Why Play Jacks or Better
Video poker is among the most enjoyable and thrilling games one can play inside any casino. It is also one of the casino games, offering the highest payout to the players.
Jacks or Better video poker continues to offer some of the casino’s best odds. Its best version, the 9/6 game, has a 99.5 percent payback guarantee and is more beneficial for the player than any other casino game.
That is why if you are aiming for a maximum win, you should spend all your time & money on video poker instead of slots.
Jacks or Better video poker is unique in the sense that players could evaluate each game’s return. It is decided by the pay table that is shown on the game screen for any video poker version.
Pro video poker players may demonstrate substantial long-term gains once they calculate the advantages of frequent player rewards.
Such incentives are presented in brick and mortar casinos, such as exhibition cards, free lodging, complementary foods, and food and beverages.
Moreover, in the online world, all of these come in the form of cash prizes, special rewards, and VIP-only deals.
This article provides 9 tips to optimize returns when playing Jacks or Better video poker.
Basic Jacks-or-Better Video Poker Strategy
1. Always play max bets
The highest payoff for a royal flush is offered by the Jacks or Better poker machines. Whenever you play maximum coins, they give a bonus for a royal flush.
You may gamble around one and five coins each hand. However, if you hit a royal flush, you may only get the incentives once you played max, five coins per hand.
If the bet is too high, a machine with a lower bet limit is always available.
Whenever you play much less than the max number of coins, the house edge of the machine would increase.
The perfect machine for low budget players is a 9/6 pay table nickel machine. When you can’t locate one which suits your budget, then find another place to play.
Other casinos offer no high pay tables on machines with a lower limit, so be mindful of bad pay tables.
2. Make sure you are playing the true Jacks or Better game
In contemporary casinos, be it brick or mortar or online, there are countless different video poker games. For every one of these games, there’ll be different pay tables.
To win the best shot at Jacks or Better, you should choose the highest profit game.
Firstly, try to ensure the game is indeed a Jacks or Better game. When the pay table contains nine lines, it is indeed a Jacks or Better game.
Check the whole pay table. You just need to verify the five credit column, since the royal flush pay is always expected by playing five coins per hand.
Some casinos may change the pays, so be sure that:
- A royal flush payout is 4000 for 5 coins
- A straight flush payout is 250 for 5 coins
- A four-of-a-kind payout is 125 for 5 coins
- A full house payout is 45 for 5 coins
- A flush payout is 30 for 5 coins
- A straight payout is 20 for 5 coins
- A three-of-a-kind payout is 15 for 5 coins
- Two pairs payout is 10 for 5 coins
- A pair of jacks or better payout is 5 for 5 coins
That’s very significant. Reducing the payouts by one credit per credit while playing full house or flush decreases the game’s earnings by more than 1%.
In other words, with every reduction, the player will lose more than an extra dollar with each $100 played.
3. Look for the best Jacks or Better pay tables
Jacks or Better machines provide a broad range of pay diagrams. A unique long-term house edge is provided by each diagram.
The most popular Jacks or Better game offering a good return is 9/6. It means that the full house’s payout is 9 coins while 6 coins are for the flush.
You’re playing with a larger house edge whenever you see a pay table which provides less than one of these payouts. It allows the casino more cash per hand, which may easily add up.
4. Stay focused
If you lose your focus while playing the game, all the practice and strategies you learned over time will be of no value.
Seek to establish the very same schedule as you would while at home. Seek to maintain the same routine as at home.
Not enough sleep and altering your schedule drastically will affect your game performance.
Your gameplay level would decrease following hours of playing so do not play for too long.
It reduces your concentration.
So, it is highly recommended to take a rest at regular intervals.
5. Slow it down
Some of the aspects many players ignore are their estimated loss every hour. They tend to forget that one factor of losing is the number of hands they play per hour.
If you are quick, you could gamble hundreds of hands in an hour.
Take note, the more you play, the more chances of losing. Video poker machine is intended to maintain the house edge, as with most casino games.
You lose less per hour by just slowing down, plus you could still play more games, and boost your chance to win.
6. Sign up for the player’s club
When you’re not a member of the player club of a casino yet, register for it ASAP.
Using your card as a member provides additional bonus points for extended play, free meals or perhaps even cash. This reward applies directly to your video poker game.
Even an incentive of 0.1 percent may increase your net return by 0.1 percent.
Another advantage in using a player’s card is qualifying for the elite level of the Jacks or Better game.
This may include bonus points, free accommodation, free drinks, and other special deals, as you build up your play.
7. Do not spend more than your bankroll
Your poker bankroll needs to be money that you can lose, not the mortgage or the food budget. Don’t play if you can’t afford to risk your money.
It’s critically important that you don’t waste money and you can stop playing when you’re running low of it.
8. Be careful of progressive jackpot machines
The majority of casino games featuring a progressive jackpot are enticing because they offer a massive win for a small bet. The chance of winning a bonus is very appealing.
However, nearly all Jacks or Better machines linked to a progressive jackpot can be costly because of hidden charges.
These machines use unanimously poor tables.
The poor pay table gets more out of your funds on each hand while increasing the casino’s cash flow.
9. Do not drink while gambling
If you are drinking too much, your decision making will be affected. This can lead to poor results once you combine drinking with gambling.
Most casinos provide their players with free booze.
Alcohol causes people to play more and the effect of it will make you stay longer than you are supposed to.
This often leads a person not to stop playing at a certain time or to disregard the limits they set before the actual game.
