Online Joker Poker is draw video poker played with a 53-card deck, where the single joker is wild. RealTime Gaming's version was released on March 15, 2018 according to a third-party catalog, which publishes no RTP or max win for it. Here's how the joker changes the odds, how to play and what it costs.
In standard Joker Poker one joker joins the 52-card deck and substitutes for any card.
The joker turns up in about 9.4% of dealt hands, computed for a standard 53-card deck.
No RTP or max win is published for RTG's Joker Poker, so read the pay table before staking real money.
Most welcome bonuses exclude video poker or count it at heavier wagering, such as 60x at Silver Oak per its own terms.
Offshore casinos that carry RTG games aren't licensed by any US state; check your state's law first.
Developer
RealTime Gaming (RTG)
Game type
Video poker with a wild joker
Released
March 15, 2018 (third-party catalog)
RTP
Not published
Max win
Not published
Deck
53 cards in standard rules
Online Joker Poker in one minute
Joker Poker is five-card draw video poker with one extra card. In the standard game a joker is added to the usual 52, and it can stand in for any card to make the best possible hand. Everything else, from the deal to the single draw, works like Jacks or Better.
RealTime Gaming's version is part of the RTG video poker range found in our casino games hub. A third-party catalog dates it to March 15, 2018, lists the theme as poker and leaves the RTP, volatility and max win blank. RTG's own site couldn't be checked, so we won't fill those gaps with guesses.
That leaves two jobs for you before you play for money: read the in-game pay table, and understand what a wild joker does to the math. The rest of this page covers both.
The 53-card deck: how one joker changes Joker Poker odds
Adding one card raises the number of possible five-card deals from 2,598,960 to 2,869,685. The figures below are computed for standard rules, meaning one 53-card deck with a single wild joker and a fresh shuffle every hand.
Joker odds computed for a standard 53-card deck
Event
Ways
Chance
About 1 in
Joker in your first five cards
270,725
9.43%
10.6
No joker in your first five cards
2,598,960
90.57%
Most hands
Dealt five of a kind (four of a rank plus the joker)
13
0.00045%
220,745
Joker arrives on a five-card draw (no joker dealt)
5 of 48 cards
10.4%
9.6
The last row assumes you throw away all five cards and the joker wasn't in them: 5 of the 48 unseen cards are drawn, so the joker shows up 5 times in 48. In practice you'll rarely discard five cards, so most hands are decided without the joker.
Five of a kind is only possible because of the joker. Whether RTG's pay table pays it, and how much, is shown in the game's help screen; our sources don't publish it.
How to play Joker Poker online, step by step
Open the pay table and note the lowest paying hand and the gap between a natural royal flush and one made with the joker.
Set your coin value and coins per hand. Total bet equals the two multiplied together.
Deal five cards from the 53-card deck.
Hold the cards you want to keep, including the joker if you have it.
Draw replacements for the rest, once.
Collect any win, or decline a double-up offer if one appears and you'd rather keep the win.
Joker Poker hand rankings with a wild card
Wild-card games add hands that don't exist in standard poker. A typical joker pay table ranks them roughly like this, from top to bottom. RTG's pay table sets the exact order and payouts, so treat this as a map, not a promise.
Natural royal flush (no joker), usually the top payout.
Five of a kind (four of a rank plus the joker).
Royal flush made with the joker, normally paying far less than a natural one.
Straight flush.
Four of a kind.
Full house, flush, straight and three of a kind.
Two pair and the minimum paying pair, which varies by version.
Wild cards make strong hands more common, so pay tables shrink the payouts for mid-range hands to compensate. See our video poker pay table explainer and the royal flush entry for how to read one.
Joker Poker RTP: why the number isn't published
We found no RTP for RTG's Joker Poker in any third-party source available, and the developer's site was unreachable. Video poker returns depend entirely on the pay table, and wild-card games vary more than most, so a figure borrowed from a land-based Joker Poker machine wouldn't tell you much.
Look at how widely RTG's other wild-card games are listed. A third-party catalog gives Sevens Wild 93.15% and Bonus Deuces Wild 99.15%, while another source lists Deuces Wild at 97% to 99%. That's a spread of six points between games built on the same idea.
Cost per $1,000 wagered on RTG wild-card video poker (house edge computed from third-party RTPs)
Game
Wild cards
Listed RTP
House edge (computed)
Expected loss per $1,000 bet
Joker Poker
1 joker
Not published
Unknown
Unknown
Bonus Deuces Wild
4 deuces
99.15%
0.85%
$8.50
Loose Deuces
4 deuces
99.07%
0.93%
$9.30
Deuces Wild
4 deuces
97% to 99%
1% to 3%
$10 to $30
Sevens Wild
4 sevens
93.15%
6.85%
$68.50
House edge here is 100% minus the listed RTP, which assumes perfect play. Our house edge glossary entry explains the term, and online Loose Deuces covers the best-documented game in that table.
Joker Poker strategy: the rules that hold for any pay table
A few habits are safe whatever the pay table says. Beyond them, the right play depends on the payouts, so a strategy chart for one Joker Poker machine may be wrong for another.
Never discard the joker. It can only help the hand.
Keep a dealt straight, flush or full house rather than breaking it for a long shot.
Holding the joker with cards that work toward a straight flush or flush is often worth more than holding it alone; a strategy table for your exact pay table shows which.
Don't use a Jacks or Better chart unchanged: the joker makes some draws much stronger than they are in a 52-card game.
Can you play online Joker Poker with a casino bonus?
Sometimes, but welcome bonuses are built around slots and video poker usually comes with tighter rules. Here is what the terms we can see say about video poker at the partner casinos that fit this page.
Video poker under partner bonus terms
Casino
What the terms say about video poker
Source type
Silver Oak
60x for blackjack and video poker on the new member offer; general terms say 60x for table games and video poker
Casino's own pages
Royal Ace
60x deposit plus bonus for blackjack and video poker on a listed welcome offer
Third-party review
Planet 7
A listed welcome offer is wagered on slots; a reported free chip carries 60x on table games and video poker
Third-party reviews
SlotoCash
Video poker is excluded by default under the general bonus terms
Casino's own terms
Here's what 60x means in dollars. If it applies to a $100 deposit plus a $100 bonus, you must bet $12,000 before withdrawing. At a 1% house edge that's an expected loss of $120, more than the bonus itself; at 2% it's $240. Check whether the multiple covers the bonus alone or deposit plus bonus, and read our wagering requirements guide and video poker bonus page first.
Is online Joker Poker legal for real money in the US?
Only seven states license real-money online casinos: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Maine passed a tribal online casino law in January 2026, though nothing had launched by October 2026 and a lawsuit is pending. Everywhere else, no state licenses online casinos.
RTG titles such as Joker Poker are mostly offered by offshore sites. State law decides whether playing there is lawful for you. In Michigan, the Gaming Control Board's April 9, 2025 cease-and-desist release (opens in a new tab) named Silver Oak and Planet 7 among illegal offshore operators.
Video poker is fast, so a session can cover hundreds of hands. Set a dollar limit and a time limit before you start and stop when either runs out. Our bankroll management guide shows how to size bets to a budget.
Silver Oak, Planet 7 and Royal Ace run RealTime Gaming games according to third-party reviews, so they're the natural fit for an RTG game page. Our sources don't confirm Joker Poker in any of their lobbies by name, so check the lobby before depositing. The order is commercial and we earn a commission on sign-ups through our links.
These are offshore casinos. No US state licenses or regulates them, which means no state complaint route and no state protection of balances. Check your state's law before signing up, and expect welcome bonuses to target slots rather than video poker.
Silver Oak Casino: $2,500 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). The casino's own site shows a different deal, $10,000 as a 100% match on each of the first ten deposits with no spins, and the terms at sign-up apply. Its published terms and conditions (opens in a new tab) give 40x for slots and 60x for video poker, against 30x on the offer page; the offer page says no max withdrawal and banking starts at $30 (casino's own pages).
Planet 7 Casino: $2,750 Welcome Bonus + 45 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party reviews report a 200% match wagered 30x deposit plus bonus on slots with a $1,000 max cashout and a $30 card minimum; sources disagree, so check the terms shown at sign-up.
