Gaming Guru

Multiple Jackpots Letters

A few weeks ago, I wrote about hitting the $1,200 jackpot on four aces twice within five hands on a White Hot Aces video poker machine. That brought many replies from readers who wanted to share their experiences with multiple jackpots.

Coincidentally, all the replies were from video poker players. I'm still looking for someone who has hit back-to-back jackpots on the same slot machine. That's theoretically possible, although extremely rare.

While we wait for a back-to-back slots winner, here's a look at what the readers had to say.

First, there's Dave from Oak Park, who e-mailed to tell of big hits on consecutive casino visits:

After reading your Hot Aces story, I felt I should write and tell you mine. In May, I was at Trump, playing the quarter Bonus Poker Progressive machines along the wall. The meter was up to $1480 when I was dealt a pair of Jacks but also 3 to a royal. For some reason, I went for it and got the royal. The sad part was, I was driving on a ticket and didn't have a photo ID, so all they would give me was a receipt until I got my license back.

The following Sunday, I went back to collect my winnings and brought along $200 to play with. (All major winnings always go into my wallet and not back into the machines). Anyway . . . I hit another royal on a Double Bonus Machine. After they paid me, I turned around and played the Bonus Poker Deluxe machine right behind me and got another. I walked off the boat with $3,800.

Another fellow had multiple royals in one memorable day at Harrah's East Chicago:

I started out playing quarter Double Bonus Poker and did fairly well, but nothing really great. I decided to play dollar Double Bonus and, since my bankroll was not enough to play max coins, I played two at a time. I built up enough credits that I played three coins every once in a while. Then I hit a royal flush for $750.

I took my winnings and began playing max coins on another dollar Double Bonus. I hit another royal for $4,000. While waiting to be paid, I moved to the next machine and hit four 4s for $400. I cashed out, but the hopper emptied and I had to wait for a fill.

While waiting, I moved over to the next machine and hit another royal for $4, 000! During the gaming session, I hit aces for $800 and a few more 2s, 3s and 4s. I also hit the White Hot Aces that you spoke about. I'll never have another day like that, but it was sure fun while it lasted.

Three royals in a short time, with two of them for $4,000 each, is quite a thrill. But how about three royals at once? Another player, Mike, tripled his pleasure:

Just had to share this with somebody -- I was at Harrah's East Chicago, found a Triple Play quarter game with Not So Ugly Deuces, so I put $100 in. Well, to quote Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" I lived the Triple Play dream -- it DEALT me a natural royal (clubs), so I won $3,000! Dumb luck, because that could happen even with a bad pay table? Yes, but I might not have lasted that long, especially on Deuces, without the best paytable, so I believe that my "pickiness" just paid off handsomely.

Natural royal flushes are a surprise on any machine, but they're real shockers on Deuces Wild, where players are conditioned to look for the 2s. This reader found the 2s -- plenty of them.

Three years ago, I had been playing at the Rio in Las Vegas, and had two losing days, dropping $500 on the 50-cent Deuces machine. My wife thought I was crazy to go back for a third try, but what the heck. I played 10 minutes and got dealt a pair of deuces -- and I drew two more for the four-deuces jackpot. Ten minutes later, I was dealt three deuces -- and caught the fourth.

After 15 more minutes, I was dealt three to the Royal -- caught that too. Another 15 minutes -- four deuces again. I turned around to play the dollar Deuces behind my seat. Dealt two, caught two -- another winner! In one hour, I cashed in for $3,500. Once in a lifetime!

I didn't have to look far for a back-to-back Deuces winner. All I had to do was check this phone mail message from a fellow Sun-Times worker, Diane.

About nine or 10 months ago, I was playing at Empress Joliet on a quarter Triple Play game. I was dealt three deuces, and I held them and threw away the other two cards. On one line, I drew the fourth deuce. After the attendant paid me the $250, they asked me to play again to clear it off. I was dealt one deuce and threw away the other cards, and on one line, I caught the other three deuces. Back-to-back hands on the same machine, so it does happen.