# Video Poker — Quick Reference

## How it works

In the stated no-wild-card Jacks or Better model, choose which of five dealt cards to hold. Replacements come from the other 47 cards; discarded cards stay out of that draw. Read the actual deck, payout and feature rules before applying the example.

## The key numbers

- **9/6 example:** 99.54% theoretical return and 0.46% house edge with optimal play.
- **6/5 example:** 95.00% theoretical return and 5.00% house edge with optimal play for that schedule.
- Both share royal/straight flush/quads/straight/trips/two pair/high pair/nonpaying returns of **800 / 50 / 25 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0** per unit staked. Only full house and flush differ in these examples.
- **Royal frequency:** about one in 40,391 hands in the cited optimal 9/6 model; not a guaranteed waiting period.

## One thing to know

9/6 names only two payouts. The complete paytable, wager column, card rules and strategy determine the return. A payout of 1 in this total-return schedule gives the stake back without net profit. Count denomination × credits × paid hands, plus any extra costs.

## The math in plain English

For the exact hand K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ 2♠, keeping the flush returns 6. Holding the first four cards has 47 possible draws averaging 19.55 with the stated 800 royal. If only that royal payout changes to a hypothetical 100, the average becomes 4.66, below 6. A paytable change reverses this two-hold comparison; neither example is a complete strategy chart.

Whole-game theoretical return is an average under its stated strategy, not the chance of any payout or a session guarantee. Total action includes funds wagered again, and missed royals do not make a fresh independent hand due.

## Sources and scope

[Jacks or Better return tables](https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/tables/jacks-or-better/), [optimal 9/6 strategy](https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/jacks-or-better/9-6/optimal/) and [analysis methodology](https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/methodology/), checked September 5, 2026. Full-game returns use published counts; the exact draw comparison is independently calculated.

[Full Video Poker guide](https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/video-poker/) · Playbook RG · Free to copy and adapt under CC0. External sources have their own terms.