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 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | Payoff | Combinations | Probability | Hit Frequency | Variance | Return |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 502,570,860 | 0.000025 | 39,662.53 | 16.10 | 0.016808 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 2,070,937,992 | 0.000104 | 9,625.22 | 0.25 | 0.004329 |
| Four Aces with any 2,3,4 | 400 | 1,221,187,176 | 0.000061 | 16,322.83 | 9.76 | 0.020421 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4 | 200 | 3,424,481,424 | 0.000172 | 5,820.80 | 6.81 | 0.028633 |
| Four Aces | 200 | 3,434,369,676 | 0.000172 | 5,804.04 | 6.83 | 0.028716 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's | 80 | 21,207,662,148 | 0.001064 | 939.91 | 6.65 | 0.070929 |
| Four 5's through K's | 50 | 97,449,321,696 | 0.004889 | 204.55 | 11.76 | 0.203699 |
| Full House | 7 | 185,064,217,572 | 0.009284 | 107.71 | 0.34 | 0.054158 |
| Flush | 5 | 206,782,586,928 | 0.010374 | 96.40 | 0.17 | 0.043224 |
| Straight | 4 | 234,206,028,972 | 0.011750 | 85.11 | 0.11 | 0.039165 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,390,171,046,772 | 0.069741 | 14.34 | 0.29 | 0.174353 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2,449,500,210,144 | 0.122885 | 8.14 | 0.00 | 0.102404 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,227,652,314,612 | 0.212091 | 4.71 | 0.00 | 0.176742 |
| Nothing | 0 | 11,110,543,581,228 | 0.557388 | 1.79 | 0.52 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.26 | 59.56 | 0.963583 | |
The following table shows the results when following basic strategy only (not its exceptions):
| Basic Strategy Analysis | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | Payoff | Combinations | Probability | Hit Frequency | Variance | Return |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 499,410,432 | 0.000025 | 39,913.52 | 16.00 | 0.016703 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 2,064,474,768 | 0.000104 | 9,655.35 | 0.25 | 0.004315 |
| Four Aces with any 2,3,4 | 400 | 1,221,216,084 | 0.000061 | 16,322.44 | 9.76 | 0.020422 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4 | 200 | 3,423,220,872 | 0.000172 | 5,822.95 | 6.80 | 0.028622 |
| Four Aces | 200 | 3,434,238,600 | 0.000172 | 5,804.26 | 6.83 | 0.028715 |
| Four 2's, 3's, 4's | 80 | 21,196,091,208 | 0.001063 | 940.42 | 6.64 | 0.070890 |
| Four 5's through K's | 50 | 97,425,643,068 | 0.004888 | 204.60 | 11.75 | 0.203650 |
| Full House | 7 | 185,084,474,100 | 0.009285 | 107.70 | 0.34 | 0.054164 |
| Flush | 5 | 206,593,174,860 | 0.010364 | 96.49 | 0.17 | 0.043184 |
| Straight | 4 | 233,359,260,000 | 0.011707 | 85.42 | 0.11 | 0.039023 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1,391,347,969,608 | 0.069800 | 14.33 | 0.29 | 0.174501 |
| Two Pair | 1 | 2,450,422,411,884 | 0.122932 | 8.13 | 0.00 | 0.102443 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 4,230,995,990,904 | 0.212258 | 4.71 | 0.00 | 0.176882 |
| Nothing | 0 | 11,106,162,940,812 | 0.557168 | 1.79 | 0.52 | 0.000000 |
| Totals | 19,933,230,517,200 | 1.000000 | 2.26 | 59.45 | 0.963515 | |
The following table shows the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Type of Play | Play Details |
| Pat Hand | (more)Four 5's through K's; Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4; Four Ace... |
| 4 of a Kind | (more)2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK... |
| Pat Hand | Four 2's, 3's, 4's |
| 4 to a Royal Flush | TJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker | (more)222A; 3332; 333A; 4442; 4443; 444A; 5552; 5553; 5554; 555A; 6662; 6663... |
| 3 of a Kind | 222; 333; 444; 777; 888; 999; TTT; AAA |
| Pat Hand | Straight; Flush; Full House |
| 3 of a Kind | 555; 666; JJJ; QQQ; KKK |
| 2 Pair | (more)2244; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 22AA; 3366; 33JJ; 33QQ; 33KK; 4488; 44JJ; 44QQ... |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | (more)2345; 3456; 3567; 4567; 4568; 4578; 4678; 5678; 5679; 5689; 5789; 6789... |
| 1 Pair + 2 Kickers | (more)332A; 443A; 5523; 554A; 6624; 665A; 7725; 7734; 776A; 8826; 8835; 887A... |
| 4 to a Straight Flush | A234; A235; A245; A345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467 |
| 1 Pair | AA |
| 2 Pair | (more)2233; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 3344; 3355; 3377; 3388; 3399... |
