Jacks or Better Draw Poker

Jacks or Better Draw Poker is a live poker game from Pragmatic Play. It’s a live version of video poker challenging players to form the best poker hand out of 5 dealt cards. Fans of video poker will love this, as it combines their favorite game with the live casino format.

The payout potential in the new game is 800x – which is won when you form the Royal Flush hand. However, there are many other ways to win a payout, as the game offers a full-pay video poker paytable. It’s also worth mentioning that there’s a jackpot involved. Namely, if you manage to form a Straight, Four of a Kind, or Straight Flush, you may hit a 20,000x jackpot too.

Fast-paced and straightforward, Jacks or Better Draw Poker is a fantastic live rendition of video poker. We invite you to learn more about the game by reading our full game review below.

Jacks or Better Draw Poker is a Jacks or Better video poker game played in real time. It’s a live casino game, so there’s a host that deals the cards and leads the rounds by chatting with players and announcing results.

If you want to play, you first must set a stake. The possible stakes in the game go from 0.50 to 2,000 per round. It’s not possible to make multi-hand rounds, as it’s a single-hand game.

Now, once you have decided on a stake, join the round during the betting phase that lasts 10 seconds in total.

1. First draw. The host will draw 5 cards to your hand. You can choose which cards you want to keep and which ones you want to replace.
2. Second draw. In the second draw, the dealer will deal cards to complete your hand to a 5-card hand.
3. Once the cards have been dealt, the winners will get their corresponding payouts according to the pay table.
4. Next round. You can begin preparing for the next round as soon as the round ends.

The game also offers a side bet on the fixed jackpot.

To wager on the game, you will have to place a stake that fits the $0.50-$2,000 betting range.

The table is open 24/7, so you can join anytime you want. We must note that the game follows the Jacks or Better pay table, which means the full paytable looks like this:

• Royal Flush – 800
• Straight Flush – 50
• Four of a Kind – 25
• Full House – 9
• Flush – 6
• Straight – 4
• Three of a Kind – 3
• Two Pairs – 2
• Jacks of Better – 1

The maximum you can win by playing the regular payouts is 800x the stake.

However, the game also has a fixed jackpot. The jackpot pays:

• Straight Flush – 20,000x
• Four of a Kind – 1,000x
• Straight – 100x

RTP rates can also change. If you are using the optimal strategy, the RTP is 99.54%, while a simplified strategy yields 96.69% RTP. Finally, the Jackpot has 94.04% RTP.

Needless to say, the game is very volatile, so please be mindful of the wagers you are setting.

It’s a pretty straightforward game, so there are no complex bonus rounds or features. Instead, players focus entirely on the action happening on the table.

The only notable addition to the game that adds movement, and excitement is the fixed jackpot.

Unlike progressive jackpots, the jackpot in Jacks or Better Draw Poker is fixed, meaning its payout does not change. It is delivered only if you win Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, or Straight.

To be eligible for a jackpot, you must first place a bet as it’s a side bet. Be careful, though, as the jackpot side bet has considerably lower RTP than the optimal strategy gameplay.

According to Pragmatic Play, the jackpot hits approximately every 45 days.

Mobile gaming is a major trend these days, so it’s no surprise that the game is fully compatible with all devices and platforms.

Mobile casinos working with Pragmatic Play offer you the advantage of playing either via browsers or via mobile apps. The choice depends entirely on the casino – if they offer an app or just browser-based gameplay – and if you like one or the other option.

Browsers are generally easier to access and play at as they require no download or device storage. On the other hand, playing via apps requires no log ins past the initial one, and some casinos may offer better bonuses for mobile play.

However, there is no major difference between these two: it’s just a matter of preference and taste, not experience.

Theme, Visuals & Sound

Like many of the games before, Jacks or Better Draw Poker is broadcast from the Romanian studio. In other words, it’s a special studio, not an authentic casino floor.

Still, it’s way more authentic in casino terms than regular video poker as it’s not RNG – it’s in live mode.

That in itself will probably present the biggest switch for the players, as diehard fans are probably used to the digital nature of video poker. Plus, they are mostly nostalgic, so they are not that easy to transfer to the live casino format. Still, it’s very good that Pragmatic Play is doing this, as it will bring a fresh audience to the video poker category.

Our Experience Playing French Roulette

Unfortunately, we have not had the chance to play the game yet, as it has not yet been released. We will share our insights and impressions as soon as we get to try it out.

How we Rate Games

Before we give a game our stamp of approval, we first make sure that the game meets all of our requirements and the criteria.

• Gameplay and Innovation, where we explore whether the game offers a fresh, engaging perspective to the genre/category, or if it is easy to understand from a newcomer’s perspective
• Design and User Experience, where the specific requirements target the games’ visuals, choice of theme, sound, and UI
• Payouts, which is a criterion focusing on the payout mechanics, and more importantly, how fair the game is; we also focus on the player profile that will enjoy the game the most
• Mobile Compatibility, considering how mobile gaming is popular now, we like to make sure the game runs smoothly on a wide range of devices, including phones and tablets
• Entertainment Value, which essentially refers to our overall impression of how fun the game is and whether we believe players will return to the game past the initial session

Jacks or Better Draw Poker is not a classic live poker game, and it’s not a classic video poker. It’s both. That in itself is a great feat, and decidedly the reason why many players will be curious to try it out.

Being a blend of classic and video poker might bring the game new players and a lot of attention. We also liked the use of the jackpot because that will surely appeal to many high rollers as well. All in all, a well-rounded game that offers ease of use, a high entertainment value, and is compatible with all modern platforms.