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Aces and Faces video poker: pays and strategy

Aces and Faces is a jacks or better game with bigger pays for four aces and four jacks, queens or kings. The full-pay 8/5 version returns about 99.26% with perfect play. Strategy stays close to jacks or better.

Reviewed Oct 15, 2026

Answer first

90s

01Four aces pay 80 for 1.
02Four J, Q or K pay 40 for 1.
03Full pay 8/5 returns about 99.26%.

Key numbers

Aces and Faces at a glance

99.26%Return, 8/5Perfect play

80Four acesFor 1

40Four facesFor 1

8/5Full house/flushFull pay

In short

Key takeaways

Check the full house and flush pays.
Bet max coins for the royal bonus.
Play close to jacks or better strategy.
Look for 8/5 or better.

Progress

How a hand plays

1
Bet
One to five coins
2
Deal
Five cards
3
Hold
Pick cards to keep
4
Draw
Replace the rest

Pays are per coin; the royal pays more with five coins.

Pay table

8/5 pay table, per coin

Glance before you bet

Hand	Pay
Royal flush	800 with 5 coins
Straight flush	50
Four aces	80
Four J, Q or K	40
Four 2s to 10s	25
Full house	8
Flush	5
Straight	4
Three of a kind	3
Two pair	2
Jacks or better	1

Pays per coin bet; check the machine.

How it differs from jacks or better

The bonus quads pay more, but two pair pays only 2 for 1 here, the same as standard jacks or better.

To fund the bonus quads, full house and flush pay 8 and 5 instead of 9 and 6. That costs return on every hand.

Pay table versions

Full house / Flush	Return
8/5	About 99.26%
7/5	About 98.85%
7/6	About 99.9% if offered
6/5	About 97.7%

Rough returns with perfect strategy; check exact tables.

Strategy changes

Strategy is very close to jacks or better. The main change is a slight lean toward holding aces and face cards when deciding close plays.

Never break a made full house or flush to chase a bonus quad. The extra pays are not big enough.

Sequence

Playing Aces and Faces

Step 01
Check the pay table
8/5 is full pay.
Step 02
Bet max coins
For the royal.
Step 03
Use a strategy chart
Jacks or better is close.
Step 04
Hold pairs over high cards
Mostly.
Step 05
Track your session
Set a limit.

A worked example

You bet 5 coins at 25 cents, so $1.25 a hand. You draw four aces.

Four aces pay 80 for 1 per coin, so 400 coins, or $100.

Where to find it

Aces and Faces is often included on multi-game machines in Las Vegas and other markets.

Pay tables can differ on the same machine between coin values, so check each one.

Higher denominations sometimes have better pay tables. Jacks or better still pays 1 for 1, so a high pair breaks even on a one-coin bet. Many players use a short strategy card at the machine, which most casinos allow.

Common mistakes

Playing short pay tables: 7/5 or 6/5 cost more.
Betting less than max: Royal pays less.
Breaking made hands: Do not chase quads.
Guessing strategy: Use a chart.

Taxes on big hands

A royal flush or other large win may trigger a W-2G form. For 2026, slot and video poker wins of $2,000 or more get a W-2G.

The casino may ask for ID and your Social Security number before paying.

Keep records of wins and losses for your tax return. Four aces show up about once every 5,000 hands or so, and four face cards about three times as often in total. Some machines show the pay table only on a help screen, so tap it before you play.

Floor rules

Video poker terms

Know before you sit

Quad: Four of a kind.
Face cards: Jacks, queens and kings.
Full pay: The best common pay table.
Return: Share of bets paid back over time.
Max coins: The top bet, needed for the full royal pay.

Session swings

Most of the return comes from small pays and quads, with the royal adding about 2%.

You can go many hours without a royal, so plan for the swings.

Set a session budget and stop when you reach it. The royal flush still comes about once every 40,000 hands with good strategy.

Keep reading

Go play

Where to play in Las Vegas

Tap a resort — each row opens that casino’s White Gambling page (hours, game mix, floor facts). Venues with this game in official counts, sorted high to low.

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After the 90 seconds

Questions before and after you play

A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.

01Basics

What is Aces and Faces?

A jacks or better video poker game with bonus pays for four aces and four face cards.

What does 8/5 mean?

The full house pays 8 for 1 and the flush pays 5 for 1 per coin. Details vary by game, so check the help screen first.

What is the return?

About 99.26% for 8/5 with perfect play. Details vary by game, so check the help screen first.

02Rules

Do I need to bet max coins?

For the full royal flush pay of 800 for 1, yes. Fewer coins pay less on a royal.

Are jacks a face card here?

Yes. Four jacks, queens or kings all get the 40 for 1 pay. Details vary by game, so check the help screen first.

Is it the same as Bonus Poker?

No. Bonus Poker pays more on small quads and less on face cards. Details vary by game, so check the help screen first.

03Strategy

Is strategy the same as jacks or better?

Very close. A jacks or better chart works with only small losses. Details vary by game, so check the help screen first.

Which version should I play?

The highest full house and flush pays you can find. Details vary by game, so check the help screen first.

Where can I get help?

If gambling stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER for free, private help any time of day.

Sources

Wizard of Odds — Aces and Faces Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Pay table and return
Nevada Gaming Control Board · accessed Oct 15, 2026Approved games and gaming revenue reports
National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER