Prefered Slot Machines

Strategy for Jacks or Better 8-5 Machines

8-5 Non-Progressive Machines The cost of receiving only 8 coins for a full house and five for a flush for each coin played, as opposed to the 9 and 6 respectively of the 9-6 machines, reduces the payback to 97.3%.

In an 8-5 non-progressive machine, where the royal pays only 4,000 coins, you would play the same exact strategy as in the 9-6 with the only exception being the preference of the two to a royal flush over the three to a straight flush. The lesser pay of the flush possibility makes the royal draw more valuable. The additional exception is keeping a high pair over a three to a royal draw, due to the higher royal flush payout.

Winning Strategy for Jacks or Better 8-5 Progressive Machines

The machine reset value for the royal flush usually starts at 5,000 coins ($1,250 on a 25-cent machine, $5,000 on a $1-machine) causing a few changes in our strategy as shown below and giving the machine a �% better starting payback at 97.8%.

The growing payouts for royal flushes add to the payback percentage to the point that a jackpot of about 6800 coins brings the player to a 100% payback, no edge to the caisno.

The 8-5 Jacks or Better chart is similar to the 9-6 chart except that more preference is given to the royal flush draws in two instances. When both a high pair and three to a royal flush are held, the pair is discarded in favor of the royal draw. In the second instance, when the two to a royal flush and three to a straight flush are held simultaneously, the royal draw is kept over the straight flush draw.

In the first case, the higher levels of the royal flush payout make the royal flush draws more valuable to play, and in the second, the additional factor of the weaker flush payout (five coins as opposed to six) contribute to the preference of playing the royal flush draw over the straight flush draw. Otherwise, the strategy is the same as the 9-6 chart.

Jacks or Better Basic Strategy Chart for the 8-5 Machine

Hand to be Held Cards Held Cards Drawn Royal Flush 5 0 Straight Flush 5 0 Four of a Kind 5 0 Full House 5 0 Four to a Royal 4 1 Flush 5 0 Three of a Kind 3 2 Straight 5 0 Four to a Straight 4 1 Flush Two Pair 4 1 Three to a Royal 3 2 High Pair 2 3 Four to a Flush 4 1 Low Pair 2 3 Four to a Straight 4 1 Two to a Royal 2 3 Three to a Straight 3 2 Flush Two High Cards 2 3 One High Card 1 4 Garbage Hand - 0 5 Draw Five

The hands in this chart are listed in order of strength from the most powerful first, the royal flush, to the least powerful last, at the bottom of the chart. When there is a choice of different types of hands that can be held, always keep the hands listed high in the chart over the hands listed below them.