A Hawaii visitor riding a $1 side bet at a Pai Gow table walked away with a $446,083 progressive jackpot at the Fremont Hotel & Casino last Friday. The downtown gambler hit an exceptionally rare seven-card straight flush on the casino floor and locked in the six-figure score.
How the Hand Came Together
Boyd Gaming confirmed the payout, and News 3 Las Vegas reports the player had put just $1 on a progressive side bet before being dealt a seven-card straight flush in clubs: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, a wild-card joker and an 8. The company pegged the progressive payout at $446,083 and did not immediately release the winner’s name.
What a Seven-Card Straight Flush Pays
On Fortune-style Pai Gow progressive side bets, a seven-card straight flush is typically the top qualifying hand and it unlocks the full progressive meter. That is why these rare hits can climb into the six or even seven figures when the meter has grown. The hand is extremely uncommon, and casinos across the valley have spotlighted comparable scores, including a nearly $897,586 payday at the Palms Casino Resort, with the odds and pay tables laid out in industry references such as Wizard of Odds and in casino press materials like those from Palms Casino Resort.
Why Fremont Draws So Many Island Players
Downtown properties such as the Fremont have spent years cultivating travelers from Hawaii through vacation packages and charter flights connected to the Vacations Hawaii program, which includes the Fremont among its partner hotels. That steady stream of island visitors helps explain why big-money jackpot stories featuring Hawaii guests surface so often and why the Fremont makes a point of showcasing winners on its guests and winners pages.
There was no immediate word on how the Hawaii visitor plans to use the windfall, and Boyd Gaming did not offer further comment beyond the photos it released to the station. News 3 Las Vegas published those images, which show the newly minted winner celebrating on the casino floor.
