Casinos have maximum aggregate payouts on many poker pit table games. That caps the casino’s loss on any single hand. Smaller casinos have maximum aggregate payouts of around $25,000. Massive luxury resorts can go as high as $250,000 or even $500,000.
How Maximum Aggregate Table Game Payouts Work
Many table games with large jackpots have a maximum aggregate payout to prevent the house from incurring a massive loss on a big hand, which could hurt its ability to operate or force it to keep more cash on its property than is typically needed.
In Let It Ride, a royal flush pays 1000/1 for every stack of chips. Players receive three cards and use two on the board to make a five-card hand. Two rounds allow players to take a stack back or, as the game name notes, let it ride. Proper play says to let it ride when dealt a three-card royal. The next card is exposed after this action. When the player has a four-card royal flush, it is time to let it ride again. Imagine that river card making a royal flush for a 1000/1 payout across three stacks. Here are the proper payouts:
- $5: $15,000
- $10: $30,000
- $15: $45,000
- $20: $60,000
- $25: $75,000
During a recent visit to Fremont Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, I noticed a posted maximum aggregate of $25,000 on its Let It Ride table. The minimum bet is $10. This means that a player using the correct strategy would be unable to claim the full win, based on these rules. It is possible that felt is a holdover from when the game was $5, and nobody has thought about the potential problem. Otherwise, it makes the royal flush payout posted on the table inaccurate.
If you ever encounter this situation, ask the dealer or pit supervisor what would happen if your minimum bet wins the jackpot. If the answer is that you will get short-paid, reconsider playing. That would take a few tenths of a percent off the game’s return, even more if you bet larger.
Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Mississippi Stud, and Crazy 4 Poker are examples of other games with this type of policy. Check the table’s maximum aggregate payout and determine if your bet will fall within it.
Other Players’ Table Winnings Come From the Same Pool
The maximum aggregate payout does not just cover a single player’s win. That is the maximum loss for an entire hand. If you make a royal flush and other players also win, the percentage of the total pool is calculated, and all players get paid less than expected.
The biggest nightmare scenario, using Let it Ride as the example again, is when the board is a suited ten and jack. That allows for both the royal flush with the same suited ace-king-queen, and the bottom of it with seven-eight-nine of the same suit. If both players keep all their chips on the table, as they should, this results in a $36,000 payout in the $25,000 maximum aggregate payout scenario described above.
In that hand, which is astronomically unlikely, players would only receive 69.44% of their expected payout. The house would determine the total proper payout is $36,000 and then would calculate that only 69.44% would be paid based on the posted $25,000 cap. Each player would share the burden of the maximum aggregate payout. The reduction is applied proportionally to all winning players.
That nightmare scenario could even be worse. It is possible for two players to make full houses. Both would be dealt winners with a pair of jacks and a ten or a pair of tens and a jack, so all their chips would be in action. Other players could back into straights and flushes.
Some Side Bets Are Also Included
Side bets not associated with an offered progressive are also included in the maximum aggregate payout. Avoid making the side bet if you think you will get short-paid on the jackpot, as that will only make the situation worse and lower your return. On the other hand, the progressive, if available, is in another pool and will not affect the main game’s payouts.
Craps Games Are Worded Differently
Craps tables do not have a posted maximum aggregate. However, there is often a subtle rule that keeps big wins from getting out of hand. Like all games, craps tables have a posted maximum bet. Odds fall under a different category. While a craps game may take up to $1000 on the Pass Line or Don’t Pass, the maximum odds are typically capped at double or triple that number.
Main Street Station has 20x odds, the highest in Las Vegas. The maximum odds bet is $2000. This means players betting more than $100 on line bets are not getting the best value. Ensure your bets fall within the odds max, and you will get the highest return.
Play Within Your Bankroll
Everyone would love to have the problem of getting a little short-paid on their jackpot. It is important not to chase big wins. Play within the limits where you are comfortable, just keep an eye on how much you may win on a royal flush, and keep that number below the posted maximum aggregate payout.
I’ve had this discussion several times at Hard Rock AC. They have a Lucky Ladies side bet that pays 1000-1. Bet range is 5-100 dollars. If you bet 100 and all the stars align the win should be 100,000. However the little letters on the left list a max payout of 25,000. The supervisors have all told me you would only get 25,000. I said that it seems to be illegal if you offer a bet that pays 100,000 but only pays out 25,000. Of course we got nowhere except once when I was treated to a free buffet for asking a good question. I plan on going to the CCC next time to get their take on it. Just reminds me of the old Abbott and Costello routine. They’re off….The race is over…..You Lose!!!
That doesn’t sound right to us either. John (the author of the piece) said he’s noticed an example or two around this and thought maybe it was just a situation of the felt needing an update after minimum/maximum bet changes, but if the casino is knowingly offering a prize that can’t be awarded based on the bet levels offered that’s probably an issue waiting to happen.