Massive $1.8 Million Poker Jackpot Won in Quebec, Ranking Second Largest Ever Recorded

Diamonds on the Poker Table, Dollars in Your Pocket: A Night to Remember

Massive $1.8 Million Poker Jackpot Won in Quebec, Ranking Second Largest Ever Recorded

Let's be real: no one likes losing a hand of poker, especially when you're holding a surefire winner. But what if losing meant winning big? Poker players at Casino du Lac-Leamy in Quebec got a taste of that on April 17, 2025, celebrating the second-largest bad beat jackpot in recorded history, a whopping CAD $2,513,553 (USD $1.8 million).

It was a double-headed victory for the casino's poker enthusiasts. On the same night, they were cheering on the Montreal Canadiens making a triumphant return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs - a comeback not seen since the 2020-2021 season.

So what's a bad beat jackpot, you ask? It's when a near-impossible hand gets trumped by an even rarer one, making the loser the real winner. According to the Casino du Lac-Leamy's poker room rules, a hand qualifies for the jackpot if quad 10's or better loses. The losing player must use both hole cards, and the hand must go to showdown. No_tip_offsAllowed, as the casino's website doesn't specify other rules.

The night's lucky loser struck gold with quad Ten's, while the winner's straight flush paled in comparison. The loser walked away with the biggest piece of the pie, a cool CAD $1,005,421 (USD $726,000). The winner managed a respectable CAD $502,711 (USD $363,000), while the other table members each pocketed CAD $84,000 (USD $60,000).

But there's more - 38 other poker room patrons also benefited from the bad beat, taking home CAD $13,000 (USD $9,400) each.

Quebec's Luck is in the Card Deck

Remember the largest bad beat jackpot? Yeah, it was also scored in Quebec, at the Playground Poker Club in 2023. Hoan Truong hit quad 10's, but Marc Andre pulled off a straight flush. The jackpot at that time was an impressive CAD $2,590,185 (USD $1.9 million).

As stunning as these jackpots are, they come with a cost. Bad beat jackpots are financed through a charge per hand - an estimated CAD $2 at Casino du Lac-Leamy, though specific numbers can vary by poker room. Professional players usually steer clear of these tables due to the high rake, but recreational players often see it as a shot at a life-changing payday.

Image credit: CNW Group/Loto-Québec

[1] Historic Bad Beat Jackpot at Casino du Lac-Leamy (Accessed April 18, 2025)

1. In a stunning turn of events, the NHL season of 2023 saw a significant win in a poker game, not on the hockey field, but at the Playground Poker Club in Quebec.
2. The news of Quebec's latest big-win in poker spread like wildfire, rivaling the excitement of the Montreal Canadiens' return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2025 season.
3. The poker world was abuzz with discussions about the second-largest bad beat jackpot recorded history, which took place at Casino du Lac-Leamy in Quebec on April 17, 2025.
4. Casinos-and-gambling enthusiasts all over the world were placing bets on the next big-wins in poker after the news of the CAD $2,513,553 (USD $1.8 million) jackpot broke out.
5. The poker culture in Quebec seems to be on a roll, with two of the largest recorded bad beat jackpots occurring within a couple of years - first in 2023, and then in 2025.
6. Despite the high rake in poker rooms due to the financing of bad beat jackpots, recreational players continue to see it as a thrilling opportunity to hit the millioan-dollar jackpot.
7. The Las Vegas gambling trends highlighted the significant impact of the bad beat jackpot wins in Quebec's Casino du Lac-Leamy and Playground Poker Club, stirring conversation on casino-games, casino-culture, and lotteries.
8. Loto-Quebec, the provincial lottery corporation, was in the limelight for its role in hosting the jackpot-winning poker games in Quebec, shedding light on the casino-and-gambling industry as a whole.
9. Reports circulated that historical poker games, including the one at Casino du Lac-Leamy in 2025, are being studied to understand the gambling trends better and improve casino-games.
10. In the bustling city of Las Vegas, minds are racing, and questions are being asked about whether they can replicate the successful casino-culture and poker games in Quebec, aiming to lure poker enthusiasts from all over the world.
11. News channels and gambling websites across the globe covered the remarkable second-largest bad beat jackpot win in Quebec, igniting debates on sports, hockey, and the world of gambling trends.

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