As if from nowhere...

... jackpots appeared.

In my video poker career I've hit just one royal flush. I drew it from a single held ace.

This trip I've hit two mini-jackpots - the two next biggest wins I've ever had - and they came in equally unlikely ways.

On a silly machine at Sams Town that I couldn't resist, you paid 6 credits instead of 5 to always have an ace dealt to start with. The payouts seemed to be the same as a normal 5-credit double-bonus machine - i.e. they stiff you on a two-pair hand to build up some nice four-of-a-kind payouts.

I was, of course, dealt an ace in exchange for my sixth credit. Nothing else is any use, so I hold it and in pop three more aces. Woohoo.

Double woohoo. This machine has an extra bonus payout for four aces. Instead of the usual 400 or 800 coin payout, we're talking 2000 credits - $500 tyvm. FROM NOWHERE!

Then at the Strat last night, we turned up looking for a $2/$4 game but the poker room is being redeveloped and they appear to only have $1/$2 NL now.

So as we'd valet parked we stayed for a while and found some "100% payback" video poker. Choice of three games, including Loose Deuces. I've hit four deuces before but not with the bonus payout - this game stiffs you on flushes but pays 2500 coins for quad deuces.

My four deuces ON THE DEAL. No hold required. No thinking required. Just $625, tyvm once more.

Wonder how long that'll last