Joker Poker Rules

  1. Joker In Poker Rules
  2. Joker Poker Rules
  3. Can You Use A Joker In Poker
  4. Joker Poker Game Rules


Joker Poker, also known as Joker’s Wild Poker is one of the most popular video poker games and the reason for its popularity is its fun, exciting, fast moving and you can win more often. On average, the joker appears in around in ten hands, and it is a wildcard that can be nominated as any card you want increasing the chances of winning hands. The Jokers Wild Strategy is fairly easy to grasp, and our strategy card will make it even easier.

How to Play Jokers Wild Poker

A popular version of Video Poker is Jokers Poker, also known as Jokers Wild. This version uses a standard deck of 52 cards and also a Joker which can replace any card in the pack.

As you would expect, the chances of getting a winning hand are increased with the addition of a Joker, but the House Odds tend to be higher than for other versions such as Jacks or Better.

In fact, the expected payout is around 98.50%, more than 1% lower than Jacks or Better.

Joker Poker has 2 main versions: Kings or Better and Two Pairs or Better.

Joker Poker Rules

As the Kings or Better pays out for 2 extra hands, a Pair of Kings and a Pair of Aces, this one has better odds and should be played wherever you have a choice.

Joker

For example 6-5-4-2-joker would count as a pair of sixes in normal poker with the joker wild, but in ace-to-five low poker the joker could be used as an ace, and in deuce-to-seven low poker it could be used as a seven to complete a low hand. Joker’s Wild is a fun variation on video poker, one that has carved out its own niche of loyal players. Like all video poker games, Joker’s Wild comes in a variety of pay tables and payback percentages. Unlike the rest, it comes with a basic divide: Some games start the pay table at two pairs, and others start it at a pair of Kings.

As with all versions of Video Poker, we suggest that you play with maximum coins to ensure the big payout comes when you get that Royal Flush. If you need to reduce the size of a Coin in order to play maximum, then do so.

Pai

Although having a Joker in the pack does increase your chances of getting a win, the big payout, for a Royal Flush is only for a ‘Natural Royal Flush’, which includes the 10, J, Q, K and A of the same suit, and no Joker. If the Joker does replace any of these cards, you will still get a nice payout, but considerably less than you would get without a Joker.

The presence of a Joker also gives us a new hand that you won’t get on standard 52 card Video Poker such as Jacks or Better, with 5 of a kind now possible. This is the 2nd best hand after the Natural Royal Flush and is, in fact, better than a Royal Flush that includes the Joker. Clearly, the 5 of a kind isn’t possible without a Joker in your hand.

If you are dealt a Joker, you don’t need to decide what card it will be as the computer will payout after you have discarded and then received cards based on the best possible outcome.

Before you read this strategy, make sure that you are familiar with the rules and poker hands. The video poker rules can be found here . A full breakdown of the poker hands you can get within any form of poker can be found here.

Once you have mastered this, you are ready to consider the best way to play Joker Poker.

Joker Poker Paytable

The payouts for Joker Poker do vary from casino to casino, and from software provider to software provider, so bear that in mind when deciding where to play. Make sure to keep an eye out for those that offer the best payout for a Natural Royal Flush.

The paytable below is one that is fairly standard and is for the Kings or Better version, which as mentioned should be played wherever possible instead of Two Pair or Better.

HandPayoutProbability%Return%Odds 1 in
Natural Royal Flush1,0000.002602.6038461.54
Five of a Kind2000.009301.8610752.69
Wild Royal Flush1000.010701.079345.79
Straight Flush500.059402.971683.50
Four of a Kind170.8497014.44117.69
Full House71.5612010.9364.05
Flush51.597607.9962.59
Straight31.687505.0659.26
Three of a Kind213.3121026.627.51
Two Pairs111.0547011.059.05
Kings or Better113.9988014.007.14
Nothing055.856500.001.79
Total100.0098.6021.00

You will note that the minimum needed for a payout in Joker Poker is a pair of Kings or better, again this does change from casino to casino but this tends to be the most popular payoff structure.

