Aces and Eights Video Poker

Aces and Eights is a video poker game that has its origins steeped in
history.

The notorious outlaw “Wild” Bill Hickok was shot dead while playing poker in
Deadwood, South Dakota. The hand he held at the time of his death was Ac As 8c
8s and an unknown fifth card.

Aces and Eights takes off on this history by awarding special bonus payouts
for 4 aces or eights. You can also look forward to a bonus prize for 4 sevens.

Thanks to its combinations of bonuses and history, Aces and Eights is an
intriguing game.

And if you’re interested in playing it, keep reading as we cover this
machine’s basics, pay tables, payback, strategy, and where to find it.

The Basics of Playing Aces and Eights Video Poker

While Aces and Eights offers several unique bonus payouts, it plays just like
any other video poker game. This is nice for those who want a different video
poker experience without learning lots of new information.

The only thing different from standard video poker includes some of the
payouts and strategy. Other than this, you shouldn’t have much trouble adjusting
to Aces and Eights.

Here’s a look at how to place bets, play hands, and the bonus payouts.

Betting Process

You can wager between 1 and 5 coins per hand. The 5 coin max bet is
recommended because this gives you most value on royal flush payouts.

You can see this by looking at how the royal flush prizes increase below:

• Royal flush on 1 coin bet =
  250 coins
• Royal flush on 2 coin bet =
  500
• Royal flush on 3 coin bet =
  750
• Royal flush on 4 coin bet =
  1,000
• Royal flush on 5 coin bet =
  4,000

The royal flush payout increases 4x when moving from the 4 coin to 5 coin
wager. And this is why you need to bet the max to achieve optimal payback.

The royal flush is the only hand that features this disproportionate
increase. Every other payout in Aces and Eights increases proportionately as you
raise your bet.

Aces and Eights is available online too. And most online casinos / web sites
let you change the coin denomination.

The version we’re playing lets you adjust the coin size from $0.05 to $5.00.
This creates a max betting range of $0.25 to $25.00 per hand.

Aces and Eights Bonus Payouts

Getting 4 aces or eights is important in this game due to the large bonus
payouts. You can also earn a bonus hand for 4 sevens.

Any other 4 of a kind offers a standard payout for this hand.

Here’s how much
each bonus is worth based on a 5 coin bet:

• 4 aces = 400 coins
• 4 eights = 400 coins
• 4 sevens = 250

Any other 4 of a kind pays 125 coins on a 5 credit bet. This is the same
amount that you receive in Jacks or Better and many other games, meaning it’s
not a bonus.

Playing Hands

Here are the steps for playing hands in aces and eights:

1. Select how many coins to bet and the coin
   size (online).
2. Choose the Deal button to receive your hand.
3. Decide what cards you want to hold; any non
   held card is discarded.
4. Select Draw to replace discards with new
   cards.
5. The game evaluates your hand for any
   potential win.

When a hand is finished, you can either change your coin size / quantity or
choose Deal to immediately start a new hand.

Double or Nothing Option

Some online versions of Aces and Eights video poker have a Double or Nothing
option.

This pops up after any win and allows you to risk your payout for a chance to
multiply it 2x.

Here’s how this feature works:

1. You choose “Yes” when asked if you
   want to double up.
2. The software flips over a card.
3. You choose one of the open card slots
   to flip over your own card.
4. Your card needs to be a higher value
   than the machine’s card to win.

If your card is higher, you win double the original payout. For example, a 35
coin full house would turn into 70 coins.

You’ll be asked again if you’d like to double up this win.

If your card is lower, then you lose the payout and any subsequent double
ups. You can decline at any time if you want to avoid risking your payout.

Onscreen Display

Ace on the Deal looks like a standard video poker machine. The main
difference is that the pay table is slightly different than other games thanks
to the bonuses for 4 aces, eights, and sevens.

The online version also has the aforementioned pop up display for doubling
wins.

Here’s a list of game and betting options you’ll see on this machine:

• Bet One – Changes your bet
  by one coin every time it’s selected.
• Bet Max – Automatically
  wager the 5 coin max.
• Deal – Receive your initial
  5 card hand.
• Draw – Replace discards
  with new cards.
• Coins – Shows how many
  coins you’re betting.
• Coin Denomination – Adjust
  this to change your coin size.
• Double or Nothing – Select
  “Yes” or “No” to try and double up a win.

Aces and Eights vs. Aces and Faces

Aces and Eights is similar to Aces and Faces with regard to game play and pay
outs. In fact, both video poker machines offer bonuses for aces and other 4 of a
kinds.

But Aces and Faces has different bonus payouts.

You can see these prizes below along with how much they pay for a 5 coin wager:

• 4 aces = 400 coins
• 4 Js Ks = 200

All other 4 of a kinds pay 125 coins on a 5 coin bet, which is standard for
most video poker machines.

As you can see, this game only offers two sets of bonus payouts instead of
three like Aces and Eights. Furthermore, Aces and Faces only has one 400 coin
bonus instead of two.

Pay Back and Pay Tables in Aces and Eights Video Poker

Aces and Eights has a similar pay table structure to Bonus Poker. Their
tables each have 11 entries along with some of the same payouts.

But the key difference is that Aces and Eights has different bonus prizes.
You’ll also notice that this game counts 4 aces and eights in the same entry,
although they’re separate hands.

Let’s look at Aces and Eights’ pay tables below and discuss how these compare
to Bonus Poker.

Aces and Eights Pay Tables

This game’s pay tables mainly differ in terms of their full house and flush
payouts. Anybody who’s played Bonus Poker or Jacks or Better will be familiar
with this.

But Aces and Eights games can also offer different prizes on a straight
flush, 4 aces, 4 eights, and 4 of a kinds. This makes it hard to sort out pay
tables when you’re looking for the top payback.

But at least the first three tables listed below only differ in terms of
their full house and flush payouts:

Hand	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Natural royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4,000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
4 aces or eights	80	160	240	320	400
4 sevens	50	100	150	200	250
4 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
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pair	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

7 / 5 Aces and Eights

Hand	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Natural royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
4 aces or eights	80	160	240	320	400
4 sevens	50	100	150	200	250
4 of a kind	25	50	75	100	125
Full house	7	14	21	28	35
Flush	5	10	15	20	25
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pair	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

6 / 5 Aces and Eights

Hand	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Natural royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
4 aces or eights	80	160	240	320	400
4 sevens	50	100	150	200	250
4 of a kind	25	50	75	100	125
Full house	6	12	18	24	30
Flush	5	10	15	20	25
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pair	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

20 / 7 / 5 Aces and Eights

Hand	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Natural royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
4 aces or eights	80	160	240	320	400
4 sevens	50	100	150	200	250
4 of a kind	20	40	60	80	100
Full house	7	14	21	28	35
Flush	5	10	15	20	25
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pair	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

70 / 70 / 20 / 8 / 5 Aces and Eights

Hand	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Natural royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4,000
Straight flush	70	140	210	280	350
4 aces or eights	70	140	210	280	350
4 sevens	50	100	150	200	250
4 of a kind	20	40	60	80	100
Full house	8	16	24	32	40
Flush	5	10	15	20	25
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pair	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

Again, the first three tables are easy to differentiate because the only
change is their flush and full house prizes.

The fourth pay table down only offers 20 coins per credit wagered for a 4 of
a kind, instead of 25 like the three games above it.

The fifth pay table delivers 70 coins per credit wagered for a straight
flush, 70 for 4 aces or eights, and 20 for a 4 of a kind. Receiving 70 coins for
a straight flush is nice, but you also lose value on the aces and eights.

Aces and Eights Pay Back

Here are payback figures for the pay tables listed above:

• 8 / 5 Aces and Eights = 99.78% payback
• 70 / 70 / 20 / 8 / 5 Aces and Eights = 98.72%
• 7 / 5 Aces and Eights = 98.63%
• 20 / 7 / 5 Aces and Eights = 97.72%
• 6 / 5 Aces and Eights = 97.49%

8 / 5 Aces and Eights is one of the best video poker games you’ll find thanks
to its 99.78% payback. With the right comp rate, you could be looking at 100%
payback or better.

We covered how the 70 / 70 / 20 / 8 / 5 pay table has a weird setup where it
offers 70 coins for a straight flush and 70 for 4 aces or eights.

Despite paying less for this bonus, 70 / 70 / 20 / 8 / 5 Aces and Eights
gives you a solid chance to win (98.72%). 7 / 5 Aces and Eights also offers good
payback (98.63%).

The 20 / 7 / 5 and 6 / 5 tables both pay less than the average video poker
machine and should be avoided.

Comparison to Bonus Poker

While Aces and Eights is a popular video poker game, Bonus Poker is even more
popular. In fact, this game has spawned many video poker variations over the
years.

Bonus Poker offers bonuses for 4 aces and 4 2s through 4s, along with regular
payouts for other 4 of a kinds.

Players won’t notice much of a difference when moving from Aces and Eights to
Bonus Poker, or vice versa. The table presented below is 8 / 5 Bonus Poker,
which pays back 99.17%:

8 / 5 Bonus Poker

Hand	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Natural royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
4 aces	80	160	240	320	400
4 2s to 4s	40	80	120	160	200
4 5s to Ks	25	50	75	100	125
Full house	8	16	24	32	40
Flush	5	10	15	20	25
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pair	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

The main differences between the pay table above and 8 / 5 aces and eights
include the following:

• 4 2s to 4s pay 40 coins per credit wagered (instead of 50 for 4 sevens).
• Bonus Poker doesn’t have a bonus payout for 4 eights.
• It also doesn’t have a bonus prize for 4 sevens.

Other than these differences, you won’t notice a difference between most
Bonus Poker and Aces and Eights pay tables.

Aces and Eights Hand Probabilities

Here are the odds of getting each hand in 8 / 5 aces and eights:

• Royal flush = 0.0025% probability
• Straight flush = 0.011%
• 4 aces or eights = 0.037%
• 4 sevens = 0.018%
• 4 of a kind = 0.18%
• Full house = 1.15%
• Flush = 1.08%
• Straight = 1.12%
• 3 of a kind = 7.45%
• 2 pair = 12.93%
• Jacks or better = 21.53%

Your chances of getting 4 aces or eights are 0.037%. This means you’ll land
one of these bonus payouts roughly 1 in 2,500 hands.

Your odds of getting a straight flush – which usually pays less in Aces and
Eights – are even worse at roughly 1 in 10,000 hands.

As with many games, the majority of your payouts will be comprised of high
pairs, 2 pairs, and 3 of a kinds.

Where to Find Aces and Eights Video Poker – Online, Offline, Free, or Real
Money

Aces and eights can be found at both land based and online casinos. Here’s a
look at how you can look for this game in both types of gaming venues.

Aces and Eights at Online Casinos and Websites

We found Aces and Eights at a variety of internet casinos and websites. This
means you won’t have any trouble playing the game for free online.

All you need to do is google or bing Aces and Eights (a.k.a. Aces & Eights)
and you’ll find plenty of places to enjoy this game.

If you’d like to play Aces and Eights for real money, Realtime Gaming (a.k.a.
RTG) supplies 8 / 5 Aces and Eights to many online casinos.

This is the same 8 / 5 version we covered before that offers 99.78% payback.
And RTG’s Aces and Eights is one of the highest paying video poker games that
you’ll find online.

Aces and Eights at Land Based Casinos

Most video poker machines are easier to find in land based casinos than they
are online. But this isn’t the case with Aces and Eights.

We used the search tool at vpFREE2.com to look for Aces and Eights machines
in different parts of the US and Canada.

