If you walk through a casino and observe the video poker machines, you will likely see dozens of players mindlessly slapping the “Draw” button as fast as they can.

If you learn the optimal strategy, Video Poker transforms from a predatory casino trap into one of the most mathematically fair games on the entire casino floor.

Prepare to stop guessing and start playing the math.
Step 1: Finding the “Full Pay” 9/6 Machine
The casino secretly alters their House Edge by changing the payouts on only two specific hands: the Full House and the Flush.

If you play a 9/6 machine with perfect mathematical strategy, the overall Return to Player (RTP) is an incredibly high 99.54%.

However, casinos are greedy. They will frequently place “Short Pay” machines (like an 8/5 or a 7/5 machine) right next to the good ones.

If the casino does not offer 9/6 Jacks or Better, the correct strategy is to turn around and walk out the door.
Why You Must Always Play 5 Coins
Once you find a 9/6 machine, you must adhere to the second unbreakable rule of Video Poker: you must ALWAYS play the maximum number of coins allowed (usually 5 coins).

If you bet 1 coin, a Royal Flush pays 250 coins. But if you bet the maximum 5 coins, the Royal Flush payout jumps massively to 4,000 coins (instead of the mathematically linear 1,250).

If betting 5 coins on a $1 machine ($5 a hand) is too expensive for your bankroll, do not drop down to betting 1 coin.

Playing less than maximum coins instantly turns a beatable game into a terrible mathematical trap.
The Cheat Sheet: What to Hold and What to Fold
The golden rule is: always play the hand that has the highest Expected Value, even if it means throwing away a guaranteed winning hand to chase a bigger one.

For example, if you are dealt a High Pair (e.g., two Jacks, a guaranteed 5-coin payout) BUT you also have 4 cards to a Royal Flush (e.g., J, Q, K, A of Hearts), what do you do?

The payout for a standard Flush (30 coins) is not large enough to justify throwing away the guaranteed payout and the chance to draw Three of a Kind or Four of a Kind.

In Video Poker, you are not trying to beat a dealer; you are purely trying to make the absolute best poker hand possible, and throwing away useless kickers maximizes your drawing power.
The Order of Operations (From Highest EV to Lowest)

Guaranteed Massive Wins: Take your hands off the buttons and make sure you don’t accidentally discard a card.

1. 4 Cards to a Royal Flush: The only hand powerful enough to make you break a guaranteed winner. If you have a High Pair and 4 to a Royal, dump the pair.
2. Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind: Hold all of these guaranteed winning hands. DO NOT break a Flush or Straight to chase a Royal.
3. 4 Cards to a Straight Flush: Hold these. The payout for a Straight Flush (250 coins) justifies the risk. The Workhorse: Two Pair pays 10 coins. It keeps your bankroll afloat while you wait for the massive hands.
4. High Pair (Jacks, Queens, Kings, Aces): Hold the pair. Throw away everything else (including an open-ended straight draw). Color Hunting: A solid, reliable draw that pays 30 coins.
5. Low Pair (2s through 10s): Hold the pair. Throw away everything else (including a single High Card). Do NOT hold a kicker. Never Chase the Gutshot: Drawing to an inside straight is one of the most expensive amateur mistakes in the game. Accepting the Loss: Sometimes the best play is to simply reset the board completely.

The Math of the 9/6 Paytable (For a 5-Coin Bet)

Winning HandThe Payout (5 Coins Bet)The Mathematical Frequency The JackpotPays the rent.Do not expect it, but always draw for it when mathematically correct. The Backup JackpotOften saves a losing session.A great result. The Session SaverA solid, reliable winner.This is what you are truly hunting when you hold a Low Pair. The BoatThis must pay 9 per coin, or the machine is a rip-off.A frequent, highly profitable hand. The FlushThe second critical metric of the paytable.The math demands 6 to 1. The Survival HandThe reason the game is called “Jacks or Better.“Without this 5-coin refund, your bankroll would vanish in minutes.

You are essentially reducing the casino’s massive, imposing fortress to a tiny 0.46% mathematical sliver.

If you master the math, Video Poker will provide you with thousands of hours of high-EV entertainment.