A New Jersey man hit a 20 million-to-1 one longshot five dollar bet in a game of three card poker at the Borgata to win one million dollars. Caesars Entertainment casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City are offering up a Three Card Poker “side bet” that’s too incredible to be ignored: Combine your three cards with the dealer’s three cards to make a six-card royal flush in diamondsand fly home a millionaire. Sound impossible? Namely, the man won $1.3 million, $300,000 more than Harold. But, O’Sheas Casino is named the ‘luckiest’ place to play in Vegas for a reason. In 2015, Byron Neel from Virginia has won the same three-card poker 6 card royal flush, as did James Orr from Wyoming in 2016.

Christmas is a time of festivities and good cheer. However, a New Jersey man had more to celebrate than most during the holiday period after enjoying a $1 million life-changing visit to the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City.

On Saturday, Dec.22., the man identified as “Harold M” pulled up a seat at the casino’s Three Card Poker table, and took the opportunity to place a five dollar wager on hitting a 6 Card Bonus at odds of 20,348,320 to one. The Lakewood resident subsequently proceeded to make a Royal Flush, which at a payout of 200,000-to-1 turned his $5 bet into a cool $1 million. Happy holidays, indeed!

Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker is a casino table game in which players compete against the dealer. In the Texas Hold’em variant, both player and dealer alike are dealt three cards, with the player aiming to make a better three-card poker hand than the dealer.

Before being dealt cards, a player starts by placing an initial ante bet, and also has the option to place a Pair Plus wager. After the player(s) and dealer receive three cards, the plyer can then either place a “Play” bet, otherwise fold their hand. The dealer’s cards, which were face down up until now, are then revealed and must be at least Queen high to qualify. If not, the player wins his Ante bet, and his Play bet is returned.

If the dealer’s hand meet the standard and is better than that of the player, the player loses his Ante and Play wagers. If the player’s hand is better, he wins and doubles his Ante and Play wagers. Meanwhile, the Pair Plus wager is independent from the strength of the dealer’s hand, with payouts based upon predetermined odds provided.

6 Card Bonus

Million Dollar Poker Cash Game

Some casinos, however, also offer the opportunity to place another side wager called a “Millionaire Maker”. At the Borgata Casino this wager is known as a “6 Card Bonus” bet and is set at a minimum of $5. Once taken, the player and dealer’s hands are combined to make the best five-card combination from those six cards. This is the bet “Harold M” took.

Harold was subsequently dealt the Ace, Queen, and Ten of diamonds, while the dealer received a King, Jack, and Nine of diamonds, which together completed a rare Six Card Diamond Royal. So rare, in fact, that the chances of it being hit is just 1 in 20,358,520. Furthermore, up until that point the bonus had never been released at the Borgata.

Deserved Winner

Comments left on Borgata’s Facebook page would indicate that “Harold M” is a classy guy and deserved winner of the huge prize. As one observer called Helen Bada Turano pointed out:

“Someone said it’s your lucky day. He said No, Yesterday was my Luckiest day- my wife was declared Cancer Free !!! And he was very generous to the dealers.”

Million Dollar 3 Card Poker Games

In other words, Harold M’s win proved to be a veritable Christmas Miracle all round, with a number of involved parties getting to share in his incredible good fortune.