Rose Bailey | January 8, 2023 | Updated on: August 8th, 2024
Real Money Aces and Eights Video Poker
Play Aces and Eights Video Poker for Real Money in Australia! After Jacks or Better gained popularity among Aussie Video Poker players, many casino developers wanted a piece of this popularity. As such, many different versions of Video Poker were developed, but most failed to gain any traction. However, Aces and Eights was not one of these and has become very popular in its own right.
This page will take new players through a comprehensive Aces and Eight guide. This will include how to play the game, some winning strategies, and the special history behind the name. Let’s jump in and get to know Aces and Eights Video Poker.
Top Aces and Eights Casinos Australia
How to play Aces and Eights Video Poker
Playing Aces and Eights Video Poker is as easy as any other Video Poker variant. If you’ve never tried any other before, we’ve got this step-by-step guide to help you with your first few hands.
- Step 1 – Begin by choosing one of our recommended casino sites from our table above. Find one you like, and then see if it offers Aces and Eights. Once you’ve found a casino site, go through the process of creating your account, and depositing money into your account.
- Step 2 – Navigate over to the Video Poker section and choose Aces and Eights Video Poker
- Step 3 – Begin by placing your bet. You can decide how many coins to bet on each round, as well as how much each coin is worth.
- Step 4 – Once your bet is finalised, click Deal
- Step 5 – You will be dealt five cards. Take a look at your hand and see if there is the potential for any winning combinations.
- Step 6 – Decide which cards you need to discard and have replaced. You can discard all five if you see no potential in your starting hand.
- Step 7 – Once your discarded cards have been replaced, the game will automatically check your final to see if it is a winning hand.
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Aces and Eights Poker Hand Rankings
Aces and Eights largely uses the same Poker Hand rankings as any other version of Video Poker. There are a few key differences, though, with two extra hand rankings. If you are unfamiliar with the Poker hand rankings in Aces and Eights, you can brush up below. These are arranged from strongest to weakest.
- Royal Flush – A 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. These all need to be from the same suit.
- Straight Flush – Five cards in consecutive order, from the same suit.
- Four Aces/Four 8s – One of the unique hands, made up of four Aces/8s
- Four 7s – Hand made up of four 7s
- Four of a Kind – A hand made up of four cards of the same rank
- Full House – Any three cards of the same rank, plus a pair
- Flush – Any five cards from the same suit; they do not need to be in consecutive order
- Straight – Any five cards of consecutive rank from different suits
- Three of a Kind – Any three cards of the same rank
- Two Pair – Two separate pairs of cards. Such as 7, 7, 3, 3,
- One Pair – A pair of cards of the same rank
Why the Aces and Eights Name?
The name Aces and Eights has a rather special place in the history of Poker. It is also known as the Dead Man’s Hand. The story of the Dead Man’s Hand involves the legendary Wild West gunman, ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok. The story goes that Wild Bill was playing Five Card Stud Poker and witnessed a Buffalo Hunter named Jack McCall lose all his money. Wild Bill allegedly passed some remark that he would load McCall money to buy himself breakfast.
The comment must have really annoyed McCall, because he returned the next day to have his revenge. Wild Bill was busy playing and was holding a strong Two Pair hand. His hand was an Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, Eight of Spades, Eight of Clubs. While Wild Bill was looking down at his hand, McCall pulled out his pistol and shot Wild Bill in the head, killing him instantly. Following this incident, holding a pair of Aces and Eights became known as the Dead Man’s Hand.
Aces and Eights Video Poker Paytable
As with many versions of Video Poker, there are several popular paytables available when playing Aces and Eights. The most popular is the 25/8/5. Because this paytable has the highest RTP, it is also known as the Full Pay paytable. Always check to see which paytable is being used when playing Aces and Eights Video Poker in Australia. Below is a breakdown of the Full Pay paytable.
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four Aces/Four 8s | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Four 7s | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full House | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Return to Player | 98.54% | 98.54% | 98.54% | 98.54% | 99.78% |
Alternative Paytables in Aces and Eights
While the paytable listed above is the Full Pay paytable, online casinos in Australia can tweak things. So, there are several other popular paytables available. Below are five of the most common paytables you can find online.
| Hand | 70/70 | 25/7/5 | 20/7/5 | 25/6/5 | 20/6/5 |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Straight Flush | 70 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Four Aces/Four 8s | 70 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 0 |
| Four 7s | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 20 |
| Full House | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Flush | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Return to Player | 98.72% | 98.63% | 97.72% | 97.48% | 96.57% |
Winning Strategy for Aces and Eights
If you want to stand the best possible chance of walking away a winner in Aces and Eights Video Poker, it is important to familiarise yourself with a winning strategy. Thankfully, because Aces and Eights is very similar to other Video Poker games, like Jacks or Better, you can use the same winning strategy to stand the best chance of making a winning hand. If you’re new to Aces and Eight, follow the following betting decisions.
| Initial Hand | Decision |
| Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, Royal Flush | Do Nothing |
| Four Cards needed for a Royal Flush | Replace One Card |
| Three of a Kind, Straight Flush, Full House | Do Nothing |
| Four Cards needed for a Straight Flush | Replace One Card |
| Two Pair | Replace One Card |
| One High-Value Card (Jack or Better) | Replace Three Cards |
| Three Cards Needed for a Royal Flush | Replace Two Cards |
| Four Cards Needed for a Flush | Replace One Card |
| One Pair of Low-Value Cards (10s or less) | Replace Three Cards |
| Four Cards for an Open-Ended Straight | Replace One Card |
| Two High-Value Cards from the Same Suit (Jack or Better) | Replace Three Cards |
| Three Cards needed for a Straight Flush | Replace Two Cards |
| Two High Cards of Different Suits*
*With three unsuited high-value cards, discard the two lowest cards |
Replace Three Cards |
| J/10, Q/10, K/10 from same suit | Replace Three Cards |
| One High-Value Card | Replace Four Cards |
| Five Low-Value Cards, with no connections | Replace all Five Cards |
Aces and Eights Video Poker FAQs
Can I play Aces and Eights for Real Money in Australia?
Yes, you certainly can! All top Australian Online Casinos that offer Aces and Eights Video Poker will allow players to bet and win real money.
What is the House Edge in Aces and Eights Video Poker?
The House Edge in Aces and Eights varies depending on the paytable being used. The best possible paytable offers a house edge of 0.22%, while the worst paytable has a house edge of 3.43%.
Can I try Aces and Eights for free?
Yes, any casino that offers Aces and Eights Video Poker will permit players to try the game out for free. This allows you to try out the game and become familiar with the rules before risking your bankroll.
What makes Aces and Eights different from other Video Poker games?
The main difference between Aces and Eights, compared to other Video Poker games, is the inclusion of a few other winning hands. Namely, those containing four Aces/8s. A Four of a Kind made up of 7s is also ranked higher than other Four of a Kinds.
What is the best hand in Aces and Eights Video Poker?
The best hand in Aces and Eights is the Royal Flush, as it is in almost all versions of Video Poker. This is made up of a 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all from the same suit.
Why is it called Aces and Eights?
The name Aces and Eights comes from the history of Poker. It is said that when Wild Bill was killed, he was holding a hand containing Aces and Eights. This hand also became known as the Dead Man’s Hand.