Searching Las Vegas, we found that Circus Circus offers a rare Aces and
Eights game with 100.25% payback. We haven’t found what pay table offers
100.25%, but this machine obviously gives you an outstanding chance to win.

Odds are that Vegas has a few other casinos with this machine. Unfortunately,
we can’t pinpoint them through vpFREE2.

Aces and Eights Video Poker Strategy

You can learn aces and eights strategy yhrough yhree ways:

1. Strategy chart
2. Hand analyzer
3. Video Poker trainer

Let’s cover the pros and cons of using each method with Aces and Eights.

Aces and Eights Strategy Chart

The simplest way to improve in Aces and Eights is by using a strategy chart.
These rank hands in terms of importance and you merely need to scan down to find
your best ranking hand.

We found a simplified Aces and Eights strategy chart that’ll get you close to
optimal strategy. And the best part is that you don’t even have to keep track of
many hands when playing.

Here’s a look at the chart:

1. Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a
   kind
2. 4 cards to a royal flush
3. Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a
   kind
4. 4 cards to a straight flush
5. 2 pair
6. High pair – Jacks or better
7. 3 cards to a royal flush
8. 4 cards to a flush
9. Low pair – 10s or lower
10. 4 cards to an open ended straight
11. 2 suited high cards
12. 3 cards to a straight flush
13. 2 unsuited high cards
14. Suited JK, JQ, or J10
15. High card
16. Discard everything

Using a Hand Analyzer on Aces and Eights

Another good way to learn Aces and Eights strategy is by using a hand
analyzer.

This is software that lets you choose games, create custom pay tables, and
learn how to play any hand.

Let’s look at an example:

• Choose Aces and Eights.
• Customize the pay table to fit the 8 / 5 version.
• Put together the following hand: Jc 10s Kh 7s Ad
• Select the Analyze button.
• The optimal play is to keep Jc Ad Kh 10s while discarding 7s.

What’s good about hand analyzers is that you can use them for free at a
number of sites. A couple of examples include WizardofOdds.com and
PoggStrategies.com.

The big advantage to a hand analyzer is that you can customize pay tables and
learn optimal strategy for the exact game you’re playing. Another plus is that
you can look at an individual hand you’re struggling with and learn how to play
it.

The drawback is that it takes time to set up each hand and look over the
results. This makes hand analyzers better for limited use on trouble hands,
rather than for every round you play.

Practicing Aces and Eights With a Video Poker Trainer

Video poker trainers are programs that point out strategy mistakes as you
play games. With practice, you’ll gradually eliminate your mistakes and play
better video poker.

Here’s an example of how a video poker trainer works:

• You’re dealt: Jd Qd 8c 3h 4c
• You keep Qd.
• The trainer alerts you that this is a mistake.
• The best play is to keep Qd and Jd.

Trainers also point out correct plays, which is described below:

• You’re dealt: Kd Qh 5c 4c Ac
• You hold 5c 4c Ac.
• The trainer states that this is the best play.

You can find free video poker trainers online. And the good news is that some
of these programs cover Aces and Eights across multiple pay tables.

We used a free version at CasinoIntellect that features three different pay
tables.

You can also purchase trainers for between $35 and $55. The point of doing
this is so that you have access to more games and customizable options.

But we don’t recommend that you purchase a trainer unless you need it for
other games. After all, you can practice Aces and Eights for free.

Conclusion

Aces and Eights has several things going for it, including unique bonus
payouts, high payback, and online and brick and mortar availability.

The primary reason to play this game is if you want an interesting pay table
that highly values aces and eights.

The bonus for 4 aces or eights isn’t as big as the bonuses offered in some
games. But these payouts still spice up the action.

Aces and Eights’ payback is definitely another reason to try this machine.

We found a land based version that pays back 100.25%, while the online
version delivers 99.78%. It’s rare for video poker machines to pay this much in
either setting.

This game is really easy to find at internet casinos and websites because
it’s made by the popular RTG. You’ll have more trouble finding Aces and Eights
in land based casinos, but it can be done.

We don’t see any true weaknesses to this game.