Vegas Bettor Wins $2.2 Million From $5 Side Bet

A bettor at the Venetian in Las Vegas won $2.2 million from a $5 side bet in Face Up Pai Gow.

The win occurred Sunday after the bettor was dealt a seven card straight flush — the 7 of spades, 9 of spades, 10 of spades, Jack of spades, Queen of spades, King of spades and a joker, which served as a wild card filling in for the 8 of spades.

The progressive jackpot had steadily accumulated over time from bettors on the same game. The two ways to win 100% of the jackpot are to be dealt five aces (four aces in a 52 card deck and a joker) or a seven card straight flush.

It's the largest Pai Gow progressive jackpot in the Venetian's history and the second most lucrative in Las Vegas history, according to Las Vegas Locally.

This jackpot isn't to say that Pai Gow is a game sharps recommend playing, however.

For the year of 2023, casinos won 23.2% of the overall handle on Pai Gow Poker, according to the UNLV Center for Gaming Research. That's one of the highest vigs in the casino, only surpassed by Let It Ride (25.47%), Keno (29.7%) and 3-Card Poker (31.9%). For more information, check out our resource page on the best online casinos.

For reference, sportsbooks in the state only took a profit of 5.13% of all handle, the lowest — by far — of any game in the casino.

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