Three Players Hit Straights on the Flop in Hustler Casino Live, a Massive Cooler
A rare scene unfolded during last week's "Hustler Casino Live" broadcast
In a pot worth up to $80,000, three players hit different straights on the flop. This situation is extremely rare in the poker world, comparable to three people winning the lottery simultaneously, except that two of them unfortunately won only consolation prizes.
This statistically improbable hand was just one of many crazy situations that occurred during that night's broadcast, which featured guests including recent Los Angeles Poker Classic champion Mike Nia, as well as regular show participants Dylan Flashner and Luda Chris.
An Unbelievable Cooler
They were playing a six-handed game with blinds of $50/$100 and a $100 big blind ante. Games at this level are not something ordinary players can easily participate in, as a single pot can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars, enough to make an average person's heart race.
This hand saw no preflop raises, with all players holding rather unremarkable starting hands. This is uncommon in high-stakes games, where someone typically tries to narrow the field with a raise. However, the flop of 5♦3♥4♠ instantly ignited the action—five of the players connected with the board in some way. This flop was loaded with straight possibilities, as any player holding a 2, 6, or connected cards could potentially hit a straight or straight draw.
The action checked to Ethan, who boldly bet $1,000 with K♦5♣ into a six-way pot. This was a relatively small bet, only about one-third of the pot, indicating he wasn't particularly confident in his top pair. Jesse, holding J♥8♥, wisely folded, as such a hand has very low equity against multiple opponents in a contested pot.
Jasper, a popular figure on the show, decided to slow-play his 6♠2♠ straight by just calling. This was an interesting strategic choice—he had the second-highest straight but chose to conceal his strength, hoping to induce more chips into the pot. In poker, this slow-playing strategy sometimes yields rich rewards but can also cause you to miss opportunities to maximize value.
Dylan then raised to $4,000 with a weaker straight, A♦2♣. Dylan's raise indicated strong confidence in his hand, not realizing his A-2 straight was already "dead" in this situation. This is the cruel reality of poker—you might hit a very strong hand only to discover your opponent has hit an even stronger one.
Cool Decision-Making with the Nuts
When it was William's turn to act with the absolute nuts, 7♦6♣, he chose to just call. This is typical play from an advanced player—when you have the nuts, your goal is to maximize the pot, not scare away opponents. William clearly recognized that multiple players had hit strong hands and wanted to give them opportunities to continue betting or raising.
At this point, Ethan decided to exit the hand, a wise decision since top pair is usually at a disadvantage on such a connected flop. But Jasper suddenly changed his strategy—no longer slow-playing, he pushed all his effective chips into the pot (as the second-deepest stack). This sudden all-in indicated strong confidence in his hand, likely believing he held the nuts.
Dylan called with his remaining $19,450, and William called with $29,300. By now, the pot had swollen to an astonishing size, with all three players believing they might have the best hand. This is the charm of poker—even top players can misjudge their hand strength in specific situations.
A Turn of Fate
Dylan needed consecutive 6-7 cards to split the pot, while Jasper needed the last two cards to complete a flush to reverse his fortune. Both scenarios had extremely low probabilities.
However, the turn 9♦ and river K♠ completely eliminated any suspense, with William ultimately collecting the massive $79,750 pot. This outcome was statistically the most likely—the player with the nuts won, while the others paid a painful tuition.
The three players' completed hands:
- Flop: 5♦3♥4♠
- Turn: 9♦
- River: K♠
- William: 7♦6♣ - The nuts, 7-high straight (7-6-5-4-3)
- Jasper: 6♠2♠ - Second-highest straight, 6-high straight (6-5-4-3-2)
- Dylan: A♦2♣ - Lowest straight, 5-high straight (5-4-3-2-A)
In this situation, all three players hit straights, but the hierarchy of hand strength was clear. William's 7-high straight was the absolute nuts, while Dylan's 5-high straight had no chance of winning.
A frustrated Dylan left the game after losing a total of $100,000. These dramatic swings are characteristic of high-stakes poker, where a single hand can cost you six figures. This also reminds us that even professional players need strict bankroll management and emotional control.
Similar Historical Situations
Although three different straights appearing simultaneously on the flop is extremely rare, the show's owner Ryan Feldman mentioned that a similar situation occurred in "Live at the Bike" in 2018 (when NBA guard Seth Curry won that hand). However, that pot was only $16,000, far smaller than this one.
From a probability perspective, the chance of three players hitting different straights on the flop is approximately 1/10,000, lower than the odds of winning a small to medium lottery. This explains why such situations are so rare and so exciting.
This hand also reminds us of an important principle in poker: even when you hit a strong hand, you must always be alert to potentially stronger hands. On a connected flop, the relative strength of straights depends on the specific cards you hold, not just whether you've hit a straight.
For poker enthusiasts, this hand is undoubtedly a vivid lesson, showcasing the drama and unpredictability of the poker game. Whether you're a professional player or a recreational player, such rare situations are worth studying and contemplating.