Bonus Poker Video Poker Guide 2026: Strategy, RTP, and Best Casinos
Bonus Poker is a Jacks or Better variant with enhanced payouts for four-of-a-kind hands. Specifically, four Aces pays 80:1 (vs 25:1 in standard Jacks or Better), four 2s, 3s, or 4s pays 40:1, and four 5s through Kings pays 25:1. The improved quads payouts come at the cost of a slightly reduced full house payout.
Bonus Poker Pay Table
Standard 8/5 Bonus Poker (full-pay for this variant):
- Royal Flush: 800:1
- Straight Flush: 50:1
- Four Aces: 80:1
- Four 2s, 3s, 4s: 40:1
- Four 5s through Kings: 25:1
- Full House: 8:1
- Flush: 5:1
- Straight: 4:1
- Three of a Kind: 3:1
- Two Pair: 2:1
- Jacks or Better: 1:1
Bonus Poker RTP
Full-pay 8/5 Bonus Poker with optimal strategy has an RTP of 99.17%. This is slightly lower than full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%) but the enhanced quads payouts create higher variance and bigger individual wins.
Bonus Poker vs Jacks or Better Strategy
The main strategy difference from Jacks or Better involves prioritising Aces for four-of-a-kind draws. Hold a low pair alongside an Ace only if the Ace is kept (to chase four Aces). Otherwise, Bonus Poker strategy is largely similar to Jacks or Better — the fundamental hold/draw decisions follow the same hierarchy.
FAQ
- Is Bonus Poker better than Jacks or Better?
- Bonus Poker 8/5 has slightly lower RTP (99.17%) than 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%), but the enhanced four-of-a-kind payouts create higher variance. If you enjoy bigger swings and bigger wins, Bonus Poker is entertaining. For pure expected value, 9/6 Jacks or Better is marginally better.
- Why does Bonus Poker pay more for four Aces?
- The enhanced four Aces payout (80:1 vs 25:1) reflects the difficulty of hitting this specific hand. The higher payout is funded by reducing the Full House payout from 9:1 (Jacks or Better) to 8:1.
- What is Double Bonus Poker?
- Double Bonus Poker further enhances four-of-a-kind payouts — four Aces pays 160:1. The full-pay version approaches 100.17% RTP with optimal strategy, one of the highest RTPs in video poker.