Online poker giant serves up its five billionth hand and gives away big cash prizes
A supermarket worker in Germany earnt $57,500 on one hand of poker last week when she won the five billionth hand dealt by PokerStars.com.
Manuela, who plays at PokerStars as “Marajade”, scooped the jackpot on a 5c/10c no limit hold’em table at about 2am local time.
More than 100,000 people were playing online at the time, and other players on the same table also won cash prizes.
The 30-year old works in Aldi and will spend the money on expensive eye surgery that she needs.
“When I heard about the (special promotion) at PokerStars, I just had to log on and play,” Manuela said afterward.
“I had not calculated on actually winning the prize. I just wanted to be part of the fun. Some of the other players were playing at multiple tables to increase their chances of winning. But, I just played at the one table, and I got lucky and won it!”
“Here in Germany, it was two o’clock in the morning,” she explained. “I was on the verge of going to bed.”
For the winner, the prize money came at an ideal time and will be used for a special purpose. “I was born with an eye disease (that could cause me) to eventually go blind,” Manuela said.
“I need to have an expensive eye surgery. Thanks to PokerStars, I can now have the surgery without worrying about the cost.”
Manuela was introduced to online poker by her boyfriend, who was with her at the time of the triumph.
“It was unbelievable. I just screamed out loud. My boyfriend came running into the room and asked it I was all right. I could not say a word. I just pointed to the number on the screen – ‘5,000,000,000.’ He could not believe it either. I was so excited!”
Manuela’s total prize came to $57,500, which included a bonus of $7,500 as a SilverStar VIP Club member, the rewards program for all active players at the poker site.
PokerStars.com dealt out its very first hand in September, 2001, and has been dealing fast and furious poker each day since. To equal the number of hands that PokerStars has dealt, a typical poker dealer (dealing by hand) would have to deal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for over 16,000 years.
“Thanks so much to PokerStars,” Manuela said. “I want to congratulate all of the other winners. For me, it was a very good day.”
