Merge Gaming Network $1.2 Million Bad Beat Jackpot Hit

Late Friday night, the Merge Gaming Network Bad Beat Jackpot was awarded. At the time the pot was scooped, the Jackpot had reached $1.2 million, meaning $417,396 was given to its winner. At the end of the day, RUGGIO was bested by AELANI when RUGGIO’s jack-high straight flush fell to AELANI’s king-high straight flush.

RUGGIO held 7-8 of hearts, while AELANI was dealt K-Q of hearts. The flop came 3d-9h-Jh, with both players holding a gutshot straight draw as well as a flush draw. AELANI bet out $4 and was called. The turn came the queen of clubs, giving AELANI top pair and flush and straight draws. AELANI fired $8 into the pot and was promptly called again. The river was the moneymaker for both players, as the 10 of hearts fell. Both players now held straight flushes and, as long as the hand went to showdown, the Bad Beat Jackpot would be awarded. AELANI bet out $20 and RUGGIO re-popped it to $35. AELANI pushed all-in and was immediately called.

AELANI, a student at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, told Merge Gaming Officials after the Bad Beat Jackpot was claimed, “My first reaction when I saw that I hit a piece of the Jackpot was ‘Oh my God.’ I am paying for college completely on my own through student loans so, first and foremost, I thought about how I would be able to pay off my student loans and start my life in the real world debt-free.” AELANI’s bankroll was boosted by $208,698 and seven players took money away from the pot when all was said and done. The Jackpot has since been re-seeded and currently stands at nearly a quarter-million dollars.

Carbon Poker debuted the Bad Beat Jackpot in the middle of last year. Friday night marked the first time it had ever been hit. Carbon Poker spokesperson Jay Manning commented, “We are thrilled that the Bad Beat has gone off and we have set a new bar for the industry. We never envisaged the Bad Beat would take so long to hit. After all, we have the lowest qualifying hand anywhere online.” Upon being hit, the Bad Beat Jackpot dished out 35% to the loser, 17.5% to the winner, and 17.5% to other players dealt to in the hand. The Merge Gaming Network claimed 10% and the remaining 20% funded the brand new Jackpot.

In order to qualify, four sevens must go down in smoke to a superior hand. As you might expect, there are a bevy of caveats. Both the winning and losing hands must use both players’ hole cards. If the hand is four of a kind, a player must hold a pocket pair. At least four players must have been dealt to and the hand needs to have contributed $0.50 or more in rake. The hand must also go to showdown with at least two players. Carbon Poker’s website displays the Quad Aces versus a Royal Flush hand which played out during the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in a table that also featured actor Ray Romano.

Besides Carbon Poker, other sites on the Merge Gaming Network include IronDuke, TexasHoldEm.com, Golden Arch Poker, Rumble Poker, Jam Poker, G2G Poker, Spin32 Poker, and Reefer Poker. Also on the Network is ACED, which recently just signed 2006 WSOP Main Event winner Jamie Gold, in an announcement officially revealed by the site on Thursday.

Carbon Poker spreads Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud High-Low, Five Card Stud, Razz, Five Card Draw, Badugi, and Triple Draw. The Merge Gaming Network accepts players from the United States, although it recently announced it would no longer take new customers from Kentucky due to the ongoing legal action.