A business trip to a London casino turned into a lucrative night out for one novice poker player when he won a share of £140,000 as the National Bad Beat Jackpot was finally claimed after two months.
First-time player, Ali Houir Alami, claimed an amazing £21,000 at Grosvenor Casino Bayswater which was left buzzing with excitement as five players in the venue walked away richer from the same game.
Mr Houir Alami was visiting London on a business trip when he stepped up to the felt ‘for a bit of fun’ as part of the national poker game of Texas Hold’em.
Despite being the game’s runner-up, Ladbroke Grove local and charismatic Bayswater regular, John ‘Fluffy’ Felix, also won an impressive £42,000 share of the jackpot when he landed the ‘Bad Beat’ hand.
Speaking about his jackpot win, Ali Houir Alami, said, “It was my first time taking part in a competition at the venue and I only went to enjoy a bit of evening fun as part of my business trip. I can’t believe I came away hitting the jackpot! We had celebratory champagne and it was a really special moment shared between my fellow winners. I still have no idea what to spend the money on – it is all a bit surreal.”
A ‘Bad Beat’ in poker occurs when a player with a significantly stronger hand loses to an opponent who improves their weaker hand to win by the river, the last community card in Texas Hold’em.
In this memorable game, the winning hand was ‘Quad Eights’, which means having four of a kind with the rank of eight—a very strong hand in poker. The losing hand was ‘Quad Sevens’, another four of a kind but with the rank of seven.
Despite having an exceptionally strong hand, the player with quad sevens was unexpectedly beaten by the player with quad eights, perfectly illustrating the dramatic nature of ‘Bad Beats’. The four remaining local players at the table – Ricky Siu Wong, Szczepan Smoczynski, James Roberts, and Daniel Chamoun – claimed £1,750 each.
The remaining £70,000 was distributed among all active tables across the UK’s Grosvenor Casinos venues, ensuring a night of shared celebration and unexpected fortune for a further 409 players.
Jim McShane, National Poker Manager at Grosvenor Casinos, said: “Moments like these are what make Grosvenor Casinos a great destination for memorable experiences. Not only was it incredible to watch a regular Bayswater customer win big, and see a new player claim a huge fortune, but to know that hundreds of players across the country took home a share of the winnings made it a special occasion.”
Play Texas Hold’em Cash Game Poker in one of Grosvenor Casinos’ qualifying cardrooms to be in with a chance of winning a share of the ‘National Bad Beat Jackpot.’ The jackpot increases weekly, every Thursday at 6pm, until claimed.
Grosvenor Casino London Bayswater is situated next to Bayswater tube station and offers players a premium gaming experience whilst also featuring a stylish bar and restaurant featuring an Arabic influenced menu, making it a perfect place for those in search of a quality night out and dining experience.
To find out more information visit https://www.grosvenorcasinos.com/local-casinos/london-bayswater. Please gamble responsibly.
- Meg White
