Last updated: April 2026
A bad Pickem Poker paytable isn't obviously broken — it looks almost identical to the full-pay version. The payout table still shows a Royal Flush at the top and pairs at the bottom. The differences are in the middle rows, and each one-unit reduction costs you real money per session.
How to spot a weak paytable in under 30 seconds
Check three numbers in this order:
- Full House: should be 9. If it's 8 or lower, the table is reduced.
- Flush: should be 6. If it's 5 or lower, the table is further reduced.
- Royal Flush at max coins: should be 4,000 (800-for-1). If the game shows 250-for-1 at all coin levels, you're playing sub-max or on a machine that doesn't offer the bonus.
That's it. Full House = 9, Flush = 6 → full-pay. Anything below either → reduced. The other lines rarely change.
The most common bad paytables and their RTP cost
| Paytable type | Full House | Flush | RTP (optimal play) | Cost vs full-pay (300 hands, $5/hand) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-pay 9/6 | 9 | 6 | ~99.95% | $0 (baseline) |
| Strong 8/6 | 8 | 6 | ~98.85% | ~$8.25 extra |
| Reduced 8/5 | 8 | 5 | ~97.75% | ~$16.50 extra |
| Weak 7/5 | 7 | 5 | ~96.65% | ~$24.75 extra |
| Avoid 6/5 | 6 | 5 | ~95.55% | ~$33.00 extra |
Over 20 sessions at 300 hands each, the difference between full-pay and 8/5 is approximately $330 in additional expected loss — from a single paytable setting. This is entirely avoidable with a 30-second check before playing.
Why casinos offer weak paytables
Paytable configuration is a legal business decision. Casinos offering RTG software can choose which version of the paytable to deploy. Weaker paytables generate more revenue for the operator. They're not cheating — they're legal. But there's no reason to accept them when full-pay versions exist at other RTG casinos. Use the casino comparison page to find operators offering full-pay access.
Red flags beyond the basic paytable check
- Royal Flush doesn't increase at max coins — all 5 payouts show proportional amounts, no bonus. This indicates a flat-pay Royal and significantly weaker long-run return.
- Straight Flush pays below 50-for-1 — at 40-for-1 or less, the SF draw vs trips decision flips. Note this before playing.
- No 9s or 10s payout — if pairs of 9s and 10s don't pay 1-for-1, you may be playing a different game variant, not standard Pickem Poker.
- Paytable not visible before betting — a trustworthy game always shows the paytable before the first wager. If you can't see it, don't play.
If a casino only offers 8/5, is it worth playing at all?
At 97.75% RTP, an 8/5 game is still significantly better than most slots and comparable to average blackjack tables. It's not the best available, but it's not a game to categorically avoid if full-pay isn't an option. The meaningful threshold is around 97% — below that, other games may offer better value.
Can casinos change the paytable after I start playing?
Not mid-session in certified RTG software. The paytable is fixed in the game version you're running. What casinos can do is offer different game versions to different players or at different times, which is why the check-before-playing rule matters.