Video Poker in Las Vegas: Pay Tables, the Best Games and Where to Play
Updated October 2026. Pay table returns from the Wizard of Odds; machine figures from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (12 months through August 2026).
Video poker is the one machine in a Las Vegas casino where you can check the odds before you put in a dollar. The pay table on the screen tells you almost exactly how much the game gives back, and the best games come close to breaking even, or better, with perfect play.
Here’s how to read a video poker pay table, which games pay the most, and where to find the best video poker in Las Vegas.
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The Short Answer: Read the Pay Table
On a Jacks or Better machine, look at two numbers on the pay table: what a full house and a flush pay for one coin. A full-pay game pays 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush (“9/6”) and returns 99.54% with perfect strategy. Each step down costs you more:
| Jacks or Better pay table (full house / flush) | Return with perfect play |
|---|---|
| 9/6 (full pay) | 99.54% |
| 9/5 | 98.45% |
| 8/6 | 98.39% |
| 8/5 | 97.30% |
| 7/5 | 96.15% |
| 6/5 | 95.00% |
Source: Wizard of Odds, Jacks or Better pay tables.
Two machines can look identical from across the room and differ by more than 4% in what they pay back. Always check.
The Best-Paying Video Poker Games
| Game and pay table | Return with perfect play |
|---|---|
| Deuces Wild, full pay | 100.76% |
| Double Bonus, 10/7 | 100.17% |
| Double Double Bonus, 10/6 | 100.07% |
| Triple Double Bonus, 9/7 | 99.58% |
| Jacks or Better, 9/6 | 99.54% |
| Bonus Poker, 8/5 | 99.17% |
| Double Bonus, 9/7 | 99.11% |
| Double Double Bonus, 9/6 | 98.98% |
| Bonus Poker, 7/5 | 98.01% |
Source: Wizard of Odds, video poker summary tables. Returns assume perfect strategy and max coins.
Yes, a few games return more than 100% with perfect play. They’re rare, and the edge is thin even with perfect strategy. For most players, the realistic goal is a game in the 99% range played well.
How to Get the Best Odds
- Bet max coins. The Wizard of Odds’ first rule. Machines pay a bonus on the royal flush when you bet five coins. If five coins is too rich, play a lower denomination instead of fewer coins.
- Learn the strategy for your game. The returns above assume perfect play. Each game has its own strategy chart.
- Stick to one game. Switching between Deuces Wild and Double Bonus means switching strategies, which leads to mistakes.
- Join the players club. Points and free play add to whatever the machine returns.
Where to Find the Best Video Poker in Las Vegas
Downtown and the locals casinos are the traditional home of full-pay video poker. On the Strip, full-pay games tend to be found at higher denominations, while lower denominations often run tighter pay tables like 8/5 or 7/5.
Nevada’s official figures back up the difference. Over the last 12 months, Downtown’s $1 machines (video poker included) kept 6.1% of what was played, versus 7.2% on the Strip. See our guide to the loosest slots in Las Vegas for every area.
Pay tables change often, sometimes machine to machine within the same casino. For current pay tables by casino, video poker players use vpFREE2, a free, community-maintained database. And whatever a guide says, the pay table on the screen is the final word.
Want to compare video poker with every other game? See our guide to the best odds in Las Vegas.
Royal Flush? Celebrate With a Show
Whether you hit the big one or just enjoyed the ride, end the night with a show:
- All Shook Up, the Elvis tribute.
- Sinatra Live!, the Sinatra tribute starring Michael Sinatra.
- Queen Selena, the Selena tribute.
- Wastin’ Away, the Jimmy Buffett tribute.
Grab last-minute Las Vegas show tickets on Ticket Kite.
