Video poker looks simple on the surface, but the difference between a profitable session and a costly one often comes down to a single number on the paytable. For Australian players, understanding how these tables work is the most valuable skill you can develop. Unlike pokies, where outcomes are fixed, video poker rewards players who choose the right machine and the right strategy. Discover further information on Golden Crown minimum withdrawal.
This guide breaks down how paytables are structured, which versions offer the strongest returns, and what to look for before you insert a single dollar. All figures are expressed in Australian dollars for local players.
How Video Poker Paytables Are Structured
Every video poker paytable displays the payout for each winning hand, expressed as a multiplier of your bet. A standard Jacks or Better table lists nine hands, from a pair of Jacks up to a Royal Flush. The top prize usually pays 800 credits for a five-credit bet, but only when you wager the maximum. Betting four credits reduces that to 250 credits , a common trap for casual players.
The return to player (RTP) percentage is calculated by combining these payouts with the probability of each hand appearing. A full-pay Jacks or Better machine returns 99.54%, while a weaker 6/5 version drops to roughly 95%. That 4.5% gap compounds quickly over hundreds of hands, so table selection matters far more than most people realise.
The two numbers in a paytable nickname , such as “9/6” or “8/5” , refer to the payout for a Full House and a Flush respectively. A 9/6 table pays nine credits for a Full House and six for a Flush, and it is the gold standard for Jacks or Better.
Reading the Numbers: Key Paytable Variations
The most important thing to check is the Full House and Flush payouts, because these two hands appear often enough to swing the overall return dramatically. Here is how common Jacks or Better variations compare:
| Paytable | Full House | Flush | Approx. RTP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 (Full Pay) | 9 | 6 | 99.54% |
| 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 97.30% |
| 7/5 | 7 | 5 | 96.15% |
| 6/5 | 6 | 5 | 94.99% |
Beyond Jacks or Better, other variants shift the strategy entirely. Deuces Wild, where all four twos are wild, can reach 100.76% RTP on a full-pay 25/15/9/4/4 table. Double Double Bonus offers a huge 2,000-credit payout for four Aces with a kicker but reduces the return on lower hands.
Bonus Poker and Bonus Deuces Wild sit somewhere in between, rewarding specific four-of-a-kind combinations. The lesson is consistent: always verify the lower-paying hands, not just the headline jackpot.
Finding the Best Paytables in Australia
Full-pay machines are rare, which is why experienced players scan paytables before committing. A useful rule of thumb: if a Jacks or Better table pays less than 9/6, look for another machine. Even a 0.5% difference in RTP translates to real money across a long session.
- Always play the maximum five credits to unlock the full Royal Flush payout.
- Compare Full House and Flush returns first; they reveal the table’s true quality.
- Check whether the game uses a 52-card deck or adds jokers and wilds.
- Look for progressive jackpots only if the base paytable is already strong.
Strategy also affects outcomes. Playing optimal strategy on a 9/6 machine closes the gap to the theoretical RTP, while poor decisions can shave several percentage points off your return regardless of the paytable.
Take the time to learn the ranking of hands and the correct holds for your chosen variant. Combined with careful machine selection, that knowledge gives you the best possible chance of a rewarding session at the video poker screen.
