Indeed it sounds remarkable that one player drew three Royal Flushes playing online video poker - netting almost three-quarters of one million dollars.  However, what sounds even more remarkable was that after three investigations were finished - all revealing there was no proof of foul play - the winnings were not awarded to the player.

It all went down at Starluck Online Casino, which before this incident, had what most would call an excellent reputation with players.  Starluck is one of a handful of online gaming sites owned by Party Gaming - who owns the world-famous Party Poker, and has a considerable amount of stock and assets on the London Stock Exchange.

Although the fact that a single player struck three Royal Flushes in a short period of time is not the most likely of occurrences, the series of events leading up to all three winnings was anything short of impossible.  The player, who is going unnamed at this time, started out by making a $5,000 deposit and declining any bonus offers so that there would not be any wager requirement issues or delayed payouts.  The player then went on to make maxed-out bets playing video poker and hit a Royal Flush, thus giving him $250,000.  He then went on continuing to make $500/hand bets and hit two more Royal Flushes later down the road.

With a final balance of $736,407, the player decided to cash out his winnings, but was issued a check for only $26,000 (3.5% of what the casino owed him in full).  And after two requests to have a payment in full, Starluck Online Casino remained apprehensive.  Casino management initiated three separate, independent investigations on the players winning streak - all of which cleared the player and his winnings.  However, when payment was still being withheld, the player contacted a dispute mediator, who later stated he had not seen anything like this in eight years of online casino gambling.

Starluck Online Casino claimed to have never received the proper documents from the player in order to process his request, although the player said he sent them to casino management on two different occasions.  But after getting enough pressure from the mediator (as well as unwanted media attention that could have been a great opportunity for Starluck Casino to promote itself) the player received his winnings in full.

This case was not so much a surprise because it even happened at all, but more because it involved a reputable and successful online casino that had more than enough assets to pay the winnings.  As large a company as Party Gaming is, it was not a matter of not having enough money.  It was more an unwillingness and to live up to their half of an agreement (that all online casinos make when they go into the business of gambling) and a distrust for the players who keep them in business to begin with.