You’ve likely heard about gamblers winning seven-figure jackpots with slots, but what about Pai Gow poker? An Omaha, Nebraska native pulled off this rare feat by winning a $1,620,470 progressive jackpot in Las Vegas.
You can learn more about his exciting win and what he’ll do with the money below. I’ll also discuss where to find and play for significant casino poker jackpots online.
Key Highlights
- Scott A. won $1.6 million playing Pai Gow poker at Planet Hollywood casino
- He was in Las Vegas to watch and bet on Thursday Night Football
- Scott plans to invest some of the money
- Significant casino poker jackpots are available in online casinos
Straight Flush Leads to a Fortune
Scott A. stopped at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on September 6th to gamble. He began playing Pai Gow poker at a table offering a $1.6 million progressive jackpot.
This table required a seven-card straight flush to win the progressive prize. Scott got this rare winning hand after being dealt 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, joker, and ace. The joker wildcard took the place of a 2 to complete his wheel straight flush.
He received over $1.6 million for the win and immediately called his wife afterward with the good news.
In Town for the Chiefs Game
Like many Vegas visitors, Scott doesn’t live near Sin City. He’s from Omaha, which is almost 19 hours away by car.
He was in town for the NFL’s season opener—a Thursday Night Football (TNF) game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens.
Scott got his first stroke of good luck when the Chiefs won a hard-fought 27-20 game. Kansas City hopes to pull off a three-peat by winning its third consecutive Super Bowl.
The Omaha native enjoyed an even better surprise when he won the Pai Gow jackpot. Scott A. can thank his TNF trip to Vegas for this windfall because it led him to the fortunate Pai Gow table.
What Will Scott Do With The $1.6m?
The Nebraskan didn’t provide details on how he plans to spend his newfound fortune when speaking with Caesars Entertainment (Planet Hollywood owner) or media outlets.
However, he did tell a Caesars spokesperson that he intends to invest the money. This is smart, considering how some jackpot winners blow their fortunes on luxury cars and mansions.
Odds of Winning a Pai Gow Poker Jackpot
Pai Gow isn’t usually the first casino poker game players look for when seeking major jackpots. This distinction belongs to Caribbean stud, which I’ll discuss later. So the fact that Caesars’ progressive jackpot at Planet Hollywood reached $1.6 million is already beating the odds.
You hear about slot jackpot winners all the time, but hitting a $1.6 million Pai Gow poker jackpot? Now that’s a rare and exciting feat!
What about the chances of getting a seven-card straight flush to win this rare prize?
You have 1-in-676,066 odds of receiving this hand when a joker is involved. I’ve seen much longer odds of winning slots progressive jackpots, so 1 in 676,066 isn’t terrible for a seven-figure jackpot.
The catch is that you must place $5 side bets to play for a Pai Gow poker jackpot in Vegas. Compare this to many slots or online casino poker tables, where you can try for jackpots with a dollar or less.
How You Can Play for Significant Pai Gai Poker Jackpots from Home
The biggest table game jackpots are usually in Las Vegas, but you don’t have to travel here to play for a poker fortune. Some US-friendly online casinos offer six-figure jackpots in Caribbean stud, which, although different from Pai Gow, is still a poker variation.
RealTime Gaming (RTG) features an online Caribbean stud jackpot worth $128,003. This progressive prize is specifically for Bovada Casino players.
Bovada is available to most states, excluding Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia. Recently, they added Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Louisiana to their list of excluded states. You can play for the RTG Bovada jackpot by making a $1 side bet.
If you’re located outside the US, you may be eligible to play at Microgaming and/or NetEnt online casinos. Microgaming features a Poker Rise jackpot worth $283,627, while NetEnt’s Caribbean stud jackpot is impressive at €147,766 ($162,779).
Of course, you could always try emulating Scott A’s feat in Vegas. If you visit, I recommend giving the casino poker jackpots a look because some offer life-changing money.
Sources
https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/1-6m-table-game-jackpot-hits-at-las-vegas-strip-casino-3166024
https://www.tcpalm.com/story/money/lottery/2024/09/10/kansas-city-chiefs-fan-jackpot-poker-las-vegas-casino/75157600007
