Imagine taking a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate your birthday and ending up with an incredible story to tell.
That's exactly what happened to a man, identified only as Billy R, during a recent trip with friends.
Billy had an unexpected stroke of luck at The LINQ Las Vegas casino. He hit a huge poker jackpot after deciding to try his luck at the Face Up Pai Gow poker table.
He hit a rare 7-card straight flush (5 to Jack of diamonds) with a joker acting as the 8 that paid out an astonishing $937,040!
The casino posted a picture of Billy on its X (formerly Twitter) account.
The post's description read: "From chips to cash. Our newest table game winner Billy R. walked away with $937,040 by hitting the Mega Jackpot on our Face Up Pai Gow table with a 7 card straight flush!"
Billy spent about an hour playing before his chips skyrocketed to nearly a million dollars. The moment of hitting the Mega Jackpot turned his birthday celebration into a story for the ages.
The Rarity and Magic of a 7-Card Straight Flush
If you're wondering why Billy's win is such a big deal, well, it's all in the numbers:
- With a Joker: The odds of getting a 7-card straight flush are between 1 in 600,000 and 1 in 688,000
- Without a Joker: The probability plummets to 1 in 4.8 million
The use of a joker in Pai Gow Poker makes such hands excitingly rare, and hitting one spells out big bucks, just like it did for Billy.
His win is reminiscent of the time a player beat odds of 1 in 45 billion to win a Pai Gow Poker jackpot. Or the unbelievable win a person experienced playing Pai Gow Poker on Star Wars Day.
Other Mind-Blowing Pai Gow Poker Wins in Vegas
Las Vegas is filled with dazzling lights and dreams waiting to be made—or in these cases, jackpots waiting to be hit. Here are some other astonishing wins in the city:
$6.44 million at Flamingo Las Vegas (2023): Thomas Zanot landed one of the largest jackpots ever with a 7-card straight flush in spades.
$2.87 million at Caesars Palace (2025): Another Face Up Pai Gow variant win with a rare 7-card straight flush, marking a significant payout on the Strip.
$2.2 million at The Venetian (2024): This was the biggest Pai Gow progressive jackpot in the resort's history, won with a $5 side bet and a 7-card straight flush.
These big wins show just how rare and rewarding it is to get a 7-card straight flush in Pai Gow Poker.
It's not just about the money people win; these jackpots get everyone talking on social media and news sites. It's exciting to beat the crazy odds and win big money that can change your life. For both the casinos and the players, these moments capture what makes gambling in Las Vegas so appealing.
So, if you're ever in Vegas, maybe give Face Up Pai Gow a shot. You never know—you might be the next big winner everyone talks about! Just remember to practice responsible gambling habits.
