Thomas Evans Zanot, a Las Vegas poker player, now has a much larger bankroll after hitting a $6.4 million Pai Gow jackpot at Flamingo Saturday night. Although it’s only January, the hit will likely be one of the largest jackpots Las Vegas will see all year. In October, a gambler hit a $3.5 million Pai Gow Poker jackpot at nearby Harrah’s, a Caesars Entertainment property like Flamingo.
To win the top progressive jackpot in Pai gow, a popular table game played at most casinos, the player must first place a wager on a side bet and then hit a seven-card straight flush.
Every poker player knows just how difficult it is to get a five-card straight flush in Texas Hold’em, so imagine how infrequently the seven-card version spikes. Hence, why the progressive jackpot is often so massive.
Zanot, who is originally from Arizona, has over $1.1 million in live poker tournament cashes, according to Hendon Mob. He plays numerous low to mid-stakes events, although he might now move up in stakes thanks to the life-changing money he won this weekend at Flamingo.
His most recent tournament cash came last month during the WPT World Championship series at Wynn Las Vegas, a 33rd place finish in the record-setting $10,400 buy-in championship event for $99,600.
The jackpot winner said on Twitter that he was down about $375 over approximately 11 hours of play, totaling 300-400 hands, before he hit the lucky hand.
Comments