Bonus Poker Quiz

23 April 2022

By Jerry Stickman

This time the same hand is examined for different pay tables of the same game. The game is Bonus Poker. The full-pay version of this game is 8/5 (8-for-1 for a full house and 5-for-1 for a flush). This game/pay table combination returns 99.17 percent with perfect play.

It is getting more difficult to find full-pay games, so let’s also examine how this hand should be played on a 7/5 (7-for-1 for a full house and 5-for-1 for a flush) Bonus Poker game. This game/pay table combination returns only 98.01 percent – 1.16 percent less than the full-pay game.

Here is the hand:

9d 9c Ts Js Qd

This hand has a low pair (9d 9c), two four-card open straights (9d Ts Js Qd) and (9c Ts Js Qd) and two cards of a royal flush (Ts Js). There are also lone high cards that could vbe held.

Low pairs tend to place fairly high in strategy charts so this hold is the odds in choice for best hold.

Let’s see what the numbers say for the full-pay game.

• Holding the low pair (9d 9c) returns 4.0675 credits on average for the five credits played.
• Holding either set of four cards of a straight (9d Ts Js Qd) or (9c Ts Js Qd) returns 4.0425 credits on average.
• Holding the two cards of a royal flush (Ts Js) returns just 2.3349 credits on average. In fact, there are several other holds that return more than holding the two cards of a royal flush.

So, as expected, holding the low pair is the proper hold.

Now, let’s take a look the holds for a 7/5 Bonus poker game.

• Holding the low pair (9d 9c) returns 4.0167 credits on average for the five credits played.
• Holding either set of four cards of a straight (9d Ts Js Qd) or (9c Ts Js Qd) returns 4.0426 credits on average.
• Holding the two cards of a royal flush (Ts Js) returns just 2.3293 credits on average. As is the case with the 8/5 game strategy, there are several other holds that return more than holding the two cards of a royal flush.

So, not only does lowering the pay for the full house reduce the total return by more than one percent, it also changes the strategy. The low pair is no longer the best hold. Four cards of an open straight is now the best hold.

Is that what you would have done?

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”


Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. He authored the video poker section of Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker! You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com