Long-time Atlantic City gambler Frank Nagy won a $1.1 million progressive poker jackpot at the Tropicana on Feb. 13.
Nagy made the necessary $5 side bet in order to qualify for the progressive jackpot, which broke the $1 million mark earlier this month.
With his bet locked in at the four card poker table, he was duly dealt a royal flush. Within a matter of seconds, he’d won Caesars Entertainment’s biggest-ever poker jackpot.
Tropicana Veteran Wins Record Jackpot
Steve Callender, Regional President for Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City, said he was “thrilled” that a long-time customer had won. As for the man himself, Nagy was eager to share the wealth.
With COVID-19 keeping the Tropicana under heavy restrictions for months, the casino regular tipped the dealers on shift $50,000.
As part of Caesars Entertainment, Tropicana’s progressive jackpot is available in six casino poker games:
- Four Card Poker
- Let It Ride
- Mississippi Stud Poker
- Texas Hold’em Poker
- Three Card Poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em
Money from every game is added to the prize pool. That means jackpots go up quickly which, in turn, leads to a rush of activity.
That’s exactly what happened this month. When the Tropicana announced that its jackpot had surpassed $1 million, players hit the tables en masse.
Nagy was dealt a royal flush within days of the announcement and scooped the $1,105,757 top prize.
The payout is certainly impressive. Moreover, it’s the largest poker jackpot Caesars has ever paid out. Other Atlantic City operators have paid out more, however.
Atlantic City Needs Its Own Jackpot Win
A local plumbing contractor won $1.3 million in 2020 after hitting a royal flush at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. But even that’s not enough to top the amount won by Josephine Crawford.
The 84-year-old retired waitress banked $10 million in April 2006 after making a $3 slot machine bet. That win beat the state’s previous jackpot record of $8.4 million.
The Tropicana reset the jackpot once Nagy had posed for pictures. Casino bosses are hoping Nagy’s win stirs up interest among Atlantic City residents, especially as state officials have begun a slow easing of New Jersey’s stringent COVID-19 restrictions.
BREAKING: I’m signing an Executive Order to:
☑️Expand indoor dining capacity to 35%
☑️Lift the statewide 10:00 PM restaurant indoor service limit; local restrictions may remain in placeThis order will take effect Friday, February 5th. Public health protocols must be adhered to. pic.twitter.com/L4SnyDgIfW
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) February 3, 2021
As of Feb. 3, casinos and indoor entertainment venues were allowed to increase capacity to 35%. Las Vegas recently implemented a similar policy and now, both gaming hotspots will be looking to bounce back from a year’s worth of restrictions.
Although the industry isn’t in the clear just yet, a few shafts of light are breaking through, and any publicity is good publicity at this point. For Frank Nagy, however, a seven-figure win should be more than enough to brighten up his 2021.
