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Video Poker Pay Tables: How to Spot the UK Games That Actually Pay Out

A tiny change in the payout for a full house or flush can slash your returns by over one percent.

Video Poker Strategy7 min readUpdated 13 July 2026
Quick answer

Video poker pay tables directly determine the game's Return to Player (RTP). For example, a 9/6 Jacks or Better game pays 9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush, yielding a 99.54% RTP. An 8/5 version reduces this to 97.30%. Always check the pay table before playing to ensure you get the highest potential return.

Reviewed by the SlotRigor Editorial TeamLast updated 13 July 2026

Key takeaways

  • Pay tables are the sole determinant of a video poker game's mathematical Return to Player when using perfect strategy.
  • The numbers in 9/6 Jacks or Better refer to the coin payouts for a Full House and a Flush on a single-coin bet.
  • Playing a short-pay game like 8/5 Jacks or Better instead of 9/6 lowers your expected return by more than two percent.
  • Always play the maximum five coins to activate the bonus payout for a Royal Flush, which boosts the overall RTP.
  • Changing the pay table changes the optimal strategy, meaning you must adjust which cards you hold based on the payouts.

Most UK casino players assume that all video poker games of the same name are identical. If you load up Jacks or Better at two different UKGC-licensed online casinos, you might expect the same odds. This is a costly mistake. Software providers allow operators to choose from different pay tables, altering the house edge significantly without changing the game's visual design.

Video poker is one of the few casino games where the player can calculate the exact mathematical return just by looking at the screen. Unlike slot machines, where the RTP is hidden deep in the help files, video poker displays its math right on the pay table. By learning how to read these numbers, you can easily avoid low-paying variants that drain your bankroll.

In the UK online market, you will encounter various versions of classic games like Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and Joker Poker. Knowing how to spot a full-pay table versus a short-pay table is the single most important skill you can develop. It directly impacts your long-term results and dictates how you should play your hands.

What Do the Numbers in 9/6 or 8/5 Actually Mean?

When experienced players talk about video poker, they often throw around shorthand terms like 9/6, 8/6, or 7/5. These numbers represent the payouts for the Full House and the Flush when playing a single coin. In a standard Jacks or Better game, the payouts for other hands like a Royal Flush, Four of a Kind, and Three of a Kind usually remain constant. The operator adjusts the house edge by tweaking the payouts for these two common mid-tier hands.

  • Full House Payout: The first number in the ratio, showing the coin return for a five-card hand containing three of one value and two of another.
  • Flush Payout: The second number in the ratio, representing the payout when all five cards are of the same suit.
  • Short Pay Games: Any variant where these numbers are reduced, such as 9/5, 8/6, 8/5, or even 7/5, which severely hurts your odds.

The Mathematical Impact on Your Bankroll

The shift from a 9/6 pay table to an 8/5 pay table is not just a nominal change. It represents a dramatic drop in theoretical Return to Player. A standard 9/6 Jacks or Better game offers an RTP of 99.54% when played with perfect strategy. This makes it one of the most generous games in any UK casino.

  • 9/6 Jacks or Better: Generates a 99.54% RTP, leaving a house edge of just 0.46%.
  • 9/5 Jacks or Better: Drops the RTP to 98.45%, which is still decent but inferior to full-pay.
  • 8/5 Jacks or Better: Lowers the RTP to 97.30%, drastically increasing the speed at which you lose your bankroll.

Why You Must Always Bet Five Coins

Looking at the pay table also reveals why betting the maximum of five coins is essential in video poker. If you look at the column for a one-coin bet, a Royal Flush typically pays 250 coins. This scales proportionally to 500 for two coins, 750 for three coins, and 1,000 for four coins. However, when you bet five coins, the payout for a Royal Flush jumps to 4,000 coins rather than the expected 1,250. This bonus payout is a crucial component of the game's overall RTP. If you play only one coin per hand, you lose out on this disproportionate reward, which slashes your theoretical return by about 1.4%, even on a full-pay machine.

  • The Royal Flush Bonus: A massive jump from 1,000 to 4,000 coins that only activates when the fifth coin is wagered.
  • Adjusting Coin Denomination: If five coins is too expensive, drop down to a lower coin value rather than playing fewer coins.

