ShareIn an era dominated by lightning-fast slots and live-streamed table games, a quieter revolution is happening inside online casinos. Players are rediscovering titles that reward thought over impulse — and that balance of skill, structure, and chance has made video poker one of the few casino formats where strategy still matters.
Video poker is quietly regaining attention in 2025. After spending years behind fast-paced slots and live dealer tables, players are returning to games that value skill, structure and patience. Modern casinos have refined the experience with faster gameplay, transparent payout tables and verified fairness systems.
On reputable platforms such as Stake, players can access updated versions of these classics — and for those interested in testing them with verified welcome offers, a Stake promo code provides a transparent way to explore the games under fair and regulated conditions.
At its core, video poker is a digital version of five-card draw. Players receive five cards, choose which to hold or discard, and aim to form the best possible hand. Unlike slots, where outcomes are random, video poker uses fixed paytables and known probabilities, giving informed players an edge when applying an optimal strategy.
Unlike pure games of chance, video poker rewards decision-making and discipline. Each variation has its own pace and volatility, but what defines them all is the paytable. It determines the exact value of each hand and the overall fairness of the game. Players who understand these structures are the ones who tend to perform best over time.
How to Read a Paytable
Every video poker machine displays a paytable — a chart showing how much each hand is worth. The “full-pay” version offers the maximum possible return, while reduced-pay machines cut payouts slightly to increase house edge. For example, in Jacks or Better, a “9/6” table means a full house pays 9-to-1 and a flush 6-to-1. Choosing the full-pay version is the easiest way to maximize your long-term RTP.
1. Jacks or Better
Jacks or Better remains the most reliable and widely played version of video poker. It pays for any pair of jacks or higher and sets the benchmark for how fairness in casino games is measured. The full-pay 9/6 table, where a full house pays nine times and a flush six, carries a verified return-to-player rate of 99.54 percent under optimal strategy.
The numbers confirmed by Wizard of Odds have been the same for decades. It's the easiest to pick up, has the lowest risk and has the clearest odds of any game out there, making it the most reliable and most studied game for both novice and veteran players alike.
2. Bonus Poker
Bonus Poker operates on the same core fundamentals as Jacks or Better, but has comparatively higher payouts for four-of-a-kind hands. Because of this, the game has a slightly higher volatility and a more rewarding structure for those players with the discipline to ride out longer periods of gameplay.
The game is still very popular. Wizard of Odds even provides updated pay tables showing it returns almost the same as the full-pay Jacks or Better. For this reason, it’s one of the most played games by experienced players in video poker.
3. Aces & Faces
Aces & Faces shifts the game by prioritizing payouts for hands composed of aces and face cards. This increases the pace of the game as well as creates a more exhilarating experience.
Most game versions give a return of 98 to 99 percent, depending on the casino. For game players who enjoy strategy and predictable outcomes, the Aces & Faces and Bonus Poker come as a set.
4. Double Bonus Poker
Double Bonus Poker earns its name from the added attention to winning a specific four-of-a-kind. It is regarded as the most volatile and strategic version of all video poker.
Under perfect play, the full-pay 239-10-7-5 version provides a theoretical return of 99.79 percent according to Wizard of Odds. The name ‘video poker’ derives from the high skill and reward poker notions over the return and risk of most online casino adjusted tables.
5. Joker Poker
Joker Poker, or Joker's Wild, is video poker with a single number card joker and a pair of wildcards. Just like every other video poker version, it has its own strategy. It has its own wild card and strategy as well as unpredictability.
Reports from Casino Beacon state that average return rates sit around 98 percent on most versions of the game, depending on specific rules. Because of this, Joker Poker is best enjoyed as a game of chance and strategy.
6. Deuces Wild
This variation of Wild gets the best “wild card Deuces,” every 2 in the deck. A full pay Deuces Wild 25/15/9/5/3/2 has a 100.76 percent return. It is the only common casino game to return more than break-even. It is the most consistent and disciplined of the variants; while the others give more than break-even return casino games, the Deuces Wild has a 100.76 return.
7. All American Poker
All American Poker is based on Jacks or Better, but with enhanced payouts on straights and flushes. All this gives a more fluid experience and with a perfect strategy, a return of 99.6 percent. It is the most diminishingly volatile game in the long run, thus the most popular game.
8. Bonus Poker Deluxe
Bonus Poker Deluxe reduced the volatility of Double Bonus Poker. It offers the same payout on each of the 4 of a kind. In the full-pay versions, the expected return is a steady 99.17 percent. For the more risk-averse, this game is favored for consistency.
9. Triple Play Draw Poker
With Triple Play Draw Poker, players gain the ability to manage 3 hands and therefore the pace of the game, while still maintaining the same level of fairness. Wizard of Odds explains this. When the same paytables are applied, the payouts will remain the same, which means the return is similar to single-hand versions. For instance, a 9/6 Jacks or Better still gives a 99.54 return, only faster.
10. Full-Pay Variants
For all major games, Full-Pay Variants earn the tenth spot. The pay-off structure defines the edge, be it Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, or Deuces Wild. Paytable variations on identical titles can differ by several percentage points, as Casino Beacon highlights. Out of all the strategies available, the simplest and most intelligent is to choose the full-pay variants.
Strategy and Skill
Every version of video poker rewards a consistent strategy. Understanding when to hold, when to discard, and how to adjust based on the paytable separates casual play from long-term success. Tools such as hand calculators and simulation trainers help players test decisions before wagering. It’s a rare genre where mathematics, not luck, defines winning habits.
Video Poker in the Modern Casino Landscape
While casino games as a whole may change, video poker does not. Additionally, it attracts a certain crowd. Those players prefer guaranteed payouts over risky gambling. The latest trend of online operators openly displaying RTP (Return to Player) percentages and allowing independent game verification has built a certain trust in the genre. This has incentivized players to employ strategies instead of chasing a lucky streak.
On mobile-first platforms, gameplay is now optimized for smaller screens with instant load speeds and “provably fair” blockchain verification. These systems allow users to confirm random number generation (RNG) fairness in real time — a major reason why younger audiences are rediscovering video poker through modern operators.
Grand View Research estimates that by 2030, the global iGaming market will reach 93 billion dollars. Out of that, video poker and other skill-based games will continue to make up about 10% of all online casino activity. The iGaming market proves that no skill and no fairness will highly detract customers.
A Game Built to Last
Video poker will remain relevant throughout 2025. This is an indicator that there is a growing preference for strategic and skillful gaming. The ten titles discussed here have stood the test of time because of their seamless integration of rewarding gameplay with underlying solid game theory. There is a reason Jacks or Better's reliability, the depth of Double Bonus Poker and the innovative design of Deuces Wild have made the genre timeless. The fundamentals of these games have not changed, though technology has transformed how we play them.
For players who value logic over luck, video poker offers something rare in today’s casino landscape — control. Its legacy proves that skill-based design can thrive in a digital world built on instant results. Whether on a mobile app or a casino floor, the blend of mathematics, patience, and reward ensures that video poker will keep dealing winning hands for decades to come.