Joker In Poker Rules

Below shows a typical Joker Poker game, you will see you can choose the value of the coin, in the above case, it is a 1 unit coin meaning a total of 5 units for the total bet as 5 coins are being used. Playing 4 coins gives a maximum payout for a Natural Royal Flush as 3,000 coins, moving up to 5 coins makes this 5,000 coins so it is worth doing just in case you win the big one!

Joker Poker Strategy

For the strategy, see the 2 tables shown below, the top one is for no Joker in your initial 5 cards, the bottom one is if you are fortunate enough to get dealt a Joker in the 5 cards.
Simply start at the top and work your way down, when you come to an option that represents the cards you have, hold those cards and replace the rest.
It’s that simple!

No Joker

CardsAction
Natural Royal Flush/Royal FlushKeep them all and celebrate!
4 to a Natural Royal FlushKeep the 4, discard 1
Four of a Kind, Full House or FlushKeep the hand, discard 1 card if Four of a Kind
4 to a Straight FlushDiscard other card
Three of a Kind or StraightDiscard other 2 cards if Three of a Kind, keep Straight
3 to a Royal Flush with K or Q HighDiscard other 2 cards
Two PairsDiscard the other card
3 to a Royal Flush with A HighDiscard other 2 cards
AA or KKDiscard other 3 cards
4 to a FlushDiscard other card
3 to a Straight Flush with no gapDiscard other 2 cards
Pair of Queens or lowerDiscard other 3 cards
T, J, Q, KDiscard other card
3 to a Straight Flush with gapsDiscard other 2 cards
Suited AKDiscard other 3 cards
Suited 10K, JK or QKDiscard other 3 cards
4 to a Straight with no gapsDiscard other card
Suited 10A, JA or QADiscard other 3 cards
Single Ace or KingDiscard other 4 cards
Suited 10J, JQ or 10QDiscard other 3 cards
Anything elseDiscard all 5 cards

With Joker

CardsAction
Any hand of Four of a Kind or betterHold all or discard odd one if Four of a Kind
4 to a Wild Royal FlushDiscard other card
Full HouseHold all
4 to a Straight Flush with no gapDiscard other card
FlushHold all
4 to a Straight FlushDiscard other card
Three of a Kind or StraightDiscard other 2 for Three of a Kind, keep Straight
4 to a Flush with A and/or KDiscard other card
3 to a Straight/Royal Flush with no gapsDiscard other 2 cards
3 to a Straight Flush with gap/sDiscard other 2 cards
Joker with 10JK, 10QK or JQKDiscard other card
4 to a Straight with no gapsDiscard other card
4 to a Flush with no A or KDiscard other card
Joker with 3 consecutive cardsDiscard other card
Joker with ADiscard other 3 cards
Joker with KDiscard other 3 cards
Anything elseKeep Joker, discard other 4 cards


Remember that the above is a guide that will give you the best possible chance of winning a session when followed correctly. Some players like to trust their instincts from time to time and vary their play slightly, feel free to do this as well if it feels right.

Terminology

Joker Poker Rules

High Card – King or Ace. A Pair of these returns your stake, so it is worth holding. Note that due to the payouts High Card for Kings or Better differs from High Cards on some other forms of Video Poker

Outside Straight – 4 Cards that are consecutive and where a card at either end can provide you with a Straight – EG. 5,6,7,8

Can You Use A Joker In Poker

Inside Straight – 4 Cards where there is one number missing that would complete a Straight. EG 5,6,8,9

Joker Poker Tips

  1. You have 2 different versions of Jokers Wild. Kings or Better and Two Pairs or Better. Kings or Better has the best odds so you should play that one.
  2. Play Maximum Coins – The payout for five coins played is far greater than five times the payout for playing only one coin and is the way to play to maximize your winnings.
  3. Play at Machines that Offer a Full Pay Schedule – The full house pay schedule for jokers wild is a 7 / 5 machine -7 Coins are paid for the full house and 5 for the flush.

Related Articles:

Joker Poker Game Rules

Jacks or Better Strategy
Deuces Wild Strategy

Poker

Featured Gambling Guides

Comments are closed.