Most Jacks or Better machines are known as full-pay machines and 9/6 machines.

I have been in the gambling industry for quite awhile now and have come across many players who are constantly fooled by the term full- pay. Full pay doesn’t mean that you will be returned the full 100% of your money (wouldn’t that be good?).

No, it merely means that you (the player) are getting the highest standard pay table for a specific machine. Keep in mind that we have already learned, that 9/6 full-pay machines only return 99.5%…to expert players that is!

As a Video Poker player myself, I strongly suggest that all players observe the jacks or Better pay table. It is of most importance to pay close attention to the full house and flush section, since these are the sections where a player can win big! A full pay machine is one that always returns 9 coins on a full house and 6 coins on the flush (this is where the 9/6 machine term comes in).

Now we get to the 8/5 machines. Well, I personally don’t recommend this machine to any player. A video Poker player, who plays at an 8/5 machine, can never expect more 97.3% return back (when played expertly).

Note: This change may seem little, but over the long run, it’s an enormous loss! I’ve experienced it myself, not once, not twice, but many times, so I talk out of personal experience. The player actually ends up giving the casino 2.7% of his money. This is the reason, why I strongly recommend that all Video Poker players go in search of 9/6 machines!

I guess that by now you have gathered that every coin counts and makes the biggest difference. And we have learned that even as little as 0.5% difference in a payout makes the biggest difference…especially, if you playing over the long run.

We know that the 9/6 full-pay machine versions have a payback of 99.54% with expert mode. Sounds good huh? Sorry, but things get worse!

If you were to play one coin less, the payout ratio will drop to a 97.30% (8/5 machine). That’s a total of 2.70% drop in payback. Well, a better way of understanding it, is imagining how much money you will lose after playing at such a machine for a couple of hours…

Well, guess what? It can get even worse than that!

Now days, casino floors are flooded with 7/5(96.15%) and 6/5(95%) machines!

This chart should improve your understanding and help you understand the concept of the different full-pay machines of Jacks or Better:

Once the player gets to know his pay tables he has the choice of what machine he will choose is rather obvious. Any player will automatically play the game that gives them a greater pay for the hand.

The following chart demonstrates the essential info on Jacks or Better machines:

So…still hungry for some more?

Let’s not dwell on the same machine for the rest of the article…there are different kinds of full play machines you know?

“Deuces Wild machine”

Well, the Deuces Wild machine is little more complicated than the standard (Jacks or better) machine. The reason for this is its complex strategy. However, it contains a greater advantage than any other Video Poker machine…It is a positive expectation. If the player is clever enough in choosing the correct machine, he can be lucky enough to get a 100% payback or more!

I think its time for a little experiment…

Let us compare two Deuces Wild machine:

First question: Which one of the two machines, would you choose to play at?

Possible answer: Number 2, right? I mean; you only end up sacrificing one coin on the Four of a kind; however you end up benefiting big-time on the Straight flush and five of a kind, which is loaded with payouts.

The correct answer: My friends…forget about it! You are about to fall in a trap that nearly every amateur Video Poker player makes!

You see; machine 1 is a classic full-pay machine, returning an immense 100.76% to the player with expert play; where machine 2 (attractive looking pay table) is a Deuces Wild variation. This kind of machine returns a lousy 97.08%!

Why the big divergence?

As I’ve said before…one little coin, makes the biggest difference in a Video Poker game!

The problem lies by the one coin on the four of a kind.

In the Deuces Wild game, the average player will come across many four of kinds…on average at least once out of every 15. In full-pay Deuces, the four of a kind accounts for a huge 32% of the player’s total return; where on machine 2, only 25% is returned!

The increased payouts on the less frequent straight flush and five of a kind just do not pick up the slack.

Picking the Right Machines
Now we understand that every coin paid out is risky and every distinct pay table guarantees its own examination.

1). As a player, you should always be cautious of cuts to the payoffs for the more common hands. Though jackpots for high hands are very tempting, they might not be enough to offset even the most seemingly inoffensive dent in your lower payoffs.

2). Casinos do not have reservations in setting payoffs certain hands lower than the standard full pay and the change can come somewhere at the pay table. Therefore pay attention to what is written in front of you.

3). I have often come across players, which are attracted by the game’s name. Yes…Unfortunately, it happens… Amateurs usually tend to play machines with extravagant names such as Bonus Poker Deluxe or Double Double Bonus; and to their surprise... end up losing! Bonus Poker Deluxe only pays back a lousy 98.5% and Double Bonus pays out much more than what double Double Bonus does!

4). Another general rule I like to keep at hand is that, as a player…you should always make an effort to find the correct machine to play at. We have learned in the previous pages…one Jacks or Better game, may vary from the next. One often comes across folks who rather play at 8/5 Jacks or Better machines that offer full-pay (although without a progressive). The quality of the games usually vary from area to area and one will even notice that some casinos, only have one kind of Joker Wild or Jacks or Better, while another only has full-pay Deuces Wild

5). As a general rule, you should always try avoiding new machines. I mean…they tend to have greater looks and perhaps higher-end jackpots, but the entertainment value usually conceals a lower payback. That is why one usually finds Video Poker pros at old machines…true machines. Another important aspect to keep in mind is that as a player at a new machine, you will not know the proper strategy for the machine. An extra word of advice…know your machine…know your strategy.
We now, unfortunately have reached the end…I hope that many of you have finally learned and finally understood the main concept and game play of Video Poker.