one go.
- Draw: the cards you didn’t hold are replaced. Your final hand is paid by the table at the top.
Winning hands, from best
- Royal Flush: A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit. Pays 4,000 when you bet 5 credits.
- Straight Flush: five in a row, one suit. Four of a Kind. Full House: three of a kind plus a pair.
- Flush: five of one suit. Straight: five in a row (the Ace can be high or low).
- Three of a Kind. Two Pair. Jacks or Better: a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces.
This is the “full-pay” 9/6 version: a Full House pays 9 and a Flush pays 6 for each credit bet.
Hints that are actually right
Tap Hint and the game checks all 32 ways to hold your five cards against every possible draw, then marks the best one and tells you what it’s worth on average. Turn on Coach me in the Menu and it does this after every deal, and tells you afterwards if a better hold was there.
Tips
- Always keep a paying pair (Jacks or better).
- Four cards to a Royal Flush are worth breaking up a made Flush or Straight.
- A low pair (like two 4s) is usually better than three cards to a Flush.
- Bet 5 credits: it’s the only way a Royal Flush pays the full 4,000.
Questions
Is this real gambling?
No. The credits are play credits with no cash value. You can’t buy more or cash them out; if you run out, you simply start over with 1,000.
Are the cards fair?
Yes. Every hand is dealt from a freshly shuffled 52-card deck, and the replacement cards come from the same deck. Nothing is adjusted to make you win or lose.
What return does this pay table give?
With perfect play, 9/6 Jacks or Better returns about 99.5% over the long run. That’s why it’s a favorite for learning strategy.
Will my credits be saved?
Yes, in this browser on this device.