| 1 Pair | JJ; QQ; KK |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | TJA; TJQ; TJK; TQA; TQK; TKA; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA |
| 1 Pair + 1 Kicker | 332; 33A; 443; 44A |
| 1 Pair | 44; TT |
| 4 to a Flush | (more)2347; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 235T; 235J; 235Q; 235K; 2367... |
| 1 Pair + 1 Kicker | 22A |
| 4 to a Flush | (more)236A; 237A; 238A; 239A; 23TA; 246A; 247A; 248A; 249A; 24TA; 256A; 257A... |
| 1 Pair | 33; 99 |
| 4 to a Flush | (more)2349; 2359; 239T; 239J; 239Q; 239K; 2469; 249T; 249J; 249Q; 249K; 2569... |
| 1 Pair | 77; 88 |
| 4 to a Flush | (more)2348; 2389; 238T; 2458; 2478; 2489; 248T; 2589; 258T; 2789; 278T; 279T... |
| 1 Pair | 22; 55; 66 |
| 4 to a Straight | 2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; 9TJQ; TJQK |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | A23; A34; A45; 235; 89T; 89J; 8TJ; 9TJ; 9TQ; 9JQ |
| 4 to a Straight | JQKA |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 8JQ; 9JK; 9QK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JQ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 345; 456; 567; 678; 789 |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JK; QK |
| 4 to a Straight | 9JQK; TQKA |
| 4 to a Straight | 8TJQ; 9TJK; 9TQK; TJQA; TJKA |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | JA; QA; KA |
| 3 to a Flush | 56A; 67A; 78A; 89A; 9TA |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 246; 347 |
| Single Card | an Ace |
| 3 to a Straight | JQK |
| 4 to a Straight | 89JQ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | (more)234; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 679; 689; 78T; 78J; 79T; 79J... |
| 2 to a Straight | JQ; JK; QK |
| 2 to a Royal Flush | TJ; TQ; TK |
| Single Card | a Jack; a Queen; a King |
| 3 to a Flush | 257; 268; 279; 28T; 358; 369; 37T; 459; 46T |
| 3 to a Straight Flush | 236; 256; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T |
| Garbage | Discard everything |
The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:
| Basic Strategy Exceptions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Right Play | Wrong Play | Pattern(s) |
| Single Card: a King | 2 to a Royal Flush: TK | |
| 2 to a Royal Flush: TJ | 2 to a Straight: JK | |
| 2 to a Straight Flush: 34 | Garbage: Discard everything | |
| 1 Pair + 1 Kicker: 554 | 1 Pair: 55 | |
| 1 Pair + 1 Kicker: 55A | 1 Pair: 55 | |
| 4 to a Straight: 9JQK | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | |
| 4 to a Straight: TJKA | 2 to a Royal Flush: JK | |
| 4 to a Straight: 9JQK | 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | |
| 4 to a Straight: TQKA | 2 to a Royal Flush: QK | |
| 3 to a Royal Flush: JQK | 1 Pair: JJ | |
| 3 to a Royal Flush: JQK | 1 Pair: QQ | |
| 3 to a Royal Flush: JQK | 1 Pair: KK | |
| 4 to a Straight: 3467 | Garbage: Discard everything | |
| 1 Pair + 1 Kicker: 552 | 1 Pair: 55 | |
| 1 Pair + 1 Kicker: 553 | 1 Pair: 55 | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 246 | |
| Single Card: an Ace | 3 to a Straight Flush: 347 | |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6662 | 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6663 | |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 689 | 4 to a Straight: 89JQ | 6♣ 8♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♥ |
| 3 to a Straight Flush: 79T | 4 to a Straight: 9TQK | 7♣ 9♣ 10♣ Q♦ K♥ |
| 4 to a Flush: 24JQ | 1 Pair: 44 | 4♣ 4♦ 2♣ J♣ Q♣ |
| 4 to a Flush: 24JK | 1 Pair: 44 | 4♣ 4♦ 2♣ J♣ K♣ |
| 4 to a Flush: 24QK | 1 Pair: 44 | 4♣ 4♦ 2♣ Q♣ K♣ |
| 4 to a Flush: 2478 | 1 Pair: 77 | 7♣ 7♦ 2♣ 4♣ 8♣ |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 4443 | 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 4442 | 4♦ 4♥ 4♣ 2♠ 3♣ |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 444A | 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 4442 | 4♦ 4♥ 4♣ 2♠ A♣ |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6664 | 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6663 | 6♦ 6♥ 6♣ 3♠ 4♣ |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6665 | 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6663 | 6♦ 6♥ 6♣ 3♠ 5♣ |
| 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 666A | 3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker: 6663 | 6♦ 6♥ 6♣ 3♠ A♣ |