Video Poker Paytables Explained: How to Read 9/6 vs. 8/5
Last reviewed: October 2026
In Jacks or Better, 9/6 means a full house pays 9 credits and a flush pays 6 per credit wagered. Those two numbers are a useful starting point, but you still need to check the other payouts, the royal bonus, and the game variant.
How to read the paytable: the 9/6 notation
On the familiar Jacks or Better schedules, the full-house and flush rows distinguish several common versions. The comparison below holds all the other payouts constant. A different game can also show 9 and 6 while paying differently for quads or two pair, so the label alone does not establish its return.
Read the selected denomination and wager column. Five credits at 25 cents cost $1.25 per hand; five credits at $1 cost $5. The same payout ratios can come with very different dollar exposure.
A worked 5-coin paytable example (9/6 Jacks or Better)
| Hand | Return per credit at the five-credit bet | Total credits returned on five credits |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 800 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 250 |
| Four of a kind | 25 | 125 |
| Full house | 9 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 15 |
| Two pair | 2 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 5 |
These are total returns, not profits added to a refunded stake. Two pair returns 10 credits from a five-credit wager, for a net gain of 5. One high pair returns the 5 credits you spent, so the net result is zero.
In this conventional schedule, a royal pays 250 credits per credit at wagers of one through four credits. Five credits unlock a 4,000-credit royal, equivalent to 800 per credit. The first column therefore cannot tell you the return at every bet size.
The impact: 9/6 vs. 8/5 vs. 6/5
These results assume the full schedule above, except for the two listed rows, an 800-unit royal, and optimal holds for each paytable. They come from our exact video poker enumeration, described in the methodology.
| Paytable | Full house | Flush | Optimal-play RTP | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 | 9 | 6 | 99.54% | 0.46% |
| 8/6 | 8 | 6 | 98.39% | 1.61% |
| 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 97.30% | 2.70% |
| 7/5 | 7 | 5 | 96.15% | 3.85% |
| 6/5 | 6 | 5 | 95.00% | 5.00% |
On $1,000 of total wagers, the expected loss is about $4.56 for 9/6 and $50.04 for 6/5 using the unrounded results. This is not a prediction for a $1,000 buy-in. Money returned on one hand can be wagered again, so total betting volume can exceed the amount you brought.
How to spot a good machine: the hunt
- Read the full game name. Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, and Deuces Wild need different strategies and paytable comparisons.
- Check every payout row, including two pair and the royal at your intended bet.
- Check whether an optional feature costs extra credits or changes the schedule.
- Compare the dollar cost per hand as well as the percentage return. A better percentage does not automatically justify a larger wager.
The catch: why optimal strategy matters
The 99.5439% figure for 9/6 assumes the best hold on every deal. The cost of an error is the difference between the expected return of your hold and the best available hold on that particular hand. One mistake does not subtract a fixed percentage from every future hand.
Use a matching hold chart and practice in the video poker game. If you want to use a strategy card at a casino, check its policy. Ordinary Jacks or Better is a machine game, not a dealer-run poker table.
Frequently asked
Does it matter if I play fewer than five credits?
Yes, when doing so reduces the royal from 800 to 250 per credit. That lowers the game’s best achievable return and can change optimal holds. Check the actual schedule; not every implementation has the same bet structure. A lower denomination may let you qualify for the bonus within your budget. Spending more than planned to unlock it defeats the purpose of setting a limit.
Does 9/6 mean the game is profitable?
No. This 9/6 schedule still has a house edge with optimal play. Some other video poker schedules have different mathematical returns, but they require their own full paytables and strategies. Neither a “full pay” label nor a short winning session proves an advantage.
Where do these RTP figures come from?
Our engine’s saved exact results cover all 2,598,960 initial five-card deals and the possible holds and draws. The 9/6 result is 99.5439044%. These calculations describe the stated deck and paytable model; they do not certify an unrelated casino machine’s implementation.
Educational explanation only. No real-money gambling happens on LearnTheOdds.
Responsible gambling: Play for entertainment, not income; the math favors the house over time. Set limits, never chase losses, and if it stops being fun, take a break. 21+. Need help? Call 1-800-MY-RESET (1800myreset.org).