Video Poker Paytables Explained: How to Read 9/6 vs. 8/5
Last reviewed: June 2026
The key skill: when you sit down at a video poker machine, the paytable is printed right there — and reading it decides whether you’re playing a game with a 0.46% edge or a 5% edge. The two numbers in the machine’s name (e.g., 9/6, 8/5) are the full house and flush payouts, and they’re the entire story. Here’s how to read them, what the difference actually costs you, and how to spot a machine worth your time.
Video poker is rare among casino games because paytable choice genuinely matters — unlike a slot where the edge is hidden, you can see the payout schedule before you start. Use that power.
How to read the paytable: the 9/6 notation
The two numbers in a video poker name tell you exactly what certain hands pay per coin wagered:
- First number (full house). How many credits you win per coin bet for a full house.
- Second number (flush). How many credits you win per coin bet for a flush.
All other hands — royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, three of a kind, two pair, jacks-or-better — remain constant across the standard paytable family. So the machine makers only needed to name the two that vary.
A worked 5-coin paytable example (9/6 Jacks or Better)
Betting the maximum 5 coins, the 9/6 paytable pays:
| Hand | Per-coin rate | Payout on 5 coins |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 5 |
Note that the royal flush payout of 4,000 is not 5 × 250. It scales disproportionately — paying 4,000 instead of the “fair” 1,250 — which is why playing maximum coins is crucial. That royal bonus accounts for ~2% of the game’s overall return. Play fewer coins and you leave that edge on the table.
The impact: 9/6 vs. 8/5 vs. 6/5
The full house and flush payouts ripple through the whole game’s expected return:
| Paytable | Full house | Flush | RTP (max 5 coins, optimal play) | 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% |
That’s roughly an 11x difference in house edge between 9/6 and 6/5. On a $1,000 session, you’d expect to lose ~$4.60 (9/6) versus ~$50 (6/5). Same game, same player, vastly different math.
Casinos know players often don’t look at the paytable. So they stock the floor with short-pay machines and bury the full-pay ones. Always check before you sit down.
How to spot a good machine: the hunt
- Look for the paytable posting. It’s usually displayed on the machine or available via a menu button (often labeled “Paytable”).
- Find the full house and flush payouts. That tells you the machine’s name/variant immediately.
- Compare against the benchmark.
- For Jacks or Better (the most common), anything 9/6 or better is excellent, 8/6 is acceptable, 8/5 is mediocre, and 6/5 or lower is avoid.
- Other games (Deuces Wild, Double Bonus, etc.) have their own benchmarks — but the principle is the same: full-pay versions have payouts that sum to ~99%+ RTP; short-pay versions drop to ~95%–97%.
- If you have a choice, choose the 9/6. This single decision puts you in one of the lowest-edge casino games available.
The catch: why optimal strategy matters
A 9/6 paytable returns 99.54% — but only if you play with optimal strategy. A single bad hold decision (keeping the wrong cards) can reduce your return by 0.5–1%+, wiping out the edge advantage. This is why video poker guides publish strategy charts — they’re not optional flavor, they’re the arithmetic.
Many online video poker games allow you to use a strategy card; live casinos allow it too, though dealers sometimes discourage it. Use it. The chart tells you which 5 cards to keep in every possible hand to maximize EV.
Frequently asked
Does it matter if I play fewer than 5 coins? Yes, negatively. The royal flush payout scales with the 5th coin, so playing 4 coins drops your RTP from 99.54% to roughly 98.01% — a meaningful loss. Always play max coins if the game allows.
Which video poker game is best? Jacks or Better is the standard for a reason: 9/6 full-pay offers one of the lowest house edges in the casino. Deuces Wild and other variants exist, but confirm the paytable is full-pay before sitting down.
Can I beat video poker long-term? With a 9/6 paytable and perfect strategy, you’re playing something very close to break-even (0.46% edge) — one of the only casino games where the math isn’t steeply against you. But you still lose slightly over time; it’s the best value, not a winning game.
Sources & further reading
- BetUS — Full Pay 9/6 Video Poker — paytable breakdown (accessed 2026-06-22)
- Video Poker Edge — 9/6 Paytable Guide — RTP by variant and coin count (accessed 2026-06-22)
- My Poker Coaching — Jacks or Better Paytables — paytable naming convention (accessed 2026-06-22)
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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).