There are good ways to end a night at the casino, and then there is hitting a Royal Flush on your very last hand and walking away with $176,491. That was the unforgettable scene recently at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort, where a guest sat down for what would become one of those casino stories that gets told again and again.
Right in the middle of it was Rusty, one of Scarlet Pearl’s most popular table games dealers and, depending on who you ask, possibly one of the luckiest dealers on the Gulf Coast. Rusty may not be ready to claim that title himself, but the recent six-figure win at his table certainly added another chapter to his reputation.
The hand started without much fanfare. The guest was down to his final $10 and had decided this would be his last hand of Ultimate Texas Hold’em. He looked at just one of his cards, saw the King of clubs and decided to put the remaining $10 into play.
Then came the flop.
Before Rusty could even fully process what was sitting on the table, another player already knew exactly what had happened. The guest playing third base jumped up and shouted, “YOU GOT IT!” The player had hit a Royal Flush on the flop, and just like that, a final $10 wager had turned into a $176,491 payday.
The reaction around the table was immediate. There were three guests playing at the time, and what had been an ordinary hand suddenly became a moment everyone nearby would remember. The winning guest had been charging his phone at the podium, and once he realized just how big the win was, he asked for the phone so he could make an important call.
His first call was to his wife. She and five friends quickly came running over to the table, jumping around, celebrating and exchanging high-fives as word of the win spread. For Rusty and the other players, it was the kind of spontaneous casino-floor celebration that makes a big jackpot memorable even for those who were not the ones collecting the money.
Of course, a win that large also comes with a process behind the scenes. Rusty explained that surveillance must verify the hand before the payout is completed. Taxes are withheld, and the jackpot is generally paid in casino chips, with the winner then able to go to the cage and choose to receive cash or a check.
For Rusty, being present for a major jackpot is exciting, but this was not his first memorable winning hand. He has previously dealt a jackpot of more than $60,000 on I Luv Suits at Scarlet Pearl and another Ultimate Texas Hold’em win of more than $170,000.
That track record might explain why Scarlet Pearl has playfully referred to him as one of its luckiest dealers. Rusty, however, is not quite ready to embrace the nickname. “I don’t think I’m the luckiest dealer,” he said. “I may be a favorite to some.”
That second part may actually be the more important piece of the story. Casino players can be a superstitious bunch, and many have favorite machines, favorite seats or certain dealers they believe bring them better luck. Rusty said guests do seek him out, but he does not think it has much to do with superstition. “They seek me out because I talk to them,” he said.
That simple answer gets to the heart of what Rusty believes makes a good dealer. Dealing cards is obviously about knowing the game, following procedures and keeping everything moving smoothly, but he believes the real difference comes from creating an enjoyable experience for the people sitting at the table. “You must have fun with the guests,” Rusty said. “If you can’t do that, you just won’t have a good day.”
It is an attitude that has helped him build relationships with many of Scarlet Pearl’s repeat customers. Asked what he enjoys most about dealing blackjack and other table games at the property, Rusty pointed immediately to the people, the return guests and the overall fun atmosphere.
That connection between player and dealer can make a major difference in a casino visit. A player may not win every trip, but sitting down with a dealer who is welcoming, conversational and enjoying the game can make an ordinary evening more entertaining. Rusty also appreciates when the players bring that same attitude to the table, saying he especially enjoys dealing to guests who simply want to have fun.
Despite his growing reputation as a lucky dealer, Rusty does not have a collection of rituals or superstitions he follows before dealing a hand. There is no lucky shuffle, secret routine or special tradition. Sometimes the cards simply fall the right way, and every once in a while, they fall perfectly.
That is exactly what makes the $176,491 Royal Flush story so much fun. The guest was essentially finished for the night, had just $10 remaining and decided to give it one more shot after seeing only the King of clubs in his hand. Had he walked away one hand earlier, there would have been no celebration, no phone call to his wife and no group of friends rushing over for high-fives.
Instead, the final hand became the hand of the night and another memorable moment at one of Rusty’s tables. Maybe he really is one of the luckiest dealers on the Gulf Coast, even if he is not willing to say so himself.
For Rusty, though, the formula is much simpler: enjoy the game, talk to the people sitting in front of you and make sure everyone is having a good time. The cards will take care of the rest, and if somebody happens to hit a Royal Flush for $176,491 along the way, that makes the day a little more fun for everyone.
