Video poker odds — the complete table
Two kinds of odds matter: what you're dealt (pure combinatorics, same in every game) and what you hit after optimal draws (strategy-dependent). Below: both, exact, for 9/6 Jacks or Better — computed by full enumeration, verified against the 99.5439% return. Royal deep-dive →
| Hand | Hit frequency (optimal play) | Probability | Pays | Return share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 1 in 40390.5 | 0.0025% | 800 | 2.0% |
| Straight flush | 1 in 9148.4 | 0.0109% | 50 | 0.5% |
| Four of a kind | 1 in 423.3 | 0.2363% | 25 | 5.9% |
| Full house | 1 in 86.9 | 1.1512% | 9 | 10.4% |
| Flush | 1 in 90.8 | 1.1015% | 6 | 6.6% |
| Straight | 1 in 89.1 | 1.1229% | 4 | 4.5% |
| Three of a kind | 1 in 13.4 | 7.4449% | 3 | 22.4% |
| Two pair | 1 in 7.7 | 12.9279% | 2 | 26.0% |
| Jacks or better | 1 in 4.7 | 21.4585% | 1 | 21.6% |
Read the last column carefully: high pairs and two pair deliver ~48% of all return, the royal under 2%. That's why the boring decisions — ranked here by frequency — matter more than royal chases.
Dealt-odds reference (before the draw, any game): royal 1 in 649,740 · straight flush 1 in 72,193 · quads 1 in 4,165 · full house 1 in 694 · flush 1 in 509 · straight 1 in 255 · trips 1 in 47 · two pair 1 in 21 · any pair 1 in 2.4.