Video poker sits in a sweet spot between the familiarity of a pokie and the strategy of blackjack. For Australian players used to spinning reels, it offers something different: decisions that actually influence the outcome. The house edge on well-played video poker can drop to under 1%, which is far lower than the typical 3% to 8% found on most land-based pokies. That gap is worth understanding before you sit down at a machine. Discover further information on loki Casino registration.
What follows is a practical breakdown of the variants that suit newcomers, along with the payout structures and strategy basics that matter most. No jargon dumps, no unrealistic promises , just the information you need to play with confidence.
Jacks or Better: The Benchmark Game
If you learn only one variant, make it Jacks or Better. It’s the foundation of nearly every other video poker game, and its paytable is refreshingly straightforward. A pair of jacks or higher pays even money, two pair returns 2x, three of a kind 3x, a straight 4x, a flush 6x, a full house 9x, four of a kind 25x, a straight flush 50x, and a royal flush 250x per credit on a five-credit bet.
The critical detail is the “9/6” paytable , nine coins for a full house and six for a flush. This configuration delivers a theoretical return to player (RTP) of 99.54% with optimal strategy. Many machines quietly downgrade to 8/5 or even 7/5, which drags the RTP down to around 97.3% or 96.1% respectively. Always check the paytable before inserting a single dollar.
Strategy is simpler than it looks. Hold any made paying hand, keep low pairs over high cards, and chase four-card flush and straight draws only when the maths favours it. A basic strategy chart takes about an hour to memorise and will serve you across dozens of sessions.
Bonus Poker and Double Bonus: Slightly Steeper, Slightly Richer
Bonus Poker keeps the Jacks or Better skeleton but boosts payouts for specific four-of-a-kind hands. Four aces pay 80 credits rather than 25, while four 2s, 3s, or 4s pay 40. The trade-off is a reduced two-pair payout on some paytables. A full-pay 8/5 Bonus Poker machine returns 99.17%, making it an excellent second step for players who’ve mastered the basics.
Double Bonus Poker pushes further, with four aces paying 160 credits and four 2s-4s paying 80. The variance increases noticeably, so bankroll management becomes more important. Expect longer dry spells between significant wins, and budget accordingly , a session bankroll of at least 200 to 300 credits per hour of play is a sensible starting point.
A quick comparison of the three core games helps clarify the trade-offs:
| Game | Full-Pay RTP | Four Aces Payout | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacks or Better (9/6) | 99.54% | 25 credits | Low |
| Bonus Poker (8/5) | 99.17% | 80 credits | Medium |
| Double Bonus (10/7) | 100.17% | 160 credits | High |
Practical Habits for New Players
Australian players should treat video poker as a skill game first and entertainment second. Start at low denominations , one or two cents per credit , and always bet the maximum five credits. The royal flush bonus on a five-credit wager is what drives the RTP figures above; betting fewer credits can cut your expected return by 1% or more.
Set a session limit in AUD before you begin and stick to it. Track your play over several sessions rather than judging results hand by hand, because variance in video poker is real and a 99% RTP game can still produce losing streaks of 50 hands or more. Finally, use free-play or demo modes where available to drill your strategy without financial pressure , the difference between perfect play and casual play is roughly 2% to 3% in RTP, which compounds significantly over time.
Master Jacks or Better first, then explore Bonus variants once the strategy becomes second nature. That progression gives you the best odds of enjoying the game while keeping losses modest.