Royal Ace Casino: $2,500 Welcome Bonus + 35 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party reviews report 30x deposit plus bonus on slots, 60x on video poker, a max cashout of 10x the deposit and a $30 card minimum. Read the Planet 7 review and Royal Ace review for withdrawal caps and complaints.
Ad21+ (18+ where allowed). Ranked by us in a commercial order; we earn commission from these links. Advertiser disclosure
These partners run RTG software per third-party reviews. They are offshore and not licensed by any US state; 21+, terms apply.
Silver Oak Casino#4 on our listBonus on 10 deposits
Published terms (casino terms): Silver Oak advertises a 100% match on each of its first ten deposits (up to $10,000 in total) with codes SILVEROAK1–10. Eligible games: Slots, keno, scratch cards (table games at 60x; many games excluded).
Who runs it: Primrose Media Limited, licensed in Anjouan (its terms). Regulator notes: Named in a Michigan Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist release, April 9, 2025.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $30. Wagering 30x on the offer page; 40x in the terms. Max cashout: None stated. Withdrawal cap From $2,500 / week. Terms source: casino terms. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Planet 7 Casino#5 on our listRealTime Gaming slots
Published terms (reported): Third-party reviews report a 200% match with code WELCOME200; the casino site could not be checked directly. Eligible games: Slots (reported).
Who runs it: License not shown; third parties report Costa Rica or none. Regulator notes: Named in a Michigan Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist release, April 9, 2025.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $30 (reported). Wagering 30x deposit + bonus (reported). Max cashout: $1,000 (reported). Withdrawal cap $2,500 / week (reported). Terms source: reported. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
Royal Ace Casino#6 on our listSlots and specialty games
Published terms (reported): Third-party reviews disagree on the package (200% up to $4,000, or 250% up to $2,500 + 35 spins); the casino site could not be checked directly. Eligible games: Slots and specialty games (reported).
Who runs it: License not shown; third parties report Costa Rica or none. Regulator notes: Third parties report it does not accept Ohio players.
21+ (18+ where allowed). New players. Min deposit $30 (reported). Wagering 30x deposit + bonus on slots (reported). Max cashout: 10x deposit (reported). Withdrawal cap $2,500 / week (reported). Terms source: reported. Terms apply. Offer checked October 28, 2026.
These casinos are offshore operators. They are not licensed or regulated by any US state, and state consumer protections do not apply. Check the law in your state before you play. Terms marked “reported” come from third-party reviews; the terms shown at sign-up apply.
21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).
Frequently asked questions
How does the joker work in Joker Poker?
The joker is a wild card that stands in for whatever card makes your hand best. In standard Joker Poker it's the 53rd card in the deck, so it appears in about 9.4% of dealt hands, computed for a standard deck. It makes hands like five of a kind possible. The wild card glossary entry explains wilds across casino games.
What is the RTP of RTG Joker Poker?
It isn't published in the third-party sources available, and RTG's own site couldn't be checked. Wild-card video poker returns vary widely: RTG's Sevens Wild is listed at 93.15% and Bonus Deuces Wild at 99.15%. Read the pay table in the game, and use our RTP glossary entry to understand what the figure means once you find one.
Should you ever throw away the joker?
No, discarding the joker never improves your hand, because it can substitute for any card you'd draw. Hold it every time and build the rest of the hold around it. Beyond that rule, the right holds depend on the pay table. Our video poker strategy guide explains how to adapt holds to the payouts on screen.
What is the best hand in Joker Poker?
In most Joker Poker pay tables the top hand is a natural royal flush made without the joker, followed by five of a kind and then a royal flush made with the joker. RTG's exact order and payouts are shown in the game and aren't published in our sources. Check our royal flush glossary entry for how often a natural royal is dealt.
Is online Joker Poker legal in my state?
It depends on where you live. Only seven states license real-money online casinos, and Joker Poker from RTG is mostly offered at offshore casinos that no state licenses. Your state's law decides whether playing there is lawful. Our states with legal online casinos page lists the licensed markets and links to each state's rules.
Can I play Joker Poker on my phone?
