Wizard Recommends Cards

Wizard of Odds Approved

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 Flush1,700593,387,4240.00003033,592.2785.930.050607
Straight Flush502,102,037,4440.0001059,482.810.250.005273
Four Aces with any 2,3,48001,396,424,5320.00007014,274.4844.720.056044
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,44003,440,321,5920.0001735,794.0027.480.069037
Four Aces1602,958,199,0560.0001486,738.303.750.023745
Four 2's, 3's, 4's806,384,322,5360.0003203,122.222.000.025623
Four 5's through K's5032,195,421,6480.001615619.133.880.080758
Full House9208,918,095,3000.01048195.410.670.094328
Flush5221,177,897,7120.01109690.120.180.055480
Straight4263,941,390,0440.01324175.520.120.052965
Three of a Kind21,496,068,447,9920.07505413.320.080.150108
Two Pair12,434,747,705,9200.1221458.190.000.122145
Jacks or Better14,180,077,648,7560.2097044.770.000.209704
Nothing011,079,229,217,2440.5558171.800.550.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.25169.610.995816

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

Basic Strategy Analysis
HandPayoffCombinationsProbabilityHit FrequencyVarianceReturn
Royal Flush1,700593,113,4280.00003033,607.7985.890.050584
Straight Flush502,098,293,8640.0001059,499.730.250.005263
Four Aces with any 2,3,48001,397,454,4680.00007014,263.9644.760.056085
Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,44003,440,594,5560.0001735,793.5427.480.069042
Four Aces1602,960,869,8720.0001496,732.223.760.023766
Four 2's, 3's, 4's806,384,322,5360.0003203,122.222.000.025623
Four 5's through K's5032,195,106,3720.001615619.143.880.080757
Full House9208,935,881,8200.01048295.400.670.094336
Flush5220,997,718,7680.01108790.200.180.055434
Straight4263,294,285,7960.01320975.710.120.052835
Three of a Kind21,496,286,923,9400.07506513.320.080.150130
Two Pair12,435,161,676,7240.1221668.190.000.122166
Jacks or Better14,181,510,567,3400.2097764.770.000.209776
Nothing011,077,973,707,7160.5557541.800.550.000000
Totals19,933,230,517,2001.0000002.25169.610.995799

The following table shows the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy
Type of Play Play Details
Pat Hand
(more)Four 2's, 3's, 4's with any A,2,3,4; Four Aces with any 2,3,4; Straigh...
4 of a Kind
(more)2222; 3333; 4444; 5555; 6666; 7777; 8888; 9999; TTTT; JJJJ; QQQQ; KKKK...
4 to a Royal FlushTJQA; TJQK; TJKA; TQKA; JQKA
3 of a Kind + 1 Kicker2223; 2224; 222A; 3332; 3334; 333A; 4442; 4443; 444A; AAA2; AAA3; AAA4
3 of a Kind222; 333; 444; AAA
Pat HandStraight; Flush; Full House
3 of a Kind555; 666; 777; 888; 999; TTT; JJJ; QQQ; KKK
4 to a Straight Flush
(more)A234; A235; A245; A345; 2345; 2346; 2356; 2456; 3456; 3457; 3467; 3567...
3 to a Royal FlushTJQ; TJK; TQK; JQA; JQK; JKA; QKA
1 PairAA
3 to a Royal FlushTJA; TQA; TKA
2 Pair
(more)2233; 2244; 2255; 2266; 2277; 2288; 2299; 22TT; 22JJ; 22QQ; 22KK; 3344...
1 PairJJ; QQ; KK
4 to a Flush
(more)2347; 2348; 2349; 234T; 234J; 234Q; 234K; 2357; 2358; 2359; 235T; 235J...
1 Pair22; 33; 44
4 to a Straight2345; 3456; 4567; 5678; 6789; 789T; 89TJ; 9TJQ; TJQK
3 to a Straight Flush9TJ; 9JQ
1 Pair55; 66; 77; 88; 99; TT
4 to a StraightJQKA
2 to a Royal FlushJA; JQ; JK; QA; QK; KA
3 to a Straight Flush345; 456; 567; 678; 789; 89T; 89J; 8TJ; 9TQ; 9JK; 9QK
4 to a Straight9TQK; 9JQK; TJQA; TJKA; TQKA
2 to a Royal FlushTJ
3 to a StraightJQK
3 to a Straight FlushA23; A24; A34
Single Cardan Ace
4 to a Straight89JQ; 8TJQ; 9TJK
3 to a Straight FlushA25; A35; A45; 78T; 79T; 79J; 7TJ; 89Q; 8TQ; 9TK
2 to a Royal FlushTQ; TK
3 to a Straight Flush234; 235; 245; 346; 356; 457; 467; 568; 578; 679; 689; 78J
3 to a StraightTJQ
2 to a StraightJQ; JK; QK
Single Carda Jack; a Queen; a King
3 to a Straight Flush236; 246; 256; 347; 357; 367; 458; 468; 478; 569; 579; 589; 67T; 68T; 69T
4 to a Straight
(more)2346; 2356; 2456; 3457; 3467; 3567; 4568; 4578; 4678; 5679; 5689; 5789...
GarbageDiscard everything

The following table shows the exceptions to the basic strategy:

Basic Strategy Exceptions
Right Play Wrong Play Pattern(s)
2 to a Royal Flush: TQSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 3♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♥
3 to a Straight Flush: A25Single Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 5♣ 6♦ J♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: A35Single Card: an Ace
(more)3♣ 5♣ 6♦ J♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: A45Single Card: an Ace
(more)4♣ 5♣ 6♦ J♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A23
(more)2♣ 3♣ 4♦ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A24
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♣ 6♦ A♣
Single Card: an Ace3 to a Straight Flush: A34
(more)2♣ 3♦ 4♦ 6♣ A♦
Single Card: an Ace2 to a Royal Flush: TJ
(more)5♣ 7♦ 10♣ J♣ A♥
4 to a Straight: 89JQSingle Card: an Ace
(more)8♣ 9♣ J♦ Q♣ A♥
3 to a Straight Flush: 9JK2 to a Royal Flush: JK
(more)2♣ 9♦ J♦ K♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 9QK2 to a Royal Flush: QK
(more)2♣ 9♦ Q♦ K♦ A♣
4 to a Straight: 8TJQ2 to a Royal Flush: TJ
(more)2♣ 8♦ 10♣ J♣ Q♦
4 to a Straight: 9TJK2 to a Royal Flush: TJ
(more)2♣ 9♦ 10♣ J♣ K♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 7TJ2 to a Royal Flush: TJ
(more)2♣ 7♦ 10♦ J♦ Q♣
2 to a Royal Flush: TQ3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQ
(more)2♣ 8♦ 9♣ 10♦ Q♦
3 to a Straight Flush: 78JSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 7♦ 8♦ J♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 79JSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 7♦ 9♦ J♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 89QSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 8♦ 9♦ Q♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 8TQSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 8♦ 10♦ Q♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 9TKSingle Card: an Ace
(more)2♣ 9♦ 10♦ K♦ A♣
3 to a Straight Flush: 346Single Card: an Ace3♣ 4♣ 6♣ 10♦ A♦
2 to a Royal Flush: TQ3 to a Straight Flush: A232♣ 3♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣
2 to a Royal Flush: TQ3 to a Straight Flush: A242♣ 4♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣
2 to a Royal Flush: TQ3 to a Straight Flush: A343♣ 4♣ 10♦ Q♦ A♣