Is video poker rigged?
See how a video poker machine deals your cards, how to read its return from the pay table, and how it compares to slots.
How the machine deals your cards
- The machine holds a virtual deck of fifty-two cards.
- A random number generator (RNG) shuffles the deck and deals you five cards.
- You pick the cards to hold. The new cards come from the rest of the same deck.
- Each unseen card has the same chance to come next. The machine does not change the deck to beat your hold.
Hold a pair of jacks in the free trainer many times and watch how often it turns into three of a kind – the share tends to match the math.
Are video poker machines rigged?
In licensed markets, independent test labs check the random number generator and the virtual deck before a machine can be used. Our video poker trainer uses your browser's crypto random generator, the same kind of generator used for security.
A fair deal does not mean you win. Most pay tables still keep a house edge, and the house edge wins over time.
If a game looks unfair, play a long free session and compare the results with the pay table math – not with your last few hands.
The pay table shows the exact return
| Game and pay table | Full house | Flush | Return, perfect play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deuces Wild (full pay) | 3 | 2 | 100.76% |
| Double Double Bonus 10/6 | 10 | 6 | 100.07% |
| Jacks or Better 9/6 | 9 | 6 | 99.54% |
| Bonus Poker 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 99.17% |
| Double Double Bonus 9/6 | 9 | 6 | 98.98% |
| Deuces Wild (NSUD) | 4 | 3 | 99.73% |
| Jacks or Better 8/5 | 8 | 5 | 97.30% |
| Jacks or Better 7/5 | 7 | 5 | 96.15% |
| Jacks or Better 6/5 | 6 | 5 | 95.00% |
Exact return over all 2,598,960 deals with the best hold every time, max-coin bet.
The best common Jacks or Better table returns 99.54% with perfect play. The same game with a smaller payout for a full house and a flush returns only 95.00%.
Perfect play means the best hold on every hand – see video poker strategy and compare more pay tables.
Is video poker better than slots?
- Video poker: the pay table is on the screen, so you can work out the exact return. Your holds change the result.
- Slots: the return is hidden inside the program. You only press spin.
- Both: a random number generator decides the cards or symbols, and slots and most video poker tables keep a house edge.
Before you play any video poker machine, read the full house and flush lines of the pay table first.
Questions
Are video poker machines rigged?
In licensed markets, video poker machines are tested so that a random number generator deals from a fair virtual deck. A fair deal still does not mean you win, because most pay tables keep a house edge over time.
Does a video poker machine know which cards I hold?
The machine records your hold, but it does not use it to pick worse cards. The replacement cards come from the rest of the shuffled deck, and each unseen card has the same chance.
Is video poker better than slots?
Video poker shows its pay table, so you can work out the exact return, and your choices matter. On slots the return is hidden and you cannot change the result.
What return does video poker have?
It depends on the pay table and on perfect play. The best common Jacks or Better table returns 99.54%, while a cut table of the same game returns 95.00%.