Video Poker: How to Read Paytables and Find Full-Pay Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild

Video poker remains one of the few casino games where informed decisions genuinely affect long-term results. Unlike slot machines, it is built on a transparent mathematical structure: fixed paytables, a 52-card deck (or 53 with wild cards), and a return-to-player percentage that can be calculated precisely. In 2026, with both land-based terminals and regulated online operators offering multiple variations of Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, the difference between a poor and a strong paytable can exceed two percentage points. Over thousands of hands, that gap is significant. This guide explains how to read paytables correctly, how to identify full-pay versions, and how to avoid common traps that quietly reduce expected value.

Understanding the Structure of a Video Poker Paytable

A video poker paytable shows the payout for each winning hand, usually based on a one-coin bet, with the top jackpot paid at five coins. The figures displayed are not random marketing numbers; they define the mathematical return of the game. Even a single credit difference in one row can materially change the overall expected return. That is why experienced players examine the paytable before inserting money.

In Jacks or Better, the most important rows are Full House and Flush. These two hands appear frequently enough to heavily influence the return percentage. A paytable labelled “9/6” means 9 credits for a Full House and 6 credits for a Flush (with a one-coin wager). This is considered the classic full-pay structure. If you see 8/5 or 7/5 instead, the theoretical return drops sharply.

In Deuces Wild, attention shifts to Three of a Kind, Four Deuces, and the premium royal payouts. Because all twos act as wild cards, the distribution of hands changes dramatically compared to Jacks or Better. A paytable might look generous at first glance, but if the Four Deuces payout is reduced, the game’s long-term value declines.

Why Small Paytable Changes Matter in Practice

The mathematics behind video poker is unforgiving. For example, a full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better game offers a theoretical return of approximately 99.54% with optimal strategy. An 8/5 version reduces that to about 97.30%. On paper, two percentage points may seem minor, but over £10,000 of wagering, that difference equals more than £200 in expected loss.

Casinos often place lower-return versions in high-traffic areas or under attractive labels such as “bonus edition”. The only reliable way to evaluate a machine is to read the numbers on the screen. Marketing names do not determine value; the paytable does.

In regulated UK online casinos in 2026, software providers such as IGT, Playtech, and NetEnt clearly display paytables within the game interface. However, some sites default to lower-return configurations. Checking the paytable before playing remains essential, even online.

Full-Pay Jacks or Better: What to Look For

The benchmark for full-pay Jacks or Better is the 9/6 structure. This means 9 credits for a Full House and 6 credits for a Flush when betting one coin. With five coins, the Royal Flush should pay 4,000 credits. If the Royal Flush pays only 250 per coin without the 4,000-credit bonus at five coins, the machine penalises maximum bet strategy.

In addition to the 9/6 ratio, confirm that Four of a Kind pays 25 per coin and that the Straight and Three of a Kind rows follow the standard 4 and 3 payouts. Deviations in these areas are less common but can still affect expected return calculations.

Full-pay versions are increasingly rare in physical casinos outside major gambling hubs, but they are still available in certain venues and in selected online libraries. In 2026, many regulated operators publish RTP data in the help section, which allows verification of the 99.54% theoretical figure when optimal strategy is applied.

Example Comparison: 9/6 vs 8/5 Jacks or Better

Consider two machines side by side. Machine A shows 9 for Full House and 6 for Flush. Machine B shows 8 and 5 respectively. Everything else appears identical. Over short sessions, results may feel similar, but mathematically Machine A offers roughly 2.24% higher return.

If a player wagers £5 per hand for 500 hands, that equals £2,500 cycled through the game. On the stronger machine, expected loss is around £11.50. On the weaker version, it rises to roughly £67.50. The structure of the paytable, not luck, explains this gap.

This example demonstrates why experienced video poker players memorise the 9/6 benchmark. A quick glance at two numbers is often enough to assess whether the machine is worth consideration.

Identifying Full-Pay Deuces Wild Variants

Deuces Wild introduces additional complexity because multiple recognised paytable standards exist. The most famous is “Full-Pay Deuces Wild”, which returns approximately 100.76% with perfect play. This version typically pays 25 for Four Deuces, 15 for a Wild Royal (without deuces), and 9 for Five of a Kind.

However, many casinos offer “Not So Ugly Deuces” (NSUD) or other reduced versions. In NSUD, Four Deuces usually pays 20 instead of 25. That single adjustment reduces the return to around 99.73%. While still strong compared to most casino games, it no longer exceeds 100% under optimal strategy.

Because terminology varies, do not rely solely on the game title. Always verify the payout rows for Four Deuces and Five of a Kind. These are the key indicators separating full-pay from downgraded versions.

Strategic Implications of Paytable Differences

When paytables change, optimal strategy changes as well. In Full-Pay Deuces Wild, aggressive drawing for wild-heavy hands is often correct because of the high Four Deuces payout. In reduced versions, conservative holds may become mathematically superior.

Professional strategy charts are paytable-specific. Using a generic Deuces Wild chart on a downgraded machine can reduce your effective return by an additional percentage point or more. In 2026, several reputable gaming analysis sites publish updated strategy charts tailored to exact paytable formats.

The key lesson is simple: paytables define the game. Once you understand how to read them, you no longer choose machines based on branding or position on the casino floor. You choose them based on numbers. That shift from impulse to calculation is what separates casual play from disciplined video poker strategy.