Joker Poker: video poker with one wild joker
Joker Poker adds one joker to a 52-card deck, and the joker is wild. The common version pays on a pair of kings or better. The best pay tables return more than 100% with perfect play.
Reviewed Oct 14, 2026
Answer first
90s| Hand | Pays per coin |
|---|---|
| Natural royal flush | 800 (with 5 coins) |
| Five of a kind | 200 |
| Wild royal flush | 100 |
| Straight flush | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 20 |
| Full house | 7 |
| Flush | 5 |
| Straight | 3 |
| Three of a kind | 2 |
| Two pair | 1 |
| Kings or better | 1 |
Key numbers
Joker Poker in four numbers
In short
Key takeaways
- Always hold the joker; it is the most valuable card in the deck.
- Check the four of a kind and full house pays before you sit.
- Low pairs pay nothing, so many hands are redrawn from scratch.
- Five of a kind is possible only with the joker.
Cheat sheet
Hands the joker can make
Glance the faces — compare in one second.
1Five of a kind
Four 9s and the joker (face down) — pays 200
2Wild royal flush
The face-down joker fills the gap — pays 100
3Kings or better
The face-down joker pairs the king
Common pay tables
| Four of a kind / Full house / Flush | Return |
|---|---|
| 20 / 7 / 5 | About 100.6% |
| 20 / 6 / 5 | About 98.6% |
| 20 / 5 / 4 | About 97.6% |
| 15 / 7 / 5 | About 98.1% |
Small changes in the middle lines move the return by 1% to 3%.
How the joker changes play
The joker turns many weak hands into paying ones. A joker alone already guarantees at least a pair of kings when paired with any king.
Strong draws with the joker often beat holding a natural pair of low cards.
Sample holds
| Dealt | Hold |
|---|---|
| Joker, 7, 8, 9, 10 mixed | The straight |
| Joker with a pair of 5s | Joker and both 5s |
| Joker alone, no draws | Joker only |
| Kings pair, no joker | The pair of kings |
| Four to a royal, no joker | The four royal cards |
Use a trainer for the full strategy chart.
The deuces wild comparison
Deuces Wild has four wild cards and pays from three of a kind. Joker Poker has one wild card and pays from kings.
Joker Poker is less swingy, but full-pay machines are now harder to find.
Sequence
Before you play
Step 01
Find the pay table
Read the help screen.
Step 02
Check the 20 / 7 / 5 line
That is full pay.
Step 03
Bet 5 coins
The royal pays 800 per coin only at max bet.
Step 04
Hold the joker
Every time.
Where it is found
Joker Poker appears on multi-game machines in Nevada and many regional casinos. Online it shows up in video poker lobbies of licensed sites.
Joker Poker Two Pair, which pays from two pair, is a different game with its own table.
Floor rules
Joker Poker terms
Know before you sit
- Joker
- A wild card that can stand for any card.
- Natural royal
- A royal flush without the joker.
- Wild royal
- A royal flush using the joker.
- Full pay
- The best common pay table.
Common mistakes
- Discarding the joker
- Never do it.
- Holding low pairs like a jacks game
- Pairs below kings pay nothing.
- Playing short pay
- Check the 20 / 7 / 5 line.
- Betting under max
- The royal pays far less.
Keep reading
Related pages
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.
Open a casino page
Real listings · not adsAfter 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
How many cards are in Joker Poker?
53, a standard deck plus one joker that acts as a wild card. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
What is the lowest paying hand?
A pair of kings or aces in the common Kings or Better version. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Can Joker Poker return over 100%?
The full-pay 20 / 7 / 5 table returns about 100.6% with perfect strategy. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
02Strategy
Should I always keep the joker?
Yes. It is part of the best hold in every hand. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Do I hold a pair of 10s?
Usually not when you hold the joker, since 10s pay nothing alone. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Is the strategy hard?
It is harder than Jacks or Better because the joker changes many holds. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
03Where to play
Is Joker Poker common?
It appears on many multi-game machines, but full-pay versions are rarer than before.
Is it offered online?
Many licensed online casinos offer it in their video poker sections. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Is there a two pair version?
Yes, Joker Poker Two Pair pays from two pair and uses a different pay table. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds — Joker Poker Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry)The gaming industry’s standard reference for casino-game math, by actuary Michael Shackleford. Not an official registry; our calculators compute these numbers independently. · accessed Oct 14, 2026Pay tables and returns
- Wizard of Odds — Video poker Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry)The gaming industry’s standard reference for casino-game math, by actuary Michael Shackleford. Not an official registry; our calculators compute these numbers independently. · accessed Oct 14, 2026Strategy and returns
- Nevada Gaming Control Board · accessed Oct 14, 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 14, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER