Last updated: April 2026
On this page
RTG Pick Em Poker is a one-decision video poker game, but the decision is not the same as normal five-card draw video poker. You are not dealt five cards and asked what to hold. You start with two cards, choose one of two stack options, and let that selected stack complete the hand.
You may see the game written as Pickem Poker, Pick Em Poker, Pick’em Poker, or Pick 'Em Poker. On this page, those names all refer to the RTG stack-choice version unless a different Pick-A-Pair format is clearly called out.
RTG Pick Em Poker hand layout
Flow: Two starting cards → Choose Stack A or Stack B → Selected stack completes hand → Paytable result.
The two face-up left-side cards are the fixed base of the hand.
Choose one right-side three-card stack or option.
The unchosen stack is discarded and the chosen stack creates the five-card hand.
The active casino paytable determines the final payout.
This illustration uses simple HTML cards to explain the layout. It is not a copyrighted casino screenshot or a guarantee that every lobby displays the game identically.
How an RTG Pick Em Poker hand works
| Step | What happens | Player action? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choose denomination, select 1 to 5 coins, and place the wager. | Yes |
| 2 | Two starting cards appear face up on the left. | No |
| 3 | Two three-card stacks or options appear on the right. | No |
| 4 | Choose one stack. | Yes - the key decision |
| 5 | The other stack is discarded. | No |
| 6 | The chosen stack completes the five-card poker hand. | No |
| 7 | The hand is paid according to the active RTG paytable. | No |
Two of the cards in a stack may not be known before you choose, depending on the RTG implementation. That is why this site describes the game as a stack-choice format rather than a format where the player sees every possible card before committing.
What makes RTG Pick Em Poker different?
It is not standard Jacks or Better. Jacks or Better starts with five cards, lets you hold or discard any combination, and pays a pair only from Jacks upward. RTG Pick Em Poker starts with two cards, asks you to choose one stack, and uses Nines or Better as the minimum paying hand.
It is not normal five-card draw video poker. There is no hold/discard round and no second draw decision. Once you choose a stack, the other stack is discarded and the selected stack supplies the remaining three cards.
It is still paytable-sensitive. The game result is scored like a five-card poker hand, but the exact payouts can vary by operator or software version. The active in-game paytable is the authority.
Winning hands and betting structure
RTG Pick Em Poker uses standard poker hand rankings, with Nines or Better as the minimum paying hand in the version covered here. Typical ranking order runs from Royal Flush down through Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and Nines or Better.
Max coins is 5. In the RTG version, a max-coin Royal Flush should be described as 6,000 coins or credits. Because paytables can change, always verify the live game screen instead of relying on a static article or an old forum reference.
What to verify before real-money play
Older Pick'em and Pick-A-Pair references
Older or non-RTG references to Pick'em Poker, Pick-A-Pair Poker, or Pickem-style games may describe different formats. Some describe fully visible pair choices or a separate draw card. This site is focused on the RTG casino version, where the hand begins with two starting cards and the player chooses between two three-card stacks.
Frequently asked questions
How many decisions do you make in RTG Pick Em Poker?
One. You choose one of two three-card stacks. The other stack is discarded, and the chosen stack completes the five-card hand.
Can you see every card before choosing?
No article should assume that. In the RTG stack version, two cards in a stack may be hidden before the choice. Treat the in-game display as the source of truth.
What is the minimum paying hand?
For the RTG version covered on this site, the minimum paying hand is Nines or Better.
What should I check before depositing?
Verify the game title, active paytable, max-coin Royal Flush value, bonus terms, and current game availability inside the casino lobby before funding an account.