TEMECULA, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southern California's first Mega Share Bad Beat Jackpot just hit at $208,085 late Friday night, paying off 30 percent of the jackpot ($62,501.00) to the losing hand of four queens to Monique Tolentino of Murrieta. The royal flush held by Perry Panno may have won the pot, but took second in the jackpot payoff, with 20 percent or $41,617. Such is the nature of a "Bad Beat" jackpot, where the losing hand wins. In the Pechanga Poker Room, it took beating quad tens or better to trigger.
When the high hands were declared, there are two qualifying rules that come into play: both the winning and losing hands must play their two hole cards, with the board playing first. In this instance four queens (Qc,Qd,Qh,Qs,Ac) was beaten out by nothing less than a royal flush of clubs.
The other six players at the table shared 30 percent ($62,426) of the jackpot, or $10,404 per seat. In addition, all 183 active Texas Hold'em players in the room took home a combined 20 percent ($41,541) of the jackpot, or $227 per seat.
The Pechanga Mega Share Bad Beat Jackpot is funded by a portion of a $1 promotional drop per hand in all live Texas Hold'em games. Thus, the Mega Share Bad Beat Jackpot increases with every Texas Hold'em hand and has now been reset to $93,453. However, in order to increase players' chances of winning, the jackpot will begin a new tier system, whereby as each ten thousand dollars is added to the jackpot, the hand qualifier reduces by one (i.e. – quad 7's go down to quad 6's etc.) until any four-of-a-kind beaten qualifies at $130,000.
The Pechanga Poker Room is an expansive 12,000 square-foot gaming floor with 54 tables, offering live and tournament play daily. The Poker Room is located on the top level, directly above the Round Bar and away from the busy casino floor. The room features four 103-inch plasma TVs, 17 40-inch LCD TVs, and a three-screen LED Jumbotron. The players' experience is further enhanced by the smoke-free environment, a conveniently located cashier, as well as tableside food and beverage service.
Robert Bledsoe Public Relations Manager Pechanga Resort & Casino 45000 Pechanga Pkwy Temecula, CA 92592 rbledsoe@pechanga.com 951.770.2776 www.pechanga.com
Pechanga Resort & Casino is the biggest and best Southern California casino. As an all-inclusive resort destination with a larger casino and more slots than anywhere in Vegas, Pechanga is located in the Inland Empire, in the Southern California Wine Country of Temecula Valley, and freeway close to the Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and Ontario airports. The AAA Four Diamond property offers a luxury hotel with a full-service spa, featuring a couple's massage suite, and the finest restaurants with 24-hours of gambling action. Pechanga has superstar concerts; a comedy club; world title boxing events; three clubs and lounges, including Silk, the largest nightclub in Southern California; more than 100,000 square feet of convention/meeting space; and the new 18-hole Journey at Pechanga, which has been rated as one of the best new golf courses in the world. As the largest casino in the Western United States, Pechanga is perfect for a romantic weekend or just a daytrip with happening nightlife to make for an exciting getaway. Visit us at www.pechanga.com, 'Like' us at www.facebook.com/pechanga, follow us at www.twitter.com/pechangacasino, or check in at Foursquare.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com
The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | Pechanga's Mega Share Bad Beat Jackpot winners |