Jacks or Better Strategy

Bonus Poker strategy is very similar to Aces and Eights strategy. There are at least six different pay tables for Bonus Poker, with the most common one that you can find that is worth playing being the 8/5. The pay table for it is listed in the first column below.

As you can see, you need to avoid the last two pay tables like the plague. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't play table 4, 5 or 6. Any video poker machine that pays out less than 99% is just not worth the effort in my opinion. I would rather play baccarat, which is one of the most boring games available in a casino.

If you hold any of the following hands, do not draw any cards:

Royal flush

Straight flush

Full house

Flush (Unless you have 4 cards to a royal flush)

Straight (Unless you have 4 cards to a royal flush)

If you hold any of these hands, draw 1 card:

4 cards to a royal flush

4 of a kind

4 cards to a straight flush

2 pair

4 card flush with

4 card straight with at least 3 high cards

4 card open end straight

With these hands draw 2 cards:

3 of a kind

3 card royal flush

3 card straight flush

3 card straight with 3 high cards

Draw 3 cards with these hands:

1 pair

2 cards to a royal flush

2 high cards

If you have these hands draw 4 cards:

1 high card

Bonus poker is not as popular as it once was. Double Bonus Poker and Double Double Bonus Poker have become much more popular. It is easy to see why, with 9/6 Jacks or Better and Not So Ugly Deuces Wild both being readily available if you are willing to look for them. Both of these games are fairly easy to play at a basic strategy level and they both pay back a higher percentage than even the best Bonus Poker machines.