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Jackpot – A cash prize paid out when certain conditions are met.
Many poker rooms offer some type of poker jackpot to their players. The most common type of poker jackpot is the
bad beat jackpot. A bad beat jackpot is paid
out when a player has a very strong hand beaten, and certain other conditions are also met. The minimum hand needed to trigger a
jackpot will vary from casino to casino, but is typically either some type of aces full or four of a kind hand, beaten by another four
of a kind, or a straight flush.
In order for a jackpot to be valid, several conditions must be met. The
house will typically require that both hole cards
must play from both hands, and will also require that enough players have been dealt in, and the pot is large enough to trigger a
jackpot drop. In order for a jackpot to paid out, a jackpot collection must have been taken on the hand. Depending upon the casino
that you are playing in, there are likely to be other conditions also. For instance, many casinos require that a player hold a pocket
pair if their hand is to be considered for a valid four of a kind jackpot hand.
A poker jackpot is called a bad beat jackpot because it is triggered by a player taking a very bad beat. When a valid bad beat jackpot
is triggered, a percentage is paid out to the winning hand and a higher percentage is paid out to the losing hand. Depending upon
house rules, there may also be a payout to the other players at the table who were dealt in on the hand. This is commonly referred to
as a “table share,” and it is typically a fraction of the amount paid out to the winning and losing hands. Some casinos also make an
even smaller payout to each player in the room who is playing at the same stakes as the jackpot table. This is commonly referred to as
a “room share.”
As a player, it is your responsibility to know the house rules regarding the payout of jackpots. If you do not, you not only run the
risk of mucking a jackpot hand, in some casinos you
also run the risk of counterfeiting the
jackpot for everybody at the table. This is particularly true in poker rooms where the
qualifier for a jackpot is some type of aces
full, beaten by four of a kind or better. The reason that it is possible to counterfeit a jackpot when the qualifier is aces full is
because the rules state that only the best two hands can be considered for the purpose of a jackpot, and that a third place hand
cannot be considered. Therefore, if there are two hands that qualify for jackpot, and a third hand which does not qualify beats either
one of these hands, the jackpot will not be valid and will not be paid. If you hold this type of hand and do not throw it away when
the opportunity presents itself, you will invalidate the jackpot for everybody.
The most frequent way that a jackpot is ruined is that a player beats the weaker of the two jackpot hands, but does not play both hole
cards, as the rules for jackpot poker require. Imagine that you are playing in a poker room where the requirement for a jackpot to be
hit is aces full of jacks beaten by four of a kind or better, and there is no requirement that both players use pocket pairs. One
player holds AK, and another holds JJ. The board reads A-A-A-Q-2. Assuming no other hands are shown down, this would be a valid
jackpot, because the house rules in this casino do not require both hands to contain a pocket pair. However, if a third player calls
down with KQ, they will invalidate this jackpot. This is because they will make aces full of queens, which beats the valid jackpot
hand of aces full of jacks. Remember, the rules state that in order for a jackpot to be valid, both hole cards must play from both
hands, and only the top two hands may be considered. In this scenario, the aces full of queens becomes the second hand, but does not
qualify, because both hole cards do not play. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not counterfeit a jackpot by avoiding
dangerous calls that could invalidate it when three aces come on board. Remember, this scenario only applies in poker rooms which do
not require a pocket pair be played. If a pocket pair is required, it becomes impossible to hit a jackpot with four aces when three of
them are on the board. Incidentally, this little rule, requiring the pair, will knock out roughly three quarters of eligible jackpots.
This will greatly reduce the number of jackpots hit, and will greatly increase the amount typically paid out when one does hit.
Some casinos offer a jackpot to their poker players, and some do not. In many casinos, the smaller stakes games are eligible, while
the larger stakes games are not. In games where a jackpot is offered, there is typically a jackpot collection taken which is separate
from the house rake. The house keeps this money
separate and it is commonly referred to as the “jackpot fund,” or the “player promotion fund.” The house then uses these funds to fund
poker jackpots as well as other promotions and giveaways. In most cases, the law requires that the jackpot fund be returned to the
players in its entirety, minus a small administrative fee for the house. Other promotions frequently funded by the player promotion
fund include freeroll tournaments, and the Monte Carlo Board.
Usage: Hit A Jackpot, Got The Bad Beat Jackpot
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