The Game
As a game, Bonus Poker actually represents a variation of Jacks or Better. It features a deck of 52 cards, while the lowest rank for a winning combination is a pair of Jacks. The return for a Full House or for a Flush, however, is lower compared to that, offered by 9/6 Jacks or Better. The reason for that is the additional amount paid for particular Four of a Kind hands.
We could summarize the specific features of Bonus Poker in the following manner:
First, as in Jacks or Better, a player will be paid even money for drawing a hand such as a Pair of Jacks, a Pair of Queens, a Pair of Kings or a Pair of Aces;
Second, again similar to Jacks or Better, a player will be paid twice the amount bet for drawing a hand such as Two Pair;
Third, if the player has four Aces, they will receive 80 coins for each 1-coin bet. For a combination such as four Twos, four Threes or four Fours, the payout will be 40 coins for each 1-coin bet, while for a hand such as four Fives to Kings, the player will receive the same 25 coins for each 1-coin bet, just as in Jacks or Better.
If one is to make a distinction between good and bad Bonus Poker games, they will need to focus on the number of coins paid for combinations such as Full House and Flush. A number of variations of Bonus Poker can be found at casinos across the globe. What is important to note is that some of the variations will offer less than 7 coins for a Full House, while others will return only 1 coin for a hand such as Two Pair. It is best if one keeps their distance from such Bonus Poker games.
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Now, let us take a look at the pay tables for 8/5 and 7/5 Bonus Poker games.
| Bonus Poker Pay Tables | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hand | 8 / 5 | 7 / 5 |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind: Aces | 80 | 80 |
| Four of a Kind: Twos, Threes or Fours | 40 | 40 |
| Four of a Kind: Fives to Kings | 25 | 25 |
| Full House | 8 | 7 |
| Flush | 5 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind: | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 99.17% | 98.01% |
There are also variations, known as ”Bonus Poker” by International Game Technology (IGT). These games are even considered by some experts as variations of Jacks or Better because all Four-of-a-Kind combinations pay one and the same number of coins. Below are the pay tables for the best two games within the group (8-5-35 IGT Bonus Poker and 8-5-30 IGT Bonus Poker).
| IGT Bonus Poker Pay Tables | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hand | 8-5-35 | 8-5-30 |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 35 | 30 |
| Full House | 8 | 8 |
| Flush | 5 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind: | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 99.66% | 98.48% |
Jacks or Better
8/5 Bonus Poker
9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe
Full Pay Deuces Wild
Not So Ugly Deuces Wild
The Strategy
We are going to present the play strategy for Bonus Poker in a table form, where the possible combinations are shown in order, with the highest-ranking hand being on top. The table should be examined from top to bottom so that one is able to locate the particular hand dealt.
The first column of the table shows the different hands dealt, while the second one points out which cards, if any, one needs to hold. After a player has found the specific combination, they need to conform with the instructions in the second column, unless, of course, their situation matches one of the exceptions in the third column.
If the latter is true, the player needs to conform with the instructions in the third column, where exceptions are presented in order of relevance. If number one exception matches one’s situation, they need to follow it. If not, they will need to move further to the number two exception and etc. The fourth column features actions one should never take when dealt that particular hand. It includes useful information, which could prevent costly mistakes.
Inside Four-StraightHold nothing1. One should keep Inside Four-Straight with three or four high cards.1. One should never discard an Inside Four-Straight with three or four high cards. Instead, he/she should hold the four cards.
| Dealt Hand (What is available) | What needs to be done | Exceptions | Actions one should avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | Hold Royal Flush | None | 1. One should abstain from selecting the Double Down option, which may be available. |
| Straight Flush | Hold Straight Flush | None | 1. One should never hold four to a Royal Flush over a Straight Flush. Instead, he/she should keep the Straight Flush. |
| Four of a Kind | Hold Four of a Kind | None | None |
| Full House | Hold Full House | None | 1.One should never keep three Aces over a Full House. Instead, he/she should always hold the Full House. 2. One should never keep Three of a Kind over a Full House. Instead, he/she should always hold the Full House. |
| Flush | Hold Flush | 1. Hold four to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Flush over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Royal Flush. |
| Straight | Hold Straight | 1. Hold four to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Straight over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Royal Flush. |
| Three of a Kind | Hold Three of a Kind | None | None |
| Two Pair | Hold both Pairs | None | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Pair of Aces, Twos, Threes, Fours when dealt a hand such as Two Pair. Instead, he/she should always hold the Two Pair. |
| Jacks or Better | Hold high Pair | 1. Hold four to a Royal Flush. 2. Hold four to a Straight Flush. 3. In progressive 9/6 Jacks or Better, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 4 780 coins without a Flush Penalty. If there is a Flush Penalty, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 5 050 coins. 4. In progressive 9/6 Jacks or Better, with Ace-Ten-any card combination, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 5 335 coins without a Flush Penalty. If there is a Flush Penalty, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, when Royal pays out more than 5 605 coins. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a high Pair over four to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Royal. 2. One should abstain from keeping a high Pair over four to a Straight Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only four to a Straight Flush. 3. One should abstain from keeping a high Pair when playing a high-paying Jacks or Better progressive. In case one holds three to a progressive Royal, and an Ace is not one of the three, he/she should hold three to a Royal, if the Royal pays out over 4 780 coins without a Flush Penalty, or over 5 050 with a Flush Penalty. In case an Ace is not one of the three, one should keep three to a progressive Royal, if the Royal pays out over 5 335 coins without a Flush Penalty, or over 5 605 coins with a Flush Penalty. /td> |
| Four Flush | Hold Four Flush | 1. Hold three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a Four Flush over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only the three to a Royal. |
| Low Pair | Hold this Pair | 1.Hold three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping a low Pair over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold three to a Royal. |
| Open-Ended-Four-Straight | Hold Four-Straight | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping Open-Ended-Four-Straight over three to a Royal Flush. Instead, he/she should hold only three to a Royal. |
| High Cards | Hold high cards | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should keep two to a Royal Flush, unless Ace and Ten, King and Ten, or Queen and Ten. Then, he/she should keep high cards. 3. In case one is dealt three high cards, including an Ace, he/she should keep the two non-Ace high cards. 4. One should keep three to any 0-gap or one-gap Straight Flush. | 1. One should abstain from keeping high cards over three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep suited Ace and Ten, King and Ten, or Queen and Ten in order to go for a Royal. Instead, he/she should hold the high cards. 3. One should never keep an Ace when dealt three high cards. Instead, he/she should hold the two non-Ace high cards. 4. One should never keep high cards when dealt three to a 0-gap or one-gap Straight Flush. Instead, he/she should hold the cards to the Straight Flush. |
| No Pairs or High Cards | Hold nothing | 1. One should keep three to a Straight Flush. | 1. One should never discard three to a Straight Flush. 2. One should never keep three to a Straight or three to a Flush. |
