If you enjoy playing Jacks or Better but are looking for a way to make your gambling experience more exciting, you can opt to play Aces and Eights. Although it closely resembles a typical video poker game, it offers additional payouts for certain Four of a Kind hands.
The reason many video poker devotees prefer to bet on Aces and Eights is that the game offers a strong payback potential when the right strategy is used. Of course, while having fun is important, most players are attracted by the potential payouts that Aces and Eights can deliver.
Aces and Eights is often referred to as the Dead Man’s Hand, thanks to the infamous story about Wild Bill Hickok, a popular figure of the Wild West. It is claimed that when Wild Bill was murdered, he was holding two Aces and two Eights in a five-card stud poker game. This hand has since remained in video-poker lore as the Dead Man’s Hand. Despite the ominous story behind it, Aces and Eights is actually quite an entertaining video poker variation that offers rewarding outcomes.
How to Play Aces and Eights
There is nothing complicated about the gameplay of Aces and Eights, especially if you are used to playing Jacks or Better. Whether you decide to play at a brick-and-mortar casino or an online casino, your gaming experience will not differ much.
When playing Aces and Eights, players can choose the size of their bet. Usually, the maximum stake is 5 coins, and players are always encouraged to bet the maximum because it guarantees the highest reward for winning hands. The coin denomination can range from values suitable for recreational players to amounts better suited for high-rollers.
After placing your bet, you will be dealt 5 cards randomly selected from a 52-card deck. If you have not drawn a winning hand, you can choose which cards to hold and which to replace. This way, you have a second chance to form a winning hand on the draw.
Aces and Eights Additional TipsThe highest-paying hand in Aces and Eights is a Royal Flush, just as it is in other video poker games. There are also special payouts for a Four of a Kind made with Aces or 8s, as well as a Four of a Kind made with 7s.
Some online versions of the game also allow players to place a bonus bet. Whenever you land a winning hand, you have the opportunity to make a “Double or Nothing” bet. If you accept this wager, you must beat the dealer’s card. After a card appears on the play screen, choose a card from the open slots. If your card has a higher value than the dealer’s, you will double the profit from your winning hand. However, if the dealer’s card outranks yours, you lose your additional bet along with your payout. Should you win the “Double or Nothing” bet, you can try to double your profit yet again.
Aces and Eights Video Poker Gameplay
Paytables of Aces and Eights Variations
Before you start playing, you should learn what the best paytable for Aces and Eights looks like. This way, you can maximize your winning chances when you embark on this adventure. As with every other video poker option, look for a full-pay variant. It guarantees the best possible payback when betting 5 coins. In addition, if you play a full-pay variation of Aces and Eights with perfect strategy, the RTP is 99.78%.
If the paytable for Aces and Eights looks like the following, you have found a full-pay version:
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind Aces or Eights | 80 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind 7s | 50 to 1 |
| Any Other Four of a Kind | 25 to 1 |
| Full House | 8 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two Pair | 2 to 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 to 1 |
As with many other video poker variations, it may be difficult to find a full-pay variant of Aces and Eights. You may often come across a lower-paying alternative that reduces the payout for a Full House to 7 to 1. This also lowers the RTP to 98.63%. The paytable for this variation looks like this:
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind Aces or Eights | 80 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind 7s | 50 to 1 |
| Any Other Four of a Kind | 25 to 1 |
| Full House | 7 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two Pair | 2 to 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 to 1 |
You might also encounter an Aces and Eights version that further lowers the payout for a Full House and offers only 6 credits when betting 1 coin. This gives you even less advantage, and the expected return drops to 97.48%. As you can see, these options are definitely not recommended, as they significantly reduce your winning chances.
It is also possible to find Aces and Eights games with a 20/7/5 paytable, which, in addition to lowering the payout for a Full House, also decreases the reward for Any Other Four of a Kind. This gives the casino a bigger advantage and offers a long-term expected return of 97.72%. As you can see, it is still a better version than the 6/5 one. The paytable for the 20/7/5 Aces and Eights variant looks like this:
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind Aces or Eights | 80 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind 7s | 50 to 1 |
| Any Other Four of a Kind | 20 to 1 |
| Full House | 7 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two Pair | 2 to 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 to 1 |
The last version you might come across has several other payout alterations, so always check the entire paytable. In this variant, the payout for a Straight Flush is higher at 70 credits for 1 coin; however, Four of a Kind Aces or Eights pays 70 to 1 instead of 80 to 1. Any Other Four of a Kind pays 20 to 1 instead of 25 to 1, while Full House and Flush remain full-pay with respective payouts of 8 to 1 and 5 to 1. With perfect strategy, the RTP is 98.72%, making it the next best option after the full-pay version. The paytable looks like this:
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind Aces or Eights | 70 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 70 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind 7s | 50 to 1 |
| Any Other Four of a Kind | 20 to 1 |
| Full House | 8 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two Pair | 2 to 1 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 to 1 |
Aces and Eights Strategy
Because Aces and Eights offers increased payouts for Four of a Kind, players need a specific strategy. Compared to Jacks or Better, if you choose to play this game, you must focus on making Four of a Kind more often than other hands. The good news is that the strategy chart for Aces and Eights is not overly complicated. To make the optimal decision when playing this video poker variation, use the following chart:
| Hand | Decision |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind | keep your hand |
| Four cards to a Royal Flush | draw one card |
| Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind | keep your hand |
| Four cards to a Straight Flush | draw one card |
| Two Pair | keep your pairs and draw one card |
| High pair (Jacks or better) | keep the pair and draw three cards |
| Three cards to a Royal Flush | draw two cards |
| Four cards to a Flush | draw one card |
| Low pair (10s or lower) | keep the pair and draw three cards |
| Four cards to an Open Straight | draw one card |
| Two high-ranked cards of the same suit | draw three cards |
| Three cards to a Straight Flush | draw two cards |
| Two high-ranked cards of different suits | draw three cards |
| Jack and King, Jack and Queen, or Jack and 10 of the same suit | draw three cards |
| High card | draw four cards |
| No winning hands | discard all five cards |
There are several things to remember when using the strategy chart for Aces and Eights. If you have a Flush or a Straight, keep that hand, even if you also have a chance at a Royal Flush.
When choosing between holding four cards to a Flush or an Open Straight, opt for the Open Straight, even if you also have a high-ranked pair. If you are holding just two high-ranked cards, keep them and hope to improve to a better pair. Even if you have only one high-ranked card, draw four cards rather than discarding all five.
Conclusion
Aces and Eights is an interesting and rewarding video poker game that attracts many casino fans. It is fairly easy to play, and if you use the right strategy, you can enjoy a significant advantage. Whether you play at a land-based or virtual casino, always make sure you choose the Aces and Eights version that provides the best payout opportunities. Once you have found the right game and employed the best possible strategy, your gambling experience is sure to be both thrilling and rewarding.