Win a hand, get a multiplier on your next one. Up to 12x. Here's how it works.
"Ultimate X" is a registered trademark of IGT (International Game Technology). This page provides strategy analysis and commentary about the game — we are not affiliated with IGT.
Ultimate X is IGT's multiplier-based video poker format. The basic gameplay is identical to standard video poker — deal five cards, hold what you want, draw replacements. The twist: when you win a hand, you earn a multiplier that applies to your next hand.
Win a Full House? You might get a 5x multiplier on your next deal. If that next hand is also a winner, it pays out at 5x the normal amount. Then you might earn another multiplier from that win, and so on. The multipliers are displayed on-screen before you draw, so you always know what's at stake.
Each winning hand type awards a specific multiplier. The multiplier applies to your next hand, not the current one. In multi-hand play (3, 5, or 10 hands), the multiplier applies independently to each hand — so if you have a 5x multiplier in position 2 and win with a pair there, that win pays 5x.
You're playing 3-hand Ultimate X. You draw and hit a Full House on hand 1. That earns a 5x multiplier shown above hand 1. On your next deal, if hand 1 hits any paying combination, it pays 5x normal. Three of a Kind (normally pays 3:1) would pay 15:1.
Multipliers vary slightly by base game. The table below shows the typical multipliers for Jacks or Better — one of the most common base games for Ultimate X. Check the in-game paytable screen for the exact multipliers on the machine you're playing.
| Winning Hand | Multiplier Awarded (JoB base) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 12x | Next hand pays 12× whatever it hits |
| Straight Flush | 10x | Rare, but a massive setup for the next hand |
| Four of a Kind | 7x | Common enough to happen regularly in multi-hand play |
| Full House | 5x | Most impactful multiplier you'll see frequently |
| Flush | 4x | A good setup hand |
| Straight | 3x | Nice bonus, especially in multi-hand |
| Three of a Kind | 2x | Happens all the time — those 2x multipliers add up |
| Two Pair | — | No multiplier awarded |
| Jacks or Better (pair) | — | No multiplier awarded |
| No win | — | No multiplier, existing ones may reset |
Note: Multipliers vary by base game and machine. Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus versions often have slightly different multiplier values. Always check the machine's own chart before playing.
For the most part, the optimal hold doesn't change in Ultimate X. Hold the same cards you would in standard play — the base game strategy is still correct.
If you're sitting on a 7x or higher multiplier, drawing to a bigger hand is worth a bit more. But don't make wild plays — the strategy shift is small.
Ultimate X really shines at 3 or 5 hands. Winning a big multiplier on multiple positions simultaneously is where the excitement peaks — and where the big swings happen.
Ultimate X has higher volatility than standard multi-hand because your results depend partly on what happened last hand. You can go cold for a while, then explode with a 10x Straight Flush into a Royal. Bring more bankroll than you think you need, and plan for bigger swings than standard play.