Hard Rock Atlantic City Builds Massive Table Games Progressive Jackpot
By Sean Chaffin
Life-changing money. While it may not be the immediate goal of a trip to a casino, that’s certainly a dream of many as they take a seat at a slot machine or table game. That elusive lure of a major jackpot is simply part of the fun for a night out with friends for some gambling.
For visitors at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City over the last few months, that has included a shot at a mega jackpot. Most gamblers probably think of slot machines when it comes to a big progressive jackpot, but the Hard Rock saw its table game progressive jackpot pool swell to $812,511 and counting by mid-October.
The games featured and available for that progressive cash include:
- Three Card Poker
- Four Card Poker
- Let It Ride
- Ultimate Texas Hold’ Em
- Mississippi Stud Poker
To qualify for the jackpot, players must do the following: play the table minimum for the ante wager; place a $5 progressive wager; and not fold their hand. A player hitting a big hand even below a Royal Flush will earn a healthy payday for his or her stroke of luck. The qualifying hands for the jackpot payouts include: Royal Flush (100 percent of the Mega, the entire amount of the progressive jackpot – $812,511); Straight Flush (100 percent of the Major Jackpot); and Four of a Kind (100 percent of Minor Jackpot).
At the time of publication, the Major Jackpot stood at $14,388 and the Minor was at $1,559. New to the idea of progressive jackpots? It’s pretty simple. The pool continues to grow as gamblers place a progressive wager of $5 to take their shot at a qualifying hand for a massive payout.
This is the highest the Progressive Jackpot has ever been at the Hard Rock, and gamblers in the Garden State have taken notice.
“There is a buzz among our patrons regarding the jackpot and we have noticed considerable play on our novelty games,” a property spokesman told Casino Player. “The progressive jackpot promotion does not require any type of skill to win – you just have to be lucky.”
So what can someone do with a nice $800,000-plus score? With a base price of $274,280, you could grab a couple Ferrari F8 Spiders – with a top speed of 211 mph. Want to go to Super Bowl LIV in Miami? You’ll have it covered. Packages including a ticket, all-include VIP hospitality pregame experience, and “premium pregame party” start at only $6,525. You can take the whole family.
Worried about the rising cost of college for your children? Tuition, room, and board for one student at Harvard University runs about $70,000 per year. You’d have enough to send a few students for an Ivy League education.
Not only will jackpot winners earn a bountiful windfall, but the Hard Rock will also treat them a suite in the hotel, a bottle of champagne, and a gourmet dinner to the Council Oak or Kuro restaurants to celebrate their success. Simply place a bet and cross those fingers.
PLAYING PRIMER
Looking to take your shot at a progressive jackpot like that at the Hard Rock? Here’s a quick primer on playing some of those games that are part of the big promotion at the property. You may not be able to make it to Atlantic City soon, but some of these games may be offered on your next trip out to a casino.
Bettors must place a side bet on all these games to qualify for a progressive jackpot. Don’t want to miss out on your shot at big money.
- Let It Ride – In this game, the player makes three equal-sized bets and is dealt three cards. Based on those, you pull the first bet back or “let it ride.” One community card is dealt that can be used by all players. Once again, the player can pull the second wager or let it ride. After the second community card, players are paid according to the five-card poker hand and remaining bets. Players’ winnings are determined by the value of their hands according to a pay table.
- Three Card Poker – As the name implies, players are dealt three cards. However, you are playing the dealer in this version of poker. Players place an ante before a hand and then can bet another amount equal to that to “play” the hand, or they can fold without making that wager but lose the ante. The kicker is the dealer must have at least a Queen to play or there is no action. Players can receive bonuses based on the strength of their hands.
- Four Card Poker – This game is similar to its three-card cousin, but players actually receive five cards face down and form their best four-card hand. The dealer is dealt six cards with one face up and makes his best four-card hand. In this game, the dealer doesn’t have to hold a certain hand to qualify.
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em – This game is similar to traditional Texas Hold’em, but
]]is played against the dealer with some slightly different rules than what one might find in the poker room. A player is basically hoping to make his best poker hand with a flop, turn, and river, but a chance at some bonuses along the way.
- Mississippi Stud Poker – In this poker variant, players receive two cards and make their best hands after three community cards are dealt. They have the option of betting as each community card is dealt. Players must make higher than a pair of 10s to be paid, which is determined by a pay table. A pair of Sixes through 10s is a push and anything below that is a loss.
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and senior writer for Casino Player and Strictly Slots magazines. His work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions or email him at seanchaffin@sbcglobal.net for story assignments.
