Player Wins $3.68 Million Progressive on AGS Jackpot Hold’em at WinStar
A table games patron at WinStar World Casino and Resort won a $3,683,560 progressive jackpot playing Jackpot Hold’em on January 2, 2026.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The multimillion-dollar payout, triggered by a $5 side bet on a linked STAX progressive meter, is the largest progressive award AGS has ever paid on a table game and the biggest single win recorded at WinStar. The prize was secured when the player hit a royal flush in diamonds on a networked Jackpot Hold’em table.
AGS confirmed the award came from a linked pool of 14 STAX progressive Jackpot Hold’em tables that span eight casinos within the Chickasaw Nation’s portfolio across Oklahoma. Each participating table contributes to the shared meters that feed the top-level payout.
John Hemberger, Vice President and General Manager of Tables at AGS, framed the product’s design as a deliberate effort to enable larger top prizes.
The goal with our progressives is to create a platform that gives operators the flexibility to offer huge jackpots, like this multi-million-dollar prize. What makes STAX unique is its ability to have five independent meters, allowing the jackpot to grow faster and larger than with a traditional single-meter progressive. It’s incredibly exciting to see our products and a single $5 progressive bet help make these life-changing wins become more common at table games."
The January 2 win follows another seven-figure AGS table games payout over the New Year period. On January 1, a guest at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Massachusetts, won $1,620,355 while playing Royal 9 Baccarat after placing a single side bet on a STAX-linked table. Together, the two wins underline a notable early-2026 surge in large table-game progressives driven by linked-meter technology.
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Dec 22, 2025How STAX Progressives Work and Industry Considerations
STS-style linked progressives are designed to combine contributions from multiple tables and properties to build substantial top prizes. In AGS’s STAX configuration, five independent meters run concurrently; smaller wins can be paid from lower tiers while the top meter continues to grow. That architecture allows operators to offer frequent, attention-grabbing jackpots while keeping risk and volatility manageable across the network.
Networked progressives have become a strategic tool for casino floors seeking to compete with digital jackpots and slot machine promotions. For operators such as WinStar, one of the largest Native American-owned gaming resorts in the United States, the availability of multi-property linked tables can be a differentiator that drives footfall and media attention.
Industry observers note, however, that rising table-game jackpots also raise questions about player protection and responsible gambling. Casinos are regulated at the state level and typically report large payouts to state gaming authorities; they also have internal responsible-gaming programs and limits on promotional play. Analysts say operators should balance marketing value with clear communication to players about odds and wager mechanics when promoting progressive side bets.
As linked progressive meters proliferate, manufacturers and operators will continue refining product design to balance frequency of payouts, jackpot size and player appeal. For now, the twin wins at WinStar and Encore Boston Harbor in the first two days of 2026 provide a high-profile illustration of how networked table-game progressives are reshaping the casino floor narrative.
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