This could, quite possibly, be the best way to kick off the holiday season.
A Mohegan Sun guest won $480,912.50 from a $5 side bet.
The player wishes to remain anonymous, but we do know they are from Connecticut. They were playing Four Card Poker at the Casino of the Earth, where they were dealt a Royal Flush of diamonds (A,K,Q,J,10), which landed the Royal Flush Mega Jackpot.
The casino announced the windfall in a post on its X (formerly Twitter) account.
The post's description read: "One lucky guest hit an absolutely ENORMOUS $480,912.50 jackpot with a Royal Flush on one of our Four Card Poker tables!"
What is Four Card Poker?
Four Card Poker is a casino table game that shares similarities with the more well-known Three Card Poker. It's a poker variant in which players compete against the dealer to make the best four-card hand. Here’s a basic overview of how it works:
The goal is to form a better four-card poker hand than the dealer. Here's how you play:
- Players start by placing an ante bet. There might also be an optional side bet, commonly referred to as the "Aces Up" bet, which pays out based on the player's hand strength alone.
- Each player is dealt five cards, and the dealer receives six cards (one face up and five face down).
- Using the five cards dealt to them, players must decide on their best four-card hand.
- After viewing their cards, players have the choice to either fold, forfeiting their ante, or place an additional bet (usually up to three times the ante) to stay in the game.
- The dealer reveals their cards and selects the best four-card hand from their six cards.
If the player's hand is better than the dealer's, they win even money on their ante and play bets. In the case of a tie, the bets typically push (no win or loss for that round). If the dealer's hand is superior, the player loses their bets.
The Aces Up side bet is independent of the main game outcome. Players win based on the strength of their hand alone, receiving payouts for pairs of aces or better, with higher hands receiving larger payouts.
Four Card Poker is often a popular choice for both novice and experienced players in casinos.
Mohegan Sun Casino is Having a Winning Year
This huge win comes just weeks after another guest walked away with almost $2 million after hitting the Mega progressive jackpot while playing Pai Gow Poker at Mohegan Sun’s Casino of the Earth. That, too, was a $5 bet.
On top of that, another guest from Connecticut won a huge $2,018,742.30 jackpot playing Spanish 21 at the Casino of the Earth. They placed a $5 side bet and hit the Triple Diamonds for the big win. It's the biggest table game jackpot at Mohegan Sun Casino this year and one of the top five ever.
All of this is happening as Mohegan Sun Casino is hosting its annual Fall Showdown Poker Tournament. It's running now through Saturday in Connecticut. This event attracts poker players from around the country. Why? It offers an enticing $100,000 prize pool.
Another lucky guest won a $126,520.11 progressive jackpot on an IGT Wheel of Fortune Triple Gold slot machine with just a $2.50 spin. The big win came when the player hit one Wheel of Fortune symbol and two Triple Gold symbols, according to Mohegan Sun.
This, of course, reminded us of the time someone hit for nearly $1.3 million with just one pull of the one-armed bandit. It, too, was a Wheel of Fortune machine.
Play Poker Online at Legal and Sweepstakes Casinos
If you’re looking to enjoy the thrill of poker without a trip to the casino, you’re in luck. Some states (like Connecticut, New Jersey, and Michigan) have legalized online casinos, allowing you to play your favorite casino games from the comfort of your home.
Even if your state hasn't legalized online gambling yet, you can still play, IF your state allows sweepstakes casinos. These sites offer a similar experience and the chance to win prizes.
Sweepstakes casinos use two types of virtual currency: a standard play currency (often called "Gold Coins" or similar) and a sweepstakes currency (often called "Sweeps Coins" or similar).
The standard play currency is used for playing games for fun, while the sweepstakes currency can be used to play games with the possibility of winning real prizes.
Whether it's through state-regulated platforms or sweepstakes options, there are plenty of opportunities to play online casino games. Just remember, if you do take part, always exhibit responsible gambling habits.
