Red Rock Casino Refusing to Hand Over $120k Bad Beat Jackpot

More than 80 players are currently awaiting upon a decision by the Nevada Gaming Control Board as to whether they will receive a $120,000 bad beat progressive jackpot triggered while playing at the Red Rock casino in Las Vegas.
In July, the disputed incident occurred inside the venue’s 20-table poker room after Avi Shamir lost to Len Schreter during a rare straight flush over higher straight flush situation. According to the rules, Shamir should have pocketed $60,000, and Schreter $30,000, with a further $30,000 going to the other players at the table, as well as players at four other poker rooms run by the casino operator.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as Red Rock subsequently invalidated the hand after watching video footage showing Schreter turning over his two cards after the river card was dealt, but prior to the final betting round having been completed. While the action did not influence the outcome of the hand, the casino operator does reserve the right to void a jackpot if players discuss their hands before a hand is completed.
A decision on whether or not to do so is then left up to the “discretion of managers”, which in this case resulted in the casino deciding to keep the money. There is still hope that the players may yet receive their share of the jackpot, though, as the Gaming Control Board is conducting a review to determine an appropriate decision for the case.
Meanwhile, Shamir and Schreter and 15 other involved casino customers attended Tuesday’s hearing, and as Schreter explained to the Control Board:
“According to the TV screen, I had won $12,000. And because the room was filled with other winners, I was a local hero. However, within a couple of hours, not only did I lose the $12,000, but because the other players also lost, I went from local hero to local bum and, in one case, a local villain.”
All players will now eagerly be awaiting a positive outcome to the case, but they may still have more disappointment in store if the venue’s operator, Station Casinos, decides to exercise its right in appealling the ruling.