How would you play this Triple Double Bonus hand?

20 September 2025

By Jerry Stickman

In a departure from normal video poker quizzes, this time we look at a hand from a high variance game – Triple Double Bonus. The pay table is:

Hand/5-Credits Pays
Royal Flush/4000
Straight Flush/250
4 Aces w/2, 3, 4/4000
4 2s, 3s, 4, w/A, 2, 3, 4/2000
4 Aces/800
4 2s, 3s, 4s/400
4 5s thru Ks/250
Full House/45
Flush/30
Straight/20
3 of a Kind/10
2 Pair/10
Jacks or Better/5

The return on this game is 98.15 and the variance is 100. This is not a low variance game.

With five credits played you are dealt the following hand:

You are dealt the following hand:
- Ace of hearts (Ah)
- Jack of spades (Js)
- 5 of spades (5s)
- 3 of diamonds (3d)
- 10 of spades (Ts)

As is normal, there are several possible hold options:
- Hold the jack, 5, and 10 of spades to go for a flush.
- Hold the jack and 10 of spades to go for a royal flush along with other possible winning hands.
- Hold the lone ace of hearts going for multiple possible winning hands including a royal flush, four aces and a kicker, four 2s, or 4s with an ace kicker.
- Hold the ace of hearts with the 3 of diamonds kicker for many possible winning hands.
- Hold the ace of hearts and jack of spades.
- Hold the lone jack of spades.

Here is a list of what each hold returns – on average:
- Holding the jack, 5, and 10 of spades returns 2.0536 credits for five credits bet on average.
- Holding the jack and 10 of spades returns 2.1498 credits for five credits bet.
- Holding the lone ace of hearts returns 2.3320 credits for five credits bet.
- Holding the ace of hearts with the 3 of diamonds kicker returns 1.7496 credits for five credits bet.
- Holding the ace of hearts and jack of spades returns 2.115 credits for five credits bet.
- Holding the lone jack of spades returns 1.9584 credits for five credits bet.

As the list shows, the best return comes from holding the lone ace of hearts. This hold offers numerous high-paying winning possibilities. They include the royal flush, straight flush, four aces with a kicker of a 2, 3, or 4, four aces, four 2s or 4s with a kicker of an ace, four 2s or 4s, and many other lesser-paying winners.
Next comes the jack and 10 of spades. Followed by the ace of hearts and jack of spades. Things go downhill from there.

While the kicker is an important card in this game, it cannot overcome solid returns for high cards and flushes.

Is that how you would have played it?

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

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 and 888casino.com. 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