A lucky bastard at Venetian snagged a $2.2 million prize playing what is arguably the most boring casino game, Face Up Pai Gow.
The side bet that resulted in this windfall: $5.
That, folks, is why Las Vegas is still a thing. It’s not sports or buffets or boobs. All right, boobs remain very important, but $2 million is nothing to sneeze at.
Venetian shared word of the progressive jackpot win via its Twitter account, which lemmings refer to as “X.”
When a $5 side bet turns into $2,211,469! A very lucky guest was dealt a seven card straight flush while playing Face Up Pai Gow. This was the largest Pai Gow Progressive paid out in the resort’s history. Who’s feeling lucky? 😎 pic.twitter.com/gF2P05lkpZ
— The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (@VenetianVegas) July 24, 2024
The player won with a seven card straight flush. The probability of getting this hand (the Joker is wild) is 0.00000127, or about the same chances as a guy hooking up in a Vegas nightclub wearing Crocs. Read more math.
Progressives do happen on a fairly regular basis, though. In January 2023, a poker pro won a $6.4 million Pai Gow jackpot at Flamingo. In February 2024, a player won $1.2 million playing Pai Gow at Planet Hollywood.
Why do we say Pai Gow is boring? Simple. Have you ever seen someone playing Pai Gow while operating heavy machinery? Of course not. That’s because it’s against the law.
Basically, people play Pai Gow for the comped drinks. And the occasional $2.2 million progressive jackpot.
The exact amount was $2,211,469, for the record. We are not making up the 69 part.
If you’re interested in Pai Gow, and you shouldn’t be, Venetian’s Web site has instructions for how to play.
Basically, you get seven cards. You split the cards into two hands, the “high hand” (five cards) and “low hand” (two cards), based upon traditional poker.
To win, both hands have to beat the dealer. If both hands lose, the player loses. If it’s 50/50, it’s a “push,” and nobody wins or loses.
It’s this pattern, times a gazillion. There’s a lot of pushing.
Big congrats to the jackpot winner at Venetian.
