High Hand promo : How unlikely was this?

There was a High Hand promotion running in my casino's poker room this weekend.

There were 40 active tables; each with 8 players, playing No Limit Hold'Em.

During a 30-minute period, three different players all achieved the same High Hand ( 7-high straight flush ).

All of them used the two cards they were dealt combined with three community cards on the board.

What are the odds of this event happening?

Some assumptions:

• All players at each game were dealt in; each table was full.
• 17 hands were dealt at each table.
• The suit of the straight flush does not matter
• No cards were wild

Quote: bigleftie

There was a High Hand promotion running in my casino's poker room this weekend.

There were 40 active tables; each with 8 players.

During a 30-minute period, three different players all achieved the same High Hand... 7-high straight flush.

What are the odds of this event happening?

Some assumptions:

• All players at each game were dealt in; each table was full.
• 17 hands were dealt at each table.
• The suit of the straight flush does not matter

link to original post

What games are they dealing? Are duces wild? What's the name of the casino?

Are you sure you're not confused about what actually happened ? Oftentimes if there's a high-hand promotion they lower the criteria.

ive seen this very thing happen a couple of years ago but the room was filled even more than that ... three high str flushes within an hour... one of the hands didnt hold which was crazy

The game was No Limit Hold'em... with no wild cards.

I have updated the original post.

I am certain three players all achieved "exactly a 7-high straight flush" within a 30-minute period.

And, all of them used the two cards they were dealt with three cards on the board.

Quote: bigleftie

The game was No Limit Hold'em... with no wild cards.

I have updated the original post.

I am certain three players all achieved "exactly a 7-high straight flush" within a 30-minute period.

And, all of them used the two cards they were dealt with three cards on the board.
link to original post

Then I would assume cheating.

Odds were probably 99%

Quote: AxelWolf

Quote: bigleftie

The game was No Limit Hold'em... with no wild cards.

I have updated the original post.

I am certain three players all achieved "exactly a 7-high straight flush" within a 30-minute period.

And, all of them used the two cards they were dealt with three cards on the board.
link to original post

Then I would assume cheating.

Odds were probably 99%
link to original post

I'm still hopeful that someone will do the math and provide the actual odds

As for your assumption of cheating, I guess we can never rule it out because there is always the possibility, no matter how slim it might be, that three players, playing on different tables at The Borgata in Atlantic City, planned and executed a cheating scheme in which they all cheated their respective games in a 30-minute period so they could split a $250 High Hand prize despite the risks of being caught, arrested and banned by the casino.

Quote: bigleftie

Quote: AxelWolf

Quote: bigleftie

The game was No Limit Hold'em... with no wild cards.

I have updated the original post.

I am certain three players all achieved "exactly a 7-high straight flush" within a 30-minute period.

And, all of them used the two cards they were dealt with three cards on the board.
link to original post

Then I would assume cheating.

Odds were probably 99%
link to original post

I'm still hopeful that someone will do the math and provide the actual odds

As for your assumption of cheating, I guess we can never rule it out because there is always the possibility, no matter how slim it might be, that three players, playing on different tables at The Borgata in Atlantic City, planned and executed a cheating scheme in which they all cheated their respective games in a 30-minute period so they could split a $250 High Hand prize despite the risks of being caught, arrested and banned by the casino.
link to original post

i have to say that this particular scenario - although probably rare and also most likely a thing of the past - these things can happen "naturally" (but by accident at the fault of a programmer)

apparently in the early days of bridge, there was very badly programmed shufflers

(i think) the shufflers had a small PERIOD. Meaning the same hands would eventually be created and dealt again. This from what I understand has to do with the seed of the RNG being too small.

But as of this day, people understand how to make the periods of RNGs bigger and less likely to allow this particular situation to happen.

One thing we really need to know is (if your willing to tell us) is the jurisdiction that you are playing in

the state or place you play in will allow us to look up laws that affect the businesses (casino/card room) and potentially allow us to evaluate if those laws will protect you or the casino in various ways

Quote: heatmap

One thing we really need to know is (if your willing to tell us) is the jurisdiction that you are playing in

the state or place you play in will allow us to look up laws that affect the businesses (casino/card room) and potentially allow us to evaluate if those laws will protect you or the casino in various ways
link to original post

These three hands occurred at The Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday, April 14, sometime between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

The Borgata poker room uses automatic shufflers unless the automatic shuffler for a given table is not functioning correctly, in which case the dealer hand-shuffles.

The Borgata poker room functions under an "eye in the sky" security system. They may even have tapes for any remaining non-believers to view.

If anyone has further questions related to the legitimacy of this event, feel free to call them room, speak with a supervisor and reference the time period I mentioned: (609) 317-1000


I look forward to a reply containing the answer to my question (hopefully, with some explanation of how it was calculated).

Quote: bigleftie

Quote: heatmap

One thing we really need to know is (if your willing to tell us) is the jurisdiction that you are playing in

the state or place you play in will allow us to look up laws that affect the businesses (casino/card room) and potentially allow us to evaluate if those laws will protect you or the casino in various ways
link to original post

These three hands occurred at The Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday, April 14, sometime between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

The Borgata poker room uses automatic shufflers unless the automatic shuffler for a given table is not functioning correctly, in which case the dealer hand-shuffles.

The Borgata poker room functions under an "eye in the sky" security system. They may even have tapes for any remaining non-believers to view.

If anyone has further questions related to the legitimacy of this event, feel free to call them room, speak with a supervisor and reference the time period I mentioned: (609) 317-1000


I look forward to a reply containing the answer to my question (hopefully, with some explanation of how it was calculated).
link to original post

Usually i would assume casinos in NJ are somewhat legit.

I dont even want to get into the shufflers because I personally have read many of the patents and they claim functionality greater than what the casinos claim that they have. Its possible the casinos and anyone that works for them have no clue about all of the functionality of shufflers. Its also possible the funcitonality that know of is not included in the shufflers.

What i do know is a 12 year old these days can hobble together a rigged shuffler in their sleep without trying.

What you are going to the casino for is the assurance that the shufflers have been tested and made sure that nothing funny is happening.

Its naturally human to be sus about the govt and what they do.

another thing i forgot to mention is that its 100% possible this just happens. Its never going to not happen. Its only a matter of time before it does.

also now that i think about it ... if the gaming control is anything in new jersey like it is in PA... they will not welcome you with an open mind. I have gone in and said things similar and they will try to throw you out permanently. I should mention that there were a couple of different events that led to them trying to kick me out but i got lucky the last time i went into gaming control because it was voluntary (lol)