On Sunday, a visitor at The Venetian turned a $5 side wager into a seven-figure payday after being dealt a spade royal flush while playing Ultimate Texas Hold'em. The rare hand activated the top tier of the resort's table-game progressive and paid out $2,235,550 on the casino floor as staff completed the payout and other players looked on.
As reported by Las Vegas Review-Journal, the winner, identified by the resort as George Lee, had placed the optional $5 side bet that made him eligible for the Millionaire Progressive mega tier, and the spade royal flush delivered the $2,235,550 jackpot on July 12.
How the Millionaire Progressive Works
The Venetian’s linked progressive pools modest side wagers into a jackpot that can be triggered by a natural royal flush in spades on eligible table games. The resort’s gaming guide lays out that the optional $5 wager makes a player eligible to win the mega tier on games including Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Crazy 4 Poker and Mississippi Stud. That structure is what lets a small bet occasionally produce a life-changing payout for a single hand.
Not the First Big Hit
Seven-figure table-game payouts at The Venetian are uncommon but not unprecedented. The property paid a $3,845,727 Ultimate Texas Hold’em mega jackpot in November 2025, according to prior reporting. Las Vegas Review-Journal covered that record payout, and industry outlets have tracked other million-plus hits at the resort; CDC Gaming reported a $1.6 million progressive win earlier this year.
For locals and visitors, the hand is a flashy reminder that a tiny optional wager can sometimes lead to outsized results, although those outcomes remain rare by design. The resort confirmed the payout to the Review-Journal but did not provide further details about the winner’s plans beyond the casino's statement.
