Video Poker Terminology

Full Pay Machine or Full Pay Game: A Video Poker Machine with the highest payback table. For example, a Full Pay Jacks or Better Video Poker game typically pays back 9 credits for a full house and 6 credits for a flush. This is also referred to as a "9/6" machine. The total payback for this machine is 99.543%, as opposed to a "8/5" machine, which pays 8 credits for a full house and 5 credits for a flush and has a total payout of 97.298%. Many Indian/Native American casinos have lower payback machines, such as "8/5" and even "6/5" machines Jacks or Better Video Poker Machines. Many internet casinos such as Microgaming casinos have full pay "9/6" Jacks or Better games.

Partial Pay Machine or Low Pay Machine: A Video Poker Machine that does not offer the maximum payout. For example, an "8/5" Jacks or Better Video Poker game as opposed to a "9/6" game (see Full Pay Machine above).

Payoff Schedule: A table or list on a Video Poker or Slot machine which informs the player of the payback for each hand as well as winning combinations.

Royal Flush: A hand consisting of a ten, jack, queen, king, and ace, all of the same suit. In many Video Poker games, the payout for the Royal Flush is higher if you play the maximum of 5 credits per hand. Some Video Poker games also offer a Progressive Jackpot that can rise in value for hitting the Royal.

Sequential Royal Flush: A Royal Flush where the cards are displayed in order with the 10 on the left.

Straight: Five cards of any suit in consecutive order.

Outside Straight: All cards are in consecutive order and can become a complete 5-card straight by placing a card at either end, such as 3, 4, 5, 6, which would become a straight by adding either a 2 or a 7.

Inside Straight: A straight with a missing inside card, such as the cards 4, 5, 7, 8. The 6 would be required to complete this "inside straight".

Full House: A hand made up of a pair and a three-of-a-kind, sometimes also referred to as a "Boat".

Straight Flush: A hand consisting of five cards of the same suit in consecutive order.

Four of a Kind: A hand with four cards of the same value plus one other card, for example, four jacks and a 6.

Variance: A measure of the "swings" of your bankroll. The higher the variance, the wider the "up and down swings" you will experience in your bankroll.

Credits: A credit is the equivilent of one coin. If you are playing a quarter machine, a credit is worth one quarter, and typically you wager 5 x (the no. or credits) or $1.25 per hand if you are playing for the maximum payout. If you are playing a dollar game, a credit is worth one dollar, and you would wager $5 per hand if you are playing maximum credits for the maximum payout.

Flat Top: A Video Poker (or Slot) Machine with a fixed jackpot.

Garbage Hand: A hand where none of the cards are worth saving, and all 5 cards should be discarded.

Kicker: A card held with a Pair or 3 of a Kind.

Pat Hand: A hand that is held just as it was dealt. No cards are discarded.

High Card: The card with the greatest value. Typically the highest values in decending order are ace, king, queen, jack, 10, etc.

High Pair: In Jacks or Better Video Poker, any pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces.

Suit: Diamonds, Hearts, Clubs, or Spades. The four of Hearts and the 7 of Hearts would be of the "same Suit".

Wild Card: A card that may be substituted for any other card in the deck. In Deuces Wild Video Poker, deuces are always wild.