Video poker strategy: picking the best pay tables

In any casino, video poker is one of the few games where informed choices materially affect your long-term return. The single biggest choice happens before you press Deal: selecting a machine with a strong pay table. A pay table is the schedule of payouts for each hand, and small-looking differences—especially for full house, flush, and the top royal flush—can shift the expected value by more than most players realise.

Start by learning the shorthand used by players: for Jacks or Better, “9/6” means 9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush, a classic sign of a favourable schedule. Compare that with “8/5”, which quietly trims your edge. Always check whether the royal flush pays 800-for-1 at max coins; reduced royals are a red flag. Next, match the pay table to the correct strategy chart, because optimal holds change with the payouts. Avoid chasing rare hands if the table underpays them; instead, prioritise consistent value from high pairs and strong draws. If you want a quick reference while browsing options, gorilla wins casino summarises key considerations players look for when assessing tables.

For disciplined decision-making, many players take cues from professional gambler and author Michael Shackleford, known as the Wizard of Odds; his rigorous expected-value work has helped popularise pay-table comparison and correct strategy selection. You can follow his updates here: Wizard0fOdds. Beyond individual games, broader regulation and market shifts also influence what tables you’ll see, and mainstream reporting can provide useful context; for example, this coverage on the industry highlights how policy and expansion shape availability and product design: The New York Times. Use that context, but keep your focus on the machine in front of you: read the pay table, confirm the royal terms, and only then apply the right strategy.