Bad Beat Jackpot Networks
The biggest bad beat jackpots are only offered at certain poker networks (a group of poker rooms that use the same software and have similar deals). Because of the fact that these sites use the same software, they can pull their player bases together and offer huge bad beat jackpots. Some of these jackpots have reached upwards of $1 million or more!
If you are interested in playing for a big bad beat jackpot, you should join a poker site that is part of one of the following networks.
Merge Gaming Network
Many of the biggest bad beat jackpots in recent years have been offered by the Merge Gaming Network. In fact, the largest bad beat jackpot ever of $1.2 million was won through a Merger Gaming Network site called Carbon Poker. “RUGGIO” had a jack-high straight flush that was defeated by “AELANI” (king-high straight) to release the massive $1.2 million payout.
One common misconception regarding the Merge Gaming Network jackpot is that the winner gets the entire thing. But the truth is that the jackpot is split up among the loser (35%), the winner (17.5%), and all of the other players dealt into the hand (17.5%) – the other 30% goes to paying Merge and refunding the new jackpot. In the case of the $1.2 million bad beat jackpot, “RUGGIO” earned $417,396 while “AELANI” made $208,698. If you’d like to win this kind of cash with the Merge jackpot, you need to lose with at least four 7’s.
CEREUS Network
The CEREUS Network is another collection of sites that offers a huge bad beat jackpot and while this jackpot normally is not as big as the Merge jackpot, CEREUS has already paid out over $32 million in total bad beat payouts. The biggest CEREUS bad beat jackpot has climbed over $800,000 while most of their other jackpots are worth at least $200,000.
The CEREUS jackpot awards 50% to the player who suffered the bad beat, 25% to the player who delivered the bad beat, 35% goes to seeding the next jackpot and paying CEREUS, and the rest of the players in the hand get at least $1,000 each. A couple of great sites to play at when trying to win the CEREUS bad beat jackpot are Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet Poker. Both Absolute and Ultimate Bet require a player to lose with four 8’s to unlock the bad beat jackpot.
Microgaming Network
Microgaming’s bad beat jackpot distribution is similar to the Merge Gaming Network because the loser gets 35%, the winner earns 17.5%, and the rest of the players split 17.5% (the other 30% goes to Microgaming and the new jackpot). The size of the Microgaming Network jackpot is a lot like CEREUS’s and is usually worth at least $200,000.
If you are the first player to lose with four 8’s or better in a bad beat room, you will be the lucky person taking home 35% of the jackpot. Crazy Poker is a great place to begin your quest for the Microgaming Network bad beat jackpot.
Party Poker
Party Poker is its own network because it is one of the largest poker rooms in the world. And even though it is an independent room, Party Poker still has one of the largest bad beat jackpots in the industry. In 2008, Party Poker’s jackpot managed to top the $1 million mark. “judith75” was the loser in the bad beat hand and picked up $354,683 while “Hiyaall” made $177,341 for winning the hand.
Party Poker takes 30% off the top of the jackpot for payment and to seed the next jackpot; the hand loser takes 50% of the remaining amount, the hand winner get 25%, and the rest of the table splits 25%.
