On this page

Video Poker Strategy Calculator

Introduction

The following table shows the results when following perfect strategy (basic strategy and all of the exceptions):

Perfect Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush3,336.6667635,038,6800.00003231,389.00354.470.106301
Straight Flush501,885,610,5680.00009510,571.230.230.004730
Four Aces804,062,917,9520.0002044,906.141.270.016306
Four 2's, 3's, 4's4010,519,061,4480.0005281,894.960.800.021109
Four 5's through K's2532,523,551,2080.001632612.890.940.040791
Full House6226,459,757,2320.01136188.020.280.068165
Flush5223,079,732,8320.01119189.350.170.055957
Straight4217,236,211,6320.01089891.760.100.043593
Three of a Kind31,483,892,015,7720.07444313.430.280.223329
Two Pair22,568,496,127,5080.1288557.760.120.257710
Jacks or Better14,147,779,252,0600.2080844.810.000.208084
Nothing011,016,661,240,3080.5526781.810.600.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.24359.261.046074

The following table shows the results when following basic strategy only (not its exceptions):

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush3,336.6667637,318,3680.00003231,276.72355.740.106682
Straight Flush501,904,379,0360.00009610,467.050.230.004777
Four Aces804,174,539,5880.0002094,774.951.310.016754
Four 2's, 3's, 4's4010,523,365,4040.0005281,894.190.800.021117
Four 5's through K's2532,474,801,5920.001629613.810.930.040729
Full House6226,653,997,1760.01137187.950.280.068224
Flush5224,144,328,0360.01124588.930.180.056224
Straight4215,871,206,3880.01083092.340.090.043319
Three of a Kind31,486,108,109,8680.07455413.410.280.223663
Two Pair22,570,710,795,3800.1289667.750.120.257932
Jacks or Better14,116,686,947,5960.2065244.840.000.206524
Nothing011,043,340,728,7680.5540171.810.610.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.24360.571.045945

The following table shows the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy
Type of Play Play Details
Pat HandRoyal Flush
4 to a Royal FlushTJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA
4 of a Kind
(more)2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK...
3 of a KindAAA
Pat HandStraight; Flush; Full House; Straight Flush
3 of a Kind222; 333; 444; 555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK
3 to a Royal FlushTJA; TJQ; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA
2 Pair
(more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 22AA...
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3456; 3457; 3467; 3567...
1 PairJJ; QQ; KK; AA
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
4 to a Straight9TJQ; TJQK
1 Pair22; 33; 44; 55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT
2 to a Royal FlushJQ; QK
2 to a Royal FlushKA
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ
3 to a Straight Flush9TJ
2 to a Royal FlushJA; JK
2 to a Royal FlushTA; TJ; TQ; TK; QA
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A25; A34; A35; A45; 345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 89J
4 to a StraightTQKA; JQKA
4 to a Straight9JQK; TJQA; TJKA
3 to a StraightJQK
2 to a StraightJQ
3 to a Straight Flush346; 356; 457; 568; 578; 78J; 79J; 89Q
Single Cardan Ace
3 to a Straight Flush234; 235; 245; 467; 679; 689
2 to a StraightJK
Single Carda Jack
3 to a Straight Flush78T; 79T
2 to a StraightJA; QK
Single Carda Queen; a King
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
GarbageDiscard everything

The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
2 to a Straight: QASingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ Q♣ A♦
2 to a Straight: KASingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ K♣ A♦
Single Card: a JackSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♣ J♦ A♥
2 to a Straight: QKSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ Q♣ K♦ A♥
2 to a Straight: JKSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ J♣ K♦ A♥
2 to a Straight: JASingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ J♣ A♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 79J2 to a Straight: JQ
(more)2♣ 7♦ 9♦ J♦ Q♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 78TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 7♦ 8♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 79TSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 7♦ 9♦ 10♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 467Single Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 4♦ 6♦ 7♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 679Single Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 6♦ 7♦ 9♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 689Single Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 6♦ 8♦ 9♦ A♣
2 to a Royal Flush: QA2 to a Royal Flush: TK
(more)2♣ 10♦ Q♣ K♦ A♣
2 to a Royal Flush: QA2 to a Royal Flush: JK
(more)2♣ J♣ Q♦ K♣ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: JA2 to a Royal Flush: QK
(more)2♣ J♦ Q♣ K♣ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: QA2 to a Royal Flush: TJ
(more)2♣ 10♦ J♦ Q♣ A♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 346
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 346
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♦ Q♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 346
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 356
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♦ 6♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 356
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♦ 6♦ Q♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 356
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♦ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 457
(more)3♣ 4♦ 5♦ 7♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 457
(more)3♣ 4♦ 5♦ 7♦ Q♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 457
(more)3♣ 4♦ 5♦ 7♦ A♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 467
(more)3♣ 4♦ 6♦ 7♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 467
(more)3♣ 4♦ 6♦ 7♦ Q♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 568
(more)4♣ 5♦ 6♦ 8♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 568
(more)4♣ 5♦ 6♦ 8♦ Q♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 568
(more)4♣ 5♦ 6♦ 8♦ A♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 578
(more)4♣ 5♦ 7♦ 8♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 578
(more)4♣ 5♦ 7♦ 8♦ Q♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 578
(more)4♣ 5♦ 7♦ 8♦ A♣
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 679
(more)5♣ 6♦ 7♦ 9♦ J♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 679
(more)5♣ 6♦ 7♦ 9♦ Q♣
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 689
(more)5♣ 6♦ 8♦ 9♦ Q♣
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 346
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 356
(more)2♣ 3♦ 5♦ 6♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 457
(more)3♣ 4♦ 5♦ 7♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 467
(more)3♣ 4♦ 6♦ 7♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 568
(more)4♣ 5♦ 6♦ 8♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 578
(more)4♣ 5♦ 7♦ 8♦ K♥
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 234
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♣ 6♦ J♦
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 234
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♣ 6♦ Q♦
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 235
(more)2♣ 3♣ 5♣ 6♦ J♦
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 235
(more)2♣ 3♣ 5♣ 6♦ Q♦
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 245
(more)2♣ 4♣ 5♣ 6♦ J♦
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 245
(more)2♣ 4♣ 5♣ 6♦ Q♦
Single Card: a Jack3 to a Straight Flush: 689
(more)5♣ 6♦ 8♦ 9♦ J♣
2 to a Straight: JK3 to a Straight Flush: 78J
(more)7♣ 8♣ 9♦ J♣ K♦
2 to a Straight: JK3 to a Straight Flush: 79J
(more)7♣ 8♦ 9♣ J♣ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 78J2 to a Straight: JQ7♣ 8♣ J♣ Q♦ A♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 2342♣ 3♣ 4♣ 6♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 2352♣ 3♣ 5♣ 6♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 2452♣ 4♣ 5♣ 6♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 6795♣ 6♦ 7♦ 9♦ K♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 6895♣ 6♦ 8♦ 9♦ K♥
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 78T6♣ 7♦ 8♦ 10♦ Q♥
Single Card: a King3 to a Straight Flush: 78T6♣ 7♦ 8♦ 10♦ K♥
Single Card: a Queen3 to a Straight Flush: 79T6♣ 7♦ 9♦ 10♦ Q♥
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 78J7♣ 8♣ 9♦ J♣ A♥
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: 79J7♣ 8♦ 9♣ J♣ A♥