A single linked progressive jackpot on live-dealer stud poker and live-dealer three-card poker games is being offered at the Cotai casino properties in Macau run by Sands China Ltd.
It is under a “Sands Megalink” branding. That is based on GGRAsia’s site checks just before the nine-day Chinese New Year holiday period that began on February 15.
The term “Megalink” is already being used by the parent Las Vegas Sands for a linked jackpot setup on a series of live-dealer poker games at its Marina Bay Sands property in Singapore. That is according to publicity materials from the latter resort, and regulatory records on the game rules issued by that city-state’s Gambling Regulatory Authority.
The linked Macau jackpot on live-dealer stud poker and live-dealer three-card poker has been offered for some weeks, according to GGRAsia’s checks with industry sources. The checks also indicate only Sands China is offering such a jackpot setup in the Macau market. GGRAsia has approached Sands China, seeking more information.
The new jackpot setup is for live games branded “Sands Stud Poker” and “Fortune 3-Card Poker”. At the time of GGRAsia’s site checks, minimum bets on the games stood at either HKD300 (US$38.4) or HKD500.
Patrons could ‘opt in’ to the linked jackpot by betting a minimum of HKD50 specifically on the “progressive jackpot” option in either of the two live-poker games available across Sands China’s Cotai casinos: The Venetian Macao, The Londoner Macao, and The Parisian Macao. Such a bet is separate from each player’s stake on the main game.
A form of jackpot system had been available on Sands China’s Fortune 3 Card Poker games since late November. The Sands Megalink – creating a single jackpot pool for Fortune 3 Card Poker and Sands Stud Poker games – has been made available since around mid- January, GGRAsia understands from industry sources and site checks.
Sands Megalink has been registered with the Macau government as a trademark, additionally show GGRAsia’s checks. The applicant for the trademark was Las Vegas Sands.
Separately as reported by GGRAsia, Sands China has been offering since last summer, a two-tier jackpot for ‘6s’ and ‘7s’ live-table baccarat side bets at its properties.