Yes, RTG games generally run in mobile browsers at the casinos that carry them, so there's usually nothing to install. The same pay table and odds apply on a phone as on a computer. Small screens make it easier to tap the wrong hold, so slow down. Our mobile casino guide covers browser play and security.
Does Joker Poker count toward bonus wagering?
Often it doesn't, or it counts at a heavier multiple. SlotoCash's general bonus terms exclude video poker by default, and Silver Oak's own offer page sets 60x for video poker against 30x elsewhere. Third-party reviews report 60x for video poker at Royal Ace. See how bonus game weighting works before you play a bonus on video poker.
Is Joker Poker better than Deuces Wild?
Neither is better by default; it depends on the pay tables. Joker Poker has one wild card and Deuces Wild has four, so Deuces Wild pay tables shrink mid-range payouts more. RTG's Deuces Wild is listed at 97% to 99% RTP, while no figure is published for Joker Poker. Compare them on our online Deuces Wild page.
Is online Joker Poker legal in New York?
No. The New York State Gaming Commission says online casinos, including ones that claim to be sweepstakes, are unlawful in New York. The online wagering the state permits is limited to licensed sports betting, advance-deposit horse racing, online charity raffles, licensed interactive fantasy sports and certain lottery purchases. New York also banned dual-currency sweepstakes casinos under S5935-A, signed December 5, 2025. Offshore RTG casinos that offer Joker Poker hold no New York license, so the commission can't help with a dispute. Read can I play online casinos in New York and our New York gambling laws page.
What are the odds of five of a kind in Joker Poker?
Being dealt five of a kind, meaning four cards of one rank plus the joker, happens 13 ways in 2,869,685 possible deals, or about once in 220,745 hands, computed for a standard 53-card deck. You'll make it more often on the draw, for example by holding four of a kind and catching the joker, or holding the joker with three of a kind. It's the hand the wild card creates, which is why it usually pays near the top of the table. Whether RTG pays it, and how much, is in the help screen. See our wild card entry and jackpot odds guide.
How much does a session of Joker Poker cost?
Because RTG's Joker Poker RTP isn't published, the honest answer is a range. Over 500 hands at $1.25 a hand you'd bet $625 in total. At a 1% house edge that averages about $6.25, at 2% about $12.50, and at 4% about $25. At $5 a hand, the same 500 hands means $2,500 bet and an average cost of $25 to $100. Actual sessions swing well beyond these averages, often driven by whether a royal or five of a kind lands. Size your stake from a budget you can lose, using our gambling budget guide and the house edge explained guide.
Does a royal flush with the joker pay the same as a natural royal in Joker Poker?
Usually not. Typical Joker Poker pay tables put the natural royal flush, made without the joker, at the top and pay a royal made with the joker far less, often below five of a kind. RTG's exact payouts aren't published in our sources, so read the paytable before you play. A natural royal is very rare on the deal: with 53 cards there are 4 ways in 2,869,685 deals, about one in 717,421, computed for standard rules. That's slightly rarer than in a 52-card game. The royal flush entry and video poker pay table entry explain how to read the lines.
What is the lowest paying hand in Joker Poker?
It depends on the version, so check the paytable before your first hand. Joker Poker pay tables set the minimum paying pair differently from game to game, and RTG's choice isn't published in our sources. The joker can complete that pair, since it stands in for whatever card makes your best hand. Knowing the minimum matters for strategy: it decides which single high cards are worth holding and whether a pair counts as a win. In Jacks or Better, by contrast, the minimum is always a pair of jacks. Our how to play video poker guide covers the shared rules.
Who makes the Joker Poker game at online casinos?
The version at RTG casinos is RealTime Gaming's, dated March 15, 2018 by a third-party catalog. PokerListings reports that RTG has used the SpinLogic Gaming name for its US-facing business since 2022, so lobbies may credit either brand. Third-party sources also say RTG games are tested by Technical Systems Testing, though the casinos don't publish certificates for individual games and no US state regulator reviews them. Other studios have their own Joker Poker games with different pay tables, so don't assume one's RTP applies to another. See our RTG software page and are RTG games fair.
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