Joker Wild Video Poker Strategy Rules (kings or better version)
Joker Wild is played with a 53-card deck, the regular 52-card deck plus a joker. The joker is a wild card, and can be used as any card you want. This increases the chance of getting a winning combination. On average the joker appears in about one out of every ten hands.
There are two versions of this game. One version returns your bet on a two-pair hand. The joker wild strategy presented here is for the better game, the one that gives back your money if you line up a pair of Kings or Aces. The hand rankings and pay-outs:
The winning hands and pay-outs for Joker Wild, from highest to lowest are:
- Royal Flush without the joker – A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit. Pays 4,000 or more coins when five coins are bet. Pays 400 per coin bet if playing less than five coins.
- Five of a Kind – Four same-value cards plus the joker. Pays 200 per coin bet.
- Joker Royal Flush – A royal flush where one of the five cards is the joker. Pays 100 per coin bet.
- Straight Flush – Five consecutive cards in the same suit, for instance 8, 9, 10, J and Q. Pays 50 or 40 per coin bet. Four of a Kind – A hand with four cards of the same value. Pays 20, 17 or 15 per coin bet.
- Full House – Three cards of one value, and two cards of another value. Pays 8, 7 or 5 per coin bet.
- Flush – Any five cards of the same suit, in no particular order. Pays 5 per coin bet.
- Straight – Any five consecutive cards, such as J, 10, 9, 8 and 7, but not in the same suit. Pays 3 per coin bet.
- Three of a Kind – Any three cards of the same value. Pays 2 per coin bet.
- Two Pair / Pair of Kings or Aces – Pays 1 per coin bet. These are the lowest paying hands in Jokers Wild.
Kings or Better Joker Wild Strategy
- If the hand you’re dealt contains the joker:
- Keep all hands that are three-of-a-kind or higher, except hold four cards to the royal flush, even if it means discarding a paying hand of lower value. (Always remember that the joker is part of the combination you’re looking for, for example two sevens and the joker equals three-of-a-kind).
- Keep any four-card straight flush and a four-card flush if it includes K, A or both.
- Keep three cards to a royal flush
- Keep a paying pair of high cards (King, Ace).
- Keep any three cards to a straight flush.
- Keep any four-card flush without King or Ace.
- Keep consecutive four-card straights
- If not dealt any of the above, keep the Joker only.
- If you’re dealt a hand without the Joker:
- Keep all paying hands, except hold a four-card royal flush.
- Keep any four cards to a straight flush and any three cards to a royal flush.
- Keep four cards to any flush.
- Keep any pair of 2’s to Queens.
- Keep any three cards to a straight flush.
- Keep any four-card consecutive straight.
- Keep two cards to a royal flush if one of the cards is a Ace or King.
- Keep unsuited King and Ace.
- Keep King or Ace alone.
- Keep two suited royal flush cards lower than King or Ace.
- If you’re not dealt any of the above, draw five new cards.
TIP: Print out these joker wild strategy rules and refer to them while playing online. Be sure you make the correct hold/discard decision for every hand. Take your time learning joker wild strategy, the computer will wait.