Jacks+ (Jacks or Better) Version
By Gayle Mitchell

Your VP education begins with a basic ‘plain vanilla’ VP machine pay schedule for Jacks or Better (Jacks+). Additionally, there is a detailed strategy chart later in this article.
This version is the choice of newbie and veteran VP players alike.

Following is a full-pay 9/6 regular VP pay schedule for Jacks or Better:
Multiply by 5 for maximum coin play.

Pair--Jacks or Better          returns the bet.
Two pair (2 PR)                 pays 2-1
Three-of-a-kind (3/kind)     pays 3-1
Straight (ST)
(sequence, not same suit)   pays 4-1
Flush (FL)
(non-sequential, same suit)  pays 6-1
Full house (FH)
(3 of a kind and a pair)        pays 9-1
Four-of-a-kind (quad)         pays 25-1
Straight flush (SF)
(in sequence, same suit)      pays 50-1
Royal flush (RF)   pays 250-1 
(except with max. coins, pays 4000.)

If you bet 5 coins, all winning hands are paid out multiplied by a factor of 5, except for the Royal Flush.  This is a bonus amount designed as an incentive to play five coins.
On 8/5 Jacks+ machines, a full house pays 40 for a full house and only 25 for a flush. You may think that 5 coins doesn’t make that much difference, think again–you are now playing a short/partial pay machine. 

Casinos place them on the floor, counting on the uneducated players not noticing the difference.
You are looking at a distinct casino advantage with partial pay machines. Knowing which VP versions to play saves you about $7-17/hour.  Choose carefully.

Strategy Tips: Never keep a kicker (an ace or high card) with a small pair.
An inside straight is completed with one card only, (e.g., dealt--6, 7, 9, 10)--only the eight can produce a winning hand. This is a good bet to complete a straight flush or Royal.
An outside straight is completed with two possible cards, (e.g., dealt 6, 7, 8, 9)--a ten or five can produce a winning hand.

This hand should be held for a possible win.
You will discard all five cards approximately 3% of the time in search of a better hand.
A detailed Jacks+ Strategy Chart follows:

DRAW TO THE HAND HIGHER ON THE LIST
HIGH CARD IS A JACK OR BETTER.

YOUR HAND               # CARDS TO DRAW

STRAIGHT FLUSH (SF)           0
4 OF A KIND                         0
4-CARD ROYAL                     1
FULL HOUSE                         0
4-CARD STRAIGHT FLUSH       1
FLUSH                                 0
3 OF A KIND                         2
STRAIGHT                            0
2 PAIR                                 1
HIGH PAIR                            3
3-CARD ROYAL FLUSH             2
4-CARD FLUSH                      1
LOW PAIR                             3
OUTSIDE 4-CARD STRAIGHT     1
INSIDE 4-(no high cards)         5
3-CARD STRAIGHT FLUSH        2
2-CARD ROYAL, NO 10             3
3 HIGH CARDS (JACKS +)         2
2 HIGH CARDS (JACKS +)         3
NONE OF THE ABOVE              5

    
Note: Strategy Tips above are for Jacks+ 9/6 version only.  Bonus, Double Bonus and Triple Bonus Jacks+ require specific strategies for different pay tables.

Until we meet again, may all your VP choices turn out to be ‘royalty’.

(Gayle Mitchell is author of Casino Gambling Made Easier books, E-Books, booklets & Slots Trilogy. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed)