Video Poker Like Balatro: Jokers and Multipliers
Video poker shares one important feature with Balatro: you choose which cards to keep. Ultimate X adds multipliers earned for the next hand. Joker Poker uses a wild Joker, while Deuces Wild makes all four 2s wild. Super Times Pay adds random multipliers to the current deal. These games offer some familiar card decisions and payout mechanics, but none has Balatro’s shop or deck-building system.
Closest Video-Poker Games to Balatro
| Rank | Game | Player Decision | Balatro-Like Mechanic | Missing Mechanic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ultimate X Poker | Hold/discard across one or several hands | Earned multiplier applies to next hand | No deck or Joker build |
| 2 | Joker Poker | Hold/discard from a 53-card deck | Wild Joker changes hand construction | No multiplier progression |
| 3 | Super Times Pay | Hold/discard in multi-hand video poker | Random payout multiplier | No connection between hands |
| 4 | Deuces Wild | Hold/discard with four wild 2s | Wild cards alter draws and hand hierarchy | No Joker or multiplier system |
| 5 | Spin Poker | One hold decision across a shared card grid | Many outcomes from one decision | No persistent modifier engine |
Major Multipliers Poker is a newer IGT floor variant introduced in 2025. It can apply multipliers up to 100x to Full House and lower categories. The overlap is large payout modification, not Balatro-style progression.
Where to Play Video Poker Online
Joker Poker and Deuces Wild are available for real-money play at 
PokerStars Casino in supported countries. Ultimate X Poker is available for real-money play at 
BetMGM Casino.
Why Video Poker Feels Closer Than a Slot
The player sees the starting cards before the result is final. Holding a pair, four suited cards or a wild card changes the distribution of every possible finish. The paytable turns that decision into measurable value. Multiplier formats add another layer: sometimes the cards are identical and the correct hold changes because one line is sitting under 12x.
Ultimate X Poker
Ultimate X is an IGT video-poker format in which a paying hand can create a multiplier for the following deal. It is available in single-line and common 3-, 5- and 10-play formats. Standard multi-line feature play uses ten credits per line rather than the conventional five. The current hand pays first, then its result sets the multiplier waiting on the same line.
How Ultimate X Poker Works
- Select a base video-poker game and number of hands.
- Activate Ultimate X with the feature wager.
- Receive one common five-card starting hand.
- Hold the cards that remain in place.
- Every active line draws replacements from its own deck.
- A paying hand receives any multiplier already waiting on that line.
- The completed hand sets a new multiplier for the same line on the next deal.
Two-deal timeline: Deal A pays → Deal A creates multiplier → multiplier waits → Deal B is dealt → Deal B payout is multiplied → Deal B creates the next multiplier
The multiplier earned by Deal A never boosts Deal A. It represents value carried into the next deal.
Feature Wager and Worked Example
This example uses the 8/6 Jacks or Better Ultimate X paytable.
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| Current hand | Three of a Kind |
| Current payout | Normal paytable award |
| Multiplier created | 4x for the next corresponding hand |
| Next hand | Jacks or Better |
| Base five-credit payout | 5 credits |
| Payout at 4x | 20 credits |
| Mode | Conventional Five-Credit Play | Ultimate X at Ten Credits per Line |
|---|---|---|
| 3-play | 15 credits | 30 credits |
| 5-play | 25 credits | 50 credits |
| 10-play | 50 credits | 100 credits |
The additional credits activate the multiplier feature. They do not double ordinary base-paytable awards.
Ultimate X Multiplier Chart
Example configuration: 8/6 Jacks or Better
| Completed Hand | 3-Play Next-Hand Multiplier | 5-Play | 10-Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 2x | 2x | 7x |
| Straight Flush | 2x | 2x | 7x |
| Four of a Kind | 2x | 3x | 3x |
| Full House | 12x | 12x | 12x |
| Flush | 11x | 11x | 11x |
| Straight | 7x | 7x | 7x |
| Three of a Kind | 4x | 4x | 4x |
| Two Pair | 3x | 3x | 3x |
| Jacks or Better | 2x | 2x | 2x |
| No qualifying hand | 1x | 1x | 1x |
The rarest hand does not always create the largest future multiplier. Full Houses and Flushes generate 12x and 11x in this 8/6 Jacks or Better configuration because multiplier size, frequency and base payouts are balanced together.
