The 6 Best Video Poker Games to Play (At Casinos in 2026)

Putting together a list of the best video poker games to play isn’t as easy as it sounds. Does the list need to be the video poker games with the highest possible returns, the most popular games, or the games that are the most fun to play?

I went with a combination of the most popular games and games offering the highest returns. But I also considered the availability of the games. And, of course, this is my list. So, your list might not be the same.

But if you play any of the video poker games on this list, as long as the game offers a good pay table, you’re playing one of the best video poker games.

1- Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild video poker comes in at the top of the list for two reasons. The first reason is that it’s a popular game and easy to find. And the high returns make it a great game for any gambler.

The best possible Deuces Wild pay table pays 100.76%.

Here’s the pay table you’re looking for. All pay table lists in this post are for the five coin column, read from bottom to top.

5 – 10 – 10 – 15 – 25 – 45 – 75 – 125 – 1,000 – 4,000

But Deuces Wild players have the same problem other video poker players have. They can’t find machines offering the best pay table.

However, you can find a pay table paying 99.73% when you play Deuces Wild. This pay table, called Not So Ugly Ducks or NSUD by some players, has the following payouts:

5 – 10 – 15 – 20 – 20 – 50 – 80 – 125 – 1,000 – 4,000

With a 99.73% return, I recommend Deuces Wild as the top video poker option for all players.

But another popular variation finishes a close second.

2- Jacks or Better

I play Jacks or Better more than any other version of video poker. Deuces Wild offers a slightly better overall return, but I don’t have trouble finding a good Jacks or Better machine and I like the strategy better. Jacks or Better, created by Si Redd, started the video poker market.

The best Jacks or Better pay table has a return of 99.54%. And it’s easy to see if the pay table you want is available.

You only need to look at two hands. The full house pays 45 under five coins, and the flush pays 30. This pay table pays nine and six under one coin, so many gamblers call these 9/6 machines.

If you can’t find a Jacks or Better machine using the 9/6 pay table, don’t play. And if you can’t find a NSUD Deuces Wild machine or a 9/6 Jacks or Better machine, you probably need to find a different casino.

The only other option I look for I cover in the next section.

3- Pick’em Poker

You play Pick’em Poker video poker a little differently than the other games on this list. You start with two cards, pick one card from the next two cards, and then receive your final two cards. The only decision in Pick’em Poker involves the second two cards dealt.

Pick’em Poker also has one of the easiest strategies for players. And when you find the best pay table the return comes in at 99.95%.

Here’s the pay table you need to find:

10 – 15 – 25 – 55 – 75 – 90 – 600 – 1,199 – 6,000

4- Double Bonus Poker

My list of the best video poker games could have ended after the top three. The three games listed above are all you need to know how to play to find good machines. But there are three more video poker variations you might consider playing.

Double Bonus Poker makes many top lists because of the best pay table. But it has the same problem as most top video poker games. It’s almost impossible to find the right pay table.

The best possible pay table for Double Bonus Poker has a 100.17% return.

Here’s the pay table you need to find:

5 – 5 – 15 – 25 – 35 – 50 – 250 – 400 – 800 – 250 – 4,000

If you can’t find this pay table, don’t play Double Bonus Poker.

5- Double Joker

Double Joker video poker can be better than Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better. It can even be a tad better than Picke’em Poker. But the reason why I don’t rank it higher is that it’s harder to find than the other games.

The best pay table for Double Joker pays 99.97%.

Here’s the pay table you need to find:

5 – 10 – 15 – 20 – 25 – 45 – 125 – 250 – 500 – 4,000

Avoid playing Double Joker with any other pay table.

6- All American

All American video poker machines are at the top of many best video poker game lists. And I understand why it makes the top spot. But I have a good reason for placing All American at the bottom of my list.

The return for All American video poker with the best pay table comes in at 100.72%. But it’s almost impossible to find this pay table. The return for the common pay table lands at 99.37%.

Jacks or Better machines with the 9/6 pay table are more common and provide a higher return. That’s the main reason why All American sits at the bottom of my list.

The Sad Truth about Video Poker Games

In many ways, land-based casinos and online casinos are the same. While you can find decent video poker pay tables online easier than in land-based casinos, neither offers games you can beat.

I’m sure a few video poker machines still exist with pay tables that return over 100% with perfect play. But casinos are all about making money. Casinos don’t offer video poker games they lose money on.

Finding video poker machines with payback percentages close to 100% should be your goal. If you’re on a quest to play only machines with returns over 100%, you’re not going to play much. And you can forget finding these games online.

Instead of searching for something you likely won’t find, focus on learning how to play the bet machines and pay tables you can find the best possible way. You don’t have to play the same video poker games I play. But you can learn from what I do.

I only play Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better. And I only play on machines with certain pay tables. Many online casinos have 9/6 Jacks or Better and NSUD Deuces Wild machines. And some of the land-based casinos where I play have them.

I know the correct strategy for each game and use it on every hand. Of course, if I run across one of these machines with a better pay table I play. But this rarely happens.

Pick two popular video poker variations available with decent pay tables. Then master the exact strategy for each. And play these two versions and ignore everything else.

A Warning about Video Poker Strategy

In the sections about the best different video poker variations listed above, I included information about the return percentages. Return percentages include three variables.

• The video poker variation or game
• The pay table
• The strategies you use when you play

Choosing the right video poker variation and pay table are important. If you don’t play the right variation with the right pay table, your return suffers.

But using the right strategy when you play video poker is every bit as important as the other two variables.

You can play on the best machine with the best pay table and if you don’t use the right strategy your return won’t be as high as it could be.

Each video poker variation has a specific strategy. In other words, the best strategy for one video poker game, like Jacks or Better, won’t be the best strategy for another variation, like Deuces Wild.

How do you know the best strategy for the video poker games you play?

Buy a set of video poker strategy cards including the games you play. Or, you can find strategy charts online for free.

Use your video poker strategy card or chart for every hand you play. You can use your card or chart as long as you need to use it. But if you play often, you can memorize the correct strategies.

Conclusion

The best video poker games to play depends on what video poker games you can find. The variations with the best pay tables give you the highest returns. So, these are the games you should play.

But, as with blackjack, to get the best returns in video poker, you must use the correct strategies for each video poker game if you want the highest return. Jacks or Better with a 9/6 pay table might be the best video poker game available. But you don’t want to ever play a Jacks or Better game with an 8/5 pay table.

However, always remember if you don’t use the correct strategies when you play video poker, your returns won’t be good, no matter what machine and pay table you use.

My final recommendations for the best video poker games to play are Deuce Wild and Jacks or Better.