What Is a Royal Flush in Poker? Ranking, Examples & Rules
A royal flush is the highest-ranking hand in poker. It consists of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten — all of the same suit. No other hand beats a royal flush. It ranks #1 in poker hand rankings and is the rarest hand you can make.
Example
All four suits produce an equally valid royal flush. There is no suit ranking in standard poker — a royal flush in spades is the same as one in hearts.
Where Does a Royal Flush Rank?
| # | Hand | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | |
| 2 | Straight Flush | |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | |
| 4 | Full House | |
| 5 | Flush | |
| 6 | Straight | |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | |
| 8 | Two Pair | |
| 9 | One Pair | |
| 10 | High Card |
See the complete hand rankings guide for tiebreakers, kickers, and detailed examples.
How Does a Royal Flush Work?
A royal flush requires exactly five specific cards: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of one suit. There are only four possible royal flushes in a standard 52-card deck — one per suit.
In Texas Hold’em, you can use any combination of your two hole cards and five community cards to make a royal flush. If the board shows five cards to a royal flush, all remaining players share the pot.
There are no tiebreakers for a royal flush. If two players both have a royal flush (only possible with community cards in Hold’em), the pot is always split.
What Beats a Royal Flush?
Nothing. A royal flush is the best possible hand in poker. It beats every other hand, including a straight flush.
What Are the Odds?
In a five-card deal, the probability of being dealt a royal flush is 0.000154% — roughly 1 in 649,740 hands. In Texas Hold’em (seven cards available), the odds improve to about 1 in 30,940.
FAQ
Is a royal flush the best hand in poker?
Yes. A royal flush is the absolute highest-ranking hand in all standard poker games. Nothing beats it.
Can two players have a royal flush at the same time?
Only if the five community cards form the royal flush themselves. In that case, all players in the hand split the pot equally.
Does a royal flush have to be in spades?
No. Any suit works — spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs. All four suits are equal in poker. A royal flush in clubs is exactly as strong as one in spades.
For the complete guide to all 10 poker hands, see our poker hand rankings. Need a quick reference? Download our poker cheat sheet.
← Back to Knowledge Base