[youtalkfunny]

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Standard rules: both winning hand and losing hand must use both hole cards. 50% of total jackpot goes to loser, 25% to winner and 25% split among other players at the table who were dealt into the hand (called a table share). Be aware that some casinos do vary so be sure to ask. I've heard of rooms that distribute the last 25% to all players in the room at the time the jackpot hits.

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Do us all a favor: DON'T ASK. Or at least, wait until it hits. THEN ASK.

People ask me this all the time. It disrupts the game, every single time. It takes everybody's mind off the game. Nobody acts when it's their turn, until they are prompted. "Prompted" means "I have to snap them out of their spell, and get them thinking about the game again." Often, their mind drifts so far into Jackpotland that they forgot they had CARDS in front of them.

I wish I could concentrate on dealing and carry on a conversation at the same time, but I can't. Sorry. And I'm not willing to compromise the "concentrate on dealing" part to accommodate the "conversation" part, so when I'm asked this question, you get a three-word answer from me: "Plenty for everybody! Now check or bet!"

Fortunately for me, I'm at a poker table. I'm surrounded by people who love to show off how smart they are. When somebody asks me the jackpot rules, I ignore it. Invariably, three strangers will quickly jump in, and try to explain every single detail at once--overwhelming the questioner with so much information, so quickly, that she can't absorb any of it. An entire montage of:

"You have to get beat with quads..."
"Quads or better..."
"The big winner gets 40%..."
"You get 10% of the jackpot for the Mini..."
"You have to use both hole cards..."
"...the winner of the pot gets 20%..."
"You have to have a pocket pair in your hand--I think..."
"Aces full of tens is the Mini..."
"...and everyone else at the table gets the other 40%..."
"Aces full of tens or better..."
"...Is it everyone at the table, or everyone in the room?"
"So if I have pocket kings, and the flop comes Ace Ace Ace..."

The game has come to a complete standstill.

My favorite part of these exchanges is the one guy who will speak the loudest, provide the most details, and then turn to me and ask, "Isn't that right, dealer?"

You mean you're not sure? Why did you waste all of our time with all those details, if you weren't sure??? There were six other guys trying to explain it to her, why didn't you let them talk, if you weren't sure??? WHY DID YOU HOLD UP THE GAME TO SAY ALL THAT, IF YOU WEREN'T SURE???

If you want to ask questions about the jackpot, the next time you're up from the table, look around to see if the jackpot rules are posted anywhere. If they're not, ask somebody who is not currently seated in a game.

Thank you.