If you care about return to player, video poker in Australia deserves a much closer look than it usually gets. At Fair Go Casino, Aces & Eights is listed at 99.78% RTP and full-pay Jacks or Better at 99.54%, both well above the approximately 97% average Fair Go states for its pokies. The catch: you only get close to those figures if you play correct strategy.
This page covers the five video poker games at Fair Go, how a hand works, what multi-hand play from 1 to 100 hands means for your bankroll, and the strategy habits that protect that high RTP. rocketplay6.net is an independent guide site and earns a commission if you sign up through our links. 18+ only.
Quick facts
- Aces & Eights RTP
- 99.78%
- Jacks or Better (full pay) RTP
- 99.54%
- Other games
- Deuces Wild, Double Double Bonus, Bonus Poker
- Hands per deal
- 1 to 100
- Software
- SpinLogic Gaming
- Average pokie RTP (for comparison)
- Approximately 97%
Why video poker stands out for Australian players
Video poker sits between pokies and table poker. It looks like a machine and plays fast, but unlike a pokie you make a real decision on every hand: which cards to hold. Because the paytable is printed on screen and the deck behaves like a real 52-card deck, the return is known and strategy measurably improves it.
That combination is why the two RTP figures Fair Go publishes for video poker are its highest anywhere in the lobby. If you are coming across from the pokies, think of it as a slower, more thoughtful game that rewards a little study.
Fair Go's video poker games compared
| Game | Published RTP | What's different | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aces & Eights | 99.78% | Jacks or Better base with bonus pays for four aces or four eights | Moderate |
| Jacks or Better (full pay) | 99.54% | The classic: a pair of jacks or better is the lowest paying hand | Easiest |
| Deuces Wild | Check in-game | All four 2s are wild, which reshapes the paytable and strategy | Moderate |
| Double Double Bonus | Check in-game | Big pays for four of a kind, especially with the right kicker | Harder, more volatile |
| Bonus Poker | Check in-game | Extra pays on certain four-of-a-kind hands | Moderate |
Fair Go only publishes RTPs for Aces & Eights and Jacks or Better, so for the other three we have not guessed. Open the paytable inside each game to see its figures.
How a hand of video poker works
- Set your bet. Choose coin size and coins per hand. Many paytables reward a maximum-coin bet with a bigger royal flush payout, so check the top row.
- Deal. You receive five cards.
- Hold. Tap the cards you want to keep. You can hold none, some or all five.
- Draw. Unheld cards are replaced from the same deck.
- Get paid. Your final hand is checked against the paytable.
That single hold decision is the whole game, and it is where the RTP is won or lost.
Playing 1 to 100 hands at once
Fair Go's video poker lets you play anywhere from 1 to 100 hands per deal. In multi-hand mode you hold cards on one base hand, and those held cards are copied to every other hand, each of which draws its replacements from its own separate deck.
Two things to know. First, your stake multiplies by the number of hands, so 50 hands at a 25-cent stake costs fifty times what a single hand does. Second, multi-hand does not change the RTP of the game; it just packs more hands into each decision, which makes results swing harder in a short session. Start with 1 to 5 hands until you are confident in your holds, and size your bet to your total budget, not to a single hand.
Video poker strategy pointers
Full strategy charts exist for each game, but a few habits capture most of the value in Jacks or Better and Aces & Eights:
- Never break a paying hand to chase something unlikely, with one exception: four cards to a royal flush are worth more than a made flush or straight.
- Keep a high pair over a four-card straight. Guaranteed money beats a long draw.
- Hold low pairs rather than throwing them away for high cards; they can improve to three of a kind, a full house or quads.
- Do not hold a kicker alongside a pair in Jacks or Better. Kickers only matter in games such as Double Double Bonus.
- In Deuces Wild, never discard a deuce. Every 2 is wild and always worth keeping.
Most video poker games include an optional hint or auto-hold feature; if Fair Go's version offers it, use it to check your thinking while you learn. Our bankroll management guide covers bet sizing for higher-variance games such as Double Double Bonus.
Video poker vs pokies at Fair Go
| Video poker | Pokies | |
|---|---|---|
| Published return | Up to 99.78% (Aces & Eights) | Approximately 97% average |
| Skill involved | Yes, every hold decision | None |
| Pace | Slower, decision per hand | Fast |
| Big feature rounds | No | Yes |
| Progressive jackpots | Check in-game | Yes, on titles such as Aztec's Millions |
Neither is "better"; they scratch different itches. If you love bonus rounds, stick with our online pokies guide. If you like making decisions, video poker rewards you for it. Bonus terms can treat video poker differently from pokies, so read the promo conditions before using bonus funds, and see our payout rates page for how Fair Go's returns compare across the lobby.
Responsible gambling
A high RTP still means the house keeps a small edge, and multi-hand play can move your balance fast. Set your total budget before you choose how many hands to play. If you need support, Gambling Help Online is free and open 24/7 on 1800 858 858.
Frequently asked questions
On published RTP, Aces & Eights at 99.78%, followed by full-pay Jacks or Better at 99.54%. Jacks or Better is the easier of the two to learn, so it is the better starting point. Fair Go does not publish RTPs for Deuces Wild, Double Double Bonus or Bonus Poker, so check each game's paytable.
No. Multi-hand play does not change the game's RTP. It multiplies your stake by the number of hands and applies one hold decision to all of them, so results swing more sharply. It suits players with a larger budget who are already confident with correct holds.
The published figures assume optimal play. Small mistakes, such as holding kickers in Jacks or Better or breaking a made hand to chase a draw, reduce your return. Using basic pointers and any in-game hint feature closes most of the gap.
It offers a higher published return at Fair Go, with Aces & Eights at 99.78% against an approximate 97% pokie average, and you make real decisions. Pokies offer bigger features, free spins and progressive jackpots. Choose based on the experience you enjoy, not just the number.
Yes. Fair Go has no native app, but its video poker games run in iOS and Android browsers. Single-hand games are easiest on a phone screen; heavy multi-hand play is more comfortable on a tablet or desktop where every hand is visible.