| Updated: October 3, 2024Featuring simplistic graphics and retro design, Mega Jacks by Playtech is one of the rare video poker games with lottery-like, progressive jackpots. It can be played only in real-money mode and it offers a fixed coin size of $/€0.25 but in order to qualify for the jackpot, players need to bet the maximum 5 coins.
Rules and Gameplay
Playtech’s Mega Jacks is a regular game of Jacks or Better with just one exception, its progressive jackpot. Apart from that, it is very simple and easy to play, so it is a great choice for all fans of video poker and for all casino players who need a break from the slots or the traditional table games. Mega Jacks uses one deck of 52 cards, which are “shuffled” before each deal. Players can only choose how many coins to bet (from 1 to 5), while the coin size stays fixed at $/€0.25 (it is 0.25 credits in any currency).
The rules and gameplay are standard – players receive 5 cards in the beginning and choose which ones to keep. The rest of the cards are replaced in the second deal and if a winning hand forms, the game pays out the corresponding prize. There is also a Gamble feature after each winning round – in it, players can double their winnings if they manage to pick a face-down card that is higher than the dealer’s card.
Paytable and Specific Features
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | Progressive Jackpot |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full House | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 35 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| 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 |
What distinguishes Playtech’s Mega Jacks from the vast majority of video poker variations available online is its progressive jackpot, which is pooled from hundreds and even thousands of games that are being played at web-based casinos. The jackpot seeds at $300 and then, it starts increasing quickly with every bet placed in the game. The break-even value is $/€1,230 and once the jackpot passes this amount, the game becomes a positive expected value.
As you can see, the players can win the Mega Jacks progressive jackpot only if they get Royal Flush while playing with all 5 coins. In comparison with other progressive jackpots, this one is quite affordable to qualify for – it takes only $/€1.25 per round. The RTP varies, depending on the value of the jackpot. It starts at 97.56% and can exceed 100%.
Conclusion
Playtech’s progressive video poker game Mega Jacks is certainly one of the best games to try right now. The jackpot gets hit approximately once in a few days but even without it, the game offers quite a good average return.