How Pay Tables Rewrite Your Strategy

A common misconception is that you can use the exact same strategy card for every video poker game. In reality, the pay table dictates the mathematically correct move for every possible hand combination. When the payout for a Flush drops, the value of holding a partial flush also decreases. For instance, in a 9/6 Jacks or Better game, holding a four-card flush is almost always the correct move over holding a low pair. However, if you are playing a short-pay 7/5 game, the reduced payout for a flush means you should sometimes favour the low pair instead. The math shifts because the reward for hitting the flush no longer justifies the risk of discarding a potential three of a kind or full house.

  • Flush Draw Value: High-paying flush tables encourage you to draw for flushes more aggressively.
  • Low Pair Priority: On low-paying tables, keeping a pair that can improve to three of a kind becomes a safer, more viable option.

Spotting Bad Pay Tables at UK Online Casinos

UKGC-regulated online casinos must display the RTP of their games in the help files, but they are not required to highlight bad pay tables on the main game screen. Many modern software providers offer multi-hand video poker where the default pay table is quietly downgraded to offset the excitement of playing multiple hands at once. Before you click deal, take five seconds to look at the pay table on your screen. Look specifically at the single-coin column for the Full House and Flush. If you see numbers lower than 9 and 6 for Jacks or Better, or lower than 15 and 10 for Deuces Wild, you are looking at a substandard game.

  • Multi-Hand Trap: Multi-hand variants often carry worse pay tables than single-hand versions of the same game.
  • Progressive Jackpot Cost: Progressive games often fund their jackpots by taking value away from the standard pay table.

Comparing UK Jacks or Better Pay Tables and RTP

This table demonstrates how changing the payouts for the Full House and Flush directly impacts the overall Return to Player.

Pay Table TypeFull House PayoutFlush PayoutTheoretical RTPHouse Edge
9/6 (Full-Pay)9 to 16 to 199.54%0.46%
9/5 (Short-Pay)9 to 15 to 198.45%1.55%
8/6 (Short-Pay)8 to 16 to 198.39%1.61%
8/5 (Short-Pay)8 to 15 to 197.30%2.70%
7/5 (Very Low)7 to 15 to 196.15%3.85%
6/5 (Avoid)6 to 15 to 195.00%5.00%

Video Poker Pay Table Frequently Asked Questions

Can an online casino in the UK change the pay table mid-game?

No, UKGC regulations strictly prohibit operators from altering a game's pay table or RTP while a session is active. Any change to the game configuration requires reloading the software, and the active pay table must always be visible on screen.

Is a 9/6 pay table always the best option for video poker?

For Jacks or Better, 9/6 is the gold standard for full-pay games. However, other variants like Deuces Wild or Double Bonus use entirely different pay tables where different target numbers represent the best possible return.

Why do some UK casinos only offer 8/5 or 7/5 games?

Casinos offer lower pay tables to increase their profit margins. Because many players do not know how to read pay tables, operators can offer lower RTP games without losing casual customers who do not notice the difference.

Does playing on a mobile phone change the pay table?

No, the pay table is determined by the specific game variant and operator settings, not your device. The mobile version of a game will have the exact same pay table and RTP as the desktop version at that specific casino.

How do progressive jackpot video poker pay tables compare?

Progressive games almost always feature downgraded flat pay tables, such as 8/5 or 7/5. The overall RTP only reaches competitive levels when the progressive jackpot climbs to a very high, specific financial threshold.

Related Guides

For more expert insights into mastering casino card games and understanding mathematical returns, explore our collection of detailed guides.

UK Casino Games Ranked by House Edge

Decoding High RTP Slots: What Published UK Payout Percentages Actually Mean

How Progressive Jackpot Seeds and Odds Work

The Easiest Casino Games to Learn Ranked by Complexity

The Mathematics of Winning: Lowest House Edge Games in UK Casinos

How Demo and Free-Play Casino Games Work Under UKGC Rules

Please play responsibly. You must be 18 years or older to gamble online in the United Kingdom. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling-related issues, support and advice are available at BeGambleAware.org or by contacting GamCare.

Last updated 13 July 2026