Ultimate X RTP and Paytables
| Base Paytable | 3-Play Return | 5-Play Return | 10-Play Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/6 Jacks or Better | 99.2978% | 99.4008% | 99.4220% |
| 8/5 Jacks or Better | 97.8730% | 97.9671% | 97.9795% |
“8/6” means Full House pays 8 credits per credit wagered and Flush pays 6. “8/5” cuts the Flush to 5. That single change lowers the 10-play return from 99.4220% to 97.9795% under optimal strategy.
These theoretical returns assume optimal play with the Ultimate X feature active and the paytables shown above. Ultimate X is available with Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild and Joker Poker. Each variant has its own paytable and strategy.
What Happens to an Earned Multiplier?
An earned multiplier applies to the next deal at the same hand position. It is used on that deal even if the hand loses; it does not wait for the next win.
You can use an earned multiplier without paying for the feature again. With the feature switched off, however, that deal cannot earn a new multiplier.
| State | Result |
|---|---|
| 4x waiting; feature on | Next deal pays any win at 4x; the final hand may earn a new multiplier |
| 4x waiting; feature off | Next deal uses the stored 4x, even on a loss; no new multiplier is earned |
When the Multiplier Changes Which Cards to Hold
In 8/6 Jacks or Better 10-play Ultimate X, the average multiplier can change which cards are worth keeping.
Starting hand: 2♠10♠J♠Q♠2♥
The average multiplier is the sum of the active multipliers across all ten hands divided by ten. Ten 1x positions produce a 1.0x average; nine 1x positions and one 2x position produce a 1.1x average.
| Average Multiplier Across Active Hands | Recommended Hold |
|---|---|
| 1.1x or lower | Hold 2♠10♠J♠Q♠, four cards to a Flush |
| Above 1.1x | Hold 10♠J♠Q♠, three cards to a Royal Flush |
The Wizard of Odds strategy guide recommends the four-card Flush draw up to 1.1x and the three-card Royal draw above it. The recommendation is part of a simplified strategy for the 8/6 paytable. Use a strategy chart that matches your game’s paytable.
Joker Poker: A Functional Joker
Joker Poker uses 52 standard cards plus one wild Joker. The player holds cards and draws replacements. The Joker can complete normal combinations, Five of a Kind and a Royal with Joker.
| Cards | Result |
|---|---|
| Joker + four Kings | Five of a Kind |
| Joker + suited 10-J-Q-K | Royal with Joker |
Common versions begin payouts at Kings or Better or Aces or Better. Exact RTP depends on the complete table. One Kings or Better version returns between 98.26% and 98.94% across its available configurations, tied to its own Natural Royal, Five of a Kind and wild Royal payouts.
Super Times Pay: Random Multipliers
Super Times Pay adds an optional feature to multi-play video poker. The original format charges one extra credit on top of the standard five-credit wager per hand. When the feature triggers, a random multiplier applies to every active hand on that deal.
You can see the multiplier before choosing which cards to hold. It is awarded randomly, applies only to the current deal and does not carry over.
| Mechanic | Ultimate X | Super Times Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Previous paying result | Random feature event |
| Applies to | Next corresponding hand | Current deal |
| Known before draw | Yes | Yes, after trigger |
| Hand-to-hand state | Yes | No |
| Closest Balatro overlap | Progression | Multiplier spectacle |
Double Super Times Pay adds two possible multiplier opportunities for another wager. It changes frequency and cost, not the basic random-trigger structure.
Deuces Wild: Four Wild Cards
Deuces Wild uses a standard 52-card deck. All four 2s can substitute for other cards when a hand is formed. Common paytables include Natural Royal Flush, Four Deuces, Wild Royal Flush and Five of a Kind. Three of a Kind is often the minimum paying hand because wild cards make combinations easier to complete.
A deal containing two deuces may keep both wild cards and redraw the other three positions toward Five of a Kind, a Straight Flush or Four of a Kind. That is a mechanic example, not a universal hold rule; the exact cards and paytable decide the play.
The Balatro overlap is fixed-card modification. Every deuce behaves like a permanent enhanced card, then the deck resets after the deal.
Spin Poker: The Slot-Like Boundary
Spin Poker uses a three-row, five-column grid with nine possible paylines. The initial five cards appear in the middle row. Held cards are copied to the same columns in the top and bottom rows.
The remaining 47 cards are used to fill the empty positions. Each replacement card can appear only once in the grid. Active paylines can share card positions, so their results are linked. See the Spin Poker rules for the payline layout.
Despite the slot-style layout, you still choose which cards to hold. Spin Poker does not add Balatro’s collectible Jokers or carry a multiplier into the next hand.
Video-Poker Mechanic Matrix
| Mechanic | Ultimate X | Joker Poker | Super Times Pay | Deuces Wild | Spin Poker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hold/discard decisions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wild card | Depends on base game | One Joker | Depends on base game | Four deuces | Depends on base game |
| Payout multiplier | Yes | No standard feature | Yes | No standard feature | Depends on version |
| Result affects next hand | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Five of a Kind possible | In compatible wild-card games | Yes | In compatible wild-card games | Yes | In compatible wild-card games |
| Persistent deck build | No | No | No | No | No |
Play Balatro-Like Video Poker Demos
Try next-hand multipliers in Ultimate X, a wild Joker in Joker Poker, random multipliers in Super Times Pay or four wild cards in Deuces Wild.
Each demo has its own paytable. The InOut Joker Poker demo uses different payouts from the PokerStars version on our Joker Poker page. Check the in-game rules and paytable before choosing a strategy or comparing returns.
How Paytables Change the Choice
The title on the cabinet is not enough to determine RTP. Jacks or Better schedules can differ through the Full House and Flush values: 8/6 versus 8/5. Joker Poker tables move Four of a Kind, Five of a Kind, wild Royal and the minimum pair. Deuces Wild schedules change Four Deuces, Wild Royal and lower-hand awards.
Multiplier features also cost extra. Their RTP must be calculated with the complete wager and multiplier schedule, not bolted onto the base-game percentage afterward.
Which Game Matches Which Balatro Mechanic?
| Desired Mechanic | Closest Match | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| A result changes future value | Ultimate X | Completed hands determine next-hand multipliers |
| A literal Joker alters a hand | Joker Poker | Wild Joker is part of the 53-card deck |
| Random large multipliers | Super Times Pay | One multiplier can apply across all active hands |
| Several wild cards | Deuces Wild | Four deuces substitute inside completed hands |
| Many simultaneous poker lines | Spin Poker | One hold decision branches into several results |
| Poker hands plus slot bonuses | Deal With Death | Automatic poker rows, Jokers and free-spin modes |
Deal With Death slot guidePoker-hand slotsAll casino games closest to Balatro
Where the Similarity Ends
These games reset their deck state. None includes a shop, persistent Joker collection, deck editing, hand levelling or an Ante and Boss Blind run. Ultimate X keeps one multiplier alive for a later hand; the rest largely reset after each deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What video-poker game is closest to Balatro?
Ultimate X for hand-to-hand progression. Joker Poker for a functional Joker inside the deck.
Which game has multipliers for the next hand?
Ultimate X Poker. A paying result sets a multiplier on the same line for the following deal.
Is Ultimate X worth the extra bet?
The extra wager is relevant when the player wants the multiplier feature and accepts higher variance. It does not automatically improve the return: RTP still depends on the selected base game, paytable and number of hands.
Can a waiting Ultimate X multiplier be used with the feature turned off?
Yes. Under standard multi-line Ultimate X rules, the stored multiplier applies once, then disappears without generating a replacement.
Is Super Times Pay the same as Ultimate X?
No. Super Times Pay awards random multipliers on the current deal. Ultimate X earns them from the previous result.
How are Deuces Wild and Joker Poker different?
Joker Poker adds one Joker to a 53-card deck. Deuces Wild keeps a 52-card deck and makes all four 2s wild.
Does video-poker strategy affect RTP?
Yes. Published theoretical returns assume optimal holds for the exact paytable and feature configuration.
Play Video Poker With Jokers or Multipliers
Ultimate X carries value forward. Joker Poker changes the deck. Deuces Wild changes four cards at once. Pick the mechanic, not the label.