A lucky gambler at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln walked away with a six-figure payday after hitting the rare "five aces" hand during a round of Face Up Pai Gow Poker on Thursday. The progressive jackpot came in at exactly $120,123, according to the casino. The hand, four aces plus the joker, is the top-ranked five-card combo in Pai Gow and is the one that typically lights up the progressive side bet.
As reported by The Sacramento Bee, the resort confirmed the $120,123 payout in a news release. General manager Dawn Clayton celebrated the win, saying, "Five aces is what all table game players are hoping for." The paper noted that the hit came via the Face Up Pai Gow progressive, the very feature that keeps regulars fixed on the table.
Thunder Valley Casino Resort keeps a rolling catalog of winners and advertises roughly 3,500 slot machines and about 89 table games, including Face Up Pai Gow tables. The resort posts progressive meters and recent payouts on its site as a running record of big winners and resets, a scale that helps show how often large progressives actually surface on the floor.
How Rare Is "Five Aces"?
Five aces, four natural aces plus the joker, ranks above a royal flush in Pai Gow and is the hand that typically triggers a table-game progressive jackpot. State gaming rules that spell out Pai Gow hand rankings list five aces as the highest-ranking five-card hand, underscoring how unusual the outcome is. See the official rules at the South Dakota Legislature.
Thunder Valley's Recent Run of Big Payouts
The $120,123 score is the latest in a string of six-figure payouts at the Lincoln resort. Thunder Valley's winners page lists a $134,829 Face Up Pai Gow payout from May, and The Sacramento Bee reported two separate "five aces" jackpots on June 26 that together paid roughly $261,000. Those steady meters and slot progressives have kept the casino's winners board busy this year.
For those concerned about gambling harm, the national problem gambling hotline is 1-800-522-4700, and further resources are available at the National Council on Problem Gambling. Thunder Valley also lists responsible-gaming resources for guests on its site.
