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Ask the Slot Expert: Only highest winner paid

15 January 2025

Have you seen the notice on a slot or video poker machine saying something like "Only highest winner paid?"

Even though I've seen this notice on many (all?) slot machines, I can't think of an instance in which it is relevant.

Well, let me take that back. I sat here for about five minutes trying to think of a situation in which the notice comes into play and I finally thought of one.

Say you're playing a traditional 3-reel spinning slot machine. Three single bar symbols land on the payline. Two paytable entries apply to that combination: single bars, of course, and any bars. You get paid for the single bars because that is the highest-paying paytable entry applicable. Drop me a line at my email address below if you can think of any others.

The notice comes into play more often on video poker.

Say you're playing a Jacks or Better paytable and you're dealt this hand: J♣ J♦ J♥ Q♣ Q♠. You immediately think "Yippee. A full house." The hand could also qualify as a 3-of-a-kind or a high pair. The full house pays more, so that is what you get paid for.

A similar situation exists between a straight, a straight flush, and a royal flush.

A more interesting situation can occur if you are playing a wild card game like Deuces Wild.

Say you are dealt this hand: 2♣ 4♣ 7♦ 7♥ 7♠.

You probably immediately saw the three 7s and decided to use the deuce as another 7 and collect for 4-of-a-kind. But you have another option.

The deuce could stand in for another 4. Then you would have a full house.

Again, the highest winner notice pertains and the machine pays you for the quad -- even on NSU, where the quad and the full house pay the same. I suppose it considers it 4-of-a-kind because 4-of-a-kind is higher in the paytable. Moreover, if you've played a game without wild cards, getting 4-of-a-kind is much more exciting -- and usually more profitable -- than getting a full house.

Come to think of it, the deuce could also be considered another rank besides 4 and 7, but that would be silly. You would be left with only a 3-of-a-kind.

On a video poker game with wild cards, the paytable determines the rank and suit that a wild stands in for.


If you would like to see more non-smoking areas on slot floors in Las Vegas, please sign my petition on change.org.


John Robison

John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots
John Robison
John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots