There is a large volume of information available to help new poker players who want to play a better game of poker. There are dozens of poker books by poker pros as well as numerous websites and web tutorials. You can find a coach who will work with you privately to help you improve your game and join poker rooms where other players will guide you as you develop your skills.
For gamers who are looking for high-energy poker casino games for real money, the place to start is by learning the Jacks or Better poker game. Most online video poker is based on Jacks or Better and the game itself is one of the most popular versions of poker at the online casino. Online Jacks or Better poker differs from the land-based casino variation so you should take that into account when you're getting ready to develop your online poker style and strategy here at Grande Vegas.
Jacks or Better
The popularity of Jacks or Better video poker stems from its intuitive strategy, good payout potential and simplicity. It's easily accessible to both beginners and advanced gamers and, as a low-volatility game, offers a high win rate. Anyone can understand and play Jacks or Better video poker – there are no bells or whistles and no complicated techniques needed. All you need to know is how to build a strong hand by holding and discarding cards as needed.
For those in the know, Jacks or Better is a preferred poker variation because the payback percentage is quite high – 99.54%, one of the highest Return to Player percentages at the casino. That means that, once you learn the game and the basic strategy, Jacks or Better is a lucrative poker option where you can look forward to generous real money wins.
How to Play
Jacks or Better video poker is similar to the basic 5-Card Draw Poker but with Jacks or Better, you need a pair of Jacks or Better to open. Other than that, the game is similar – you hold and trade cards in an effort to build a poker hand that will beat the dealer's poker hand with, at least, a pair of Jacks or Better. The higher ranking the hand, the larger the payout.
To play online Jacks or Better poker, click on the game to open it and place your bet. You'll receive a hand of five face-down cards. You can choose which cards you want to hold and which ones you want to discard – the discarded cards will be replaced with new ones from the deck.
Your final hand will be compared to the dealer's hand and the hand with the highest ranking will win. You (and the dealer) must have a pair of Jacks or better to win, with your payout determined based on the hand that you're holding.
Hand rankings for Jacks or Better Poker are:
- Royal Flush is the highest-ranking hand. Royal Flush is an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10, all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit (i.e. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of clubs).
- Four-of-a-Kind is a hand that has 4 cards of the same rank (i.e. four eights).
- Full House consists of three-of-a-kind plus a pair (i.e. three sevens and two Jacks).
- Flush is five cards of the same suit (i.e. five diamonds, not in sequence).
- Straight involves five consecutive cards of different suits (i.e. 7 of diamonds, 8 of hearts, 9 of clubs, 10 of spades and Jack of hearts).
- Three-of-a-Kind has three cards of the same rank (i.e. three twos) and two additional random cards.
- Two Pairs involves two different pairs.
- Jacks or Better consists of a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces.
When you play Jacks or Better at Grande Vegas you can play a Double or Nothing bonus round for a chance to double your winning payout. If you enter the Double or Nothing bonus round you pick a card – if your card beats the dealer's card, you win!
Comparison
How does Jacks or Better Poker differ from other types of poker? Jacks or Better Poker is a single-player poker game where you form the best possible hand with five cards. The main limitation is that the hand should include at least one pair of Jacks which will qualify you for a payout.
The main differences between Jacks and Better Poker and other poker variations is that Jacks or better has a fixed payout structure and there are no betting rounds – the bet is placed at the game's opening and there are no other bets placed before or after the draw.
Jacks or Better Poker Strategy
The main principles of the Jacks or Better Poker Strategy include:
- If your initial five cards contain a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces, hold them.
- Hold a flush or a straight if it's close to completion (missing one card).
- Discard low-value cards (i.e. if you have a hand with no high cards and no pairs, discard all five cards at the draw.
- Hold onto two pairs or better and discard the rest.
- Always use casino bonuses including match credits, casino cash and crypto deposit bonuses.
