Jacks Or Better Review
Jacks Or Better is a classic video poker game designed by Playtech and features on a number of slots and casino brands including Coral, Ladbrokes and Gala Bingo. Video Poker doesn't get quite the same billing as slots, slingo and megaways these days so you may have to use the search options to seek out this or indeed other video poker options. In truth, since we originally wrote this article, the number of game options has dropped considerably. Thankfully we still have Playtech's Jacks Or Better! And even better, it's a simple enough game to play and you can win a maximum of x4000 your wager with this particular version.
How To Play Jacks Or Better
The design of Jacks Or Better is very basic although the game has had a little bit of a makeover since 2015. The background used to feature knights but they've since gone. Instead you have a blue to black gradient background that's dominated with the pay table to the left and your five dealt cards to the right. Along the base of the game view you'll find wagering options including setting your bet (this ranges from 5p up to £100 at Coral Casino, betting one or betting max, and deal. Once you've selected your wager all you have to do is click 'deal' to start playing Jacks Or Better. You are dealt five cards in round one and are then invited to hold any you feel would make up a winning combination. If you get a potential win on the first round then the computer may automatically hold cards for you. You are welcome to deselect these cards if you like.
Jacks Or Better Strategy
If you're lucky enough to win on your turn then you're given an opportunity to gamble. You can choose to use all or half your winnings - you can of course just collect. Should you opt to gamble then a simple Hi-Lo game will determine whether you're taking home extra winnings or leaving with nothing. We're not quite sure whether there's any strategy that can be applied to this particular version of video poker. However we always hold the picture cards just to try and collect something if the first round hasn't been kind. If you do win then be cautious with the double up rounds - you can get Aces and that basically scuppers any chance of winning. Strategy however we think changes should you play a multihand version of the game. Sadly this version is just single hand but you can find multihand options such as Jacks or Better Multihand at Paddy Power Games.
Our Verdict
If you're a fan of the video poker genre then this version of Jacks Or Better is an oldie but a goodie. To be fair there's not a lot for developers to do gamewise because it's a simple turn five cards, discard and deal affair. Strategy is questionable because you're playing a computer which may or may not have already decided the outcome of your turn. The only issue we have with this particular game is that it's a bit flat once you've tried multihand versions. Additionally there's no demo play to have a little try-out before committing to wagering. The good news though is that you can play for as little as 5p a turn.
