Thomas Evans Zanota poker player from Las Vegas, now has a much bigger bankroll after hitting a $6.4 million Pai Gow jackpot flamingo Saturday night.
Although it’s only January, the hit will likely be one of the biggest jackpots Las Vegas will see all year. In October, a nearby player hit a $3.5 million Pai Gow poker jackpot Harrah’sa property of Caesars Entertainment like Flamingo.
To win the highest progressive jackpot in Pai Gow, a popular table game played at most casinos, the player must first place a side bet wager and then hit a seven-card straight flush. Every poker player knows how difficult it is to get a five-card straight flush in Texas Hold’em, so imagine how rarely the seven-card version gets tips. This is why the progressive jackpot is often so massive.
Poker player wins life-changing money
Zanot, who is originally from Arizona, has over $1.1 million in live poker tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob. He plays numerous low to mid-stakes events, although he could now be moving up the stakes thanks to the life-changing money he won at Flamingo this weekend.
His final tournament cash came last month during the WPT World Championship series at Wyn Las Vegasa 33rd place finish in the record-breaking $10,400 buy-in Championship event for $99,600.
Zanot’s run was deep as he survived most of the 2,960-strong field. In the World Series of Poker, has 60 cashes in bracelet events and another 12 in circuit ring tournaments, but has not yet won a bracelet. Last summer he had 10 cashes on the series, mostly min cashes.
The jackpot winner said on Twitter that he lost about $375 in about 11 hours of play and 300-400 total hands before hitting the lucky hand.
(Source: Twitter/@thegreathardini)
As shown in the image above, Zanot’s jackpot hand contained the following seven cards: 
and because the joker counts in Pai Gow, the joker card was used instead of the 
completing the seven-card straight flush.
The first three cards dealt to him were A-8-9, followed by four cards that will change his life forever. He won more on Saturday than most WSOP Main Event runners-up get paid.
With a lucky $5 chip, Zanot took home a check for $6,443,401, the first major jackpot in Las Vegas in 2023.