Vegas Q&A: Why's It Called A Jackpot?
UPDATED: 11:20 a.m. EDT September 22, 2003
Question: I just moved to Vegas from California, and I had an odd question. What is the origin of the word "jackpot"? I see it all over town and had never thought about it until I got here.
Chris in Las Vegas
Answer: Thanks for the great question, Chris.
According to my research, the word "jackpot" first started showing up in the late 1800s in relation to the action of a standard poker game.
In that game, players have to ante, or bet a small amount, before the cards are dealt, creating what is commonly referred to as a "pot." Once the cards are dealt a player must have a pair of jacks or better to "open" -- to place an additional bet and get things rolling for the rest of the hand. If no one has a pair of jacks or better, the players add to the ante and the cards are reshuffled and redealt.
Therefore, for anyone to get their hands on that pile of money in the center of the table, someone must have a pair of jacks to start wagering. Someone, somewhere started calling it the "jacks pot," or "jackpot," and a word was born.
Obviously, today the meaning of the word has expanded to cover any type of large payout, and is everywhere you look in Vegas. Maybe that poker player in the 1800s should have trademarked the word!
If you have a question you'd like to submit, click here.
Answer: Thanks for the great question, Chris.
According to my research, the word "jackpot" first started showing up in the late 1800s in relation to the action of a standard poker game.
In that game, players have to ante, or bet a small amount, before the cards are dealt, creating what is commonly referred to as a "pot." Once the cards are dealt a player must have a pair of jacks or better to "open" -- to place an additional bet and get things rolling for the rest of the hand. If no one has a pair of jacks or better, the players add to the ante and the cards are reshuffled and redealt.
Therefore, for anyone to get their hands on that pile of money in the center of the table, someone must have a pair of jacks to start wagering. Someone, somewhere started calling it the "jacks pot," or "jackpot," and a word was born.
Obviously, today the meaning of the word has expanded to cover any type of large payout, and is everywhere you look in Vegas. Maybe that poker player in the 1800s should have trademarked the word!
If you have a question you'd like to submit, click here.
A Michigan teen has been sentenced to four days in juvenile detention for refusing to visit his father.
The attempted abduction of a schoolgirl on Detroit's East Side Friday morning has parents on high alert.
A man leads police on a chase through several communities during rush hour traffic Thursday.
Stefanie Spielman, the wife of NFL and
Ohio State star Chris Spielman who led a public fight against
breast cancer, died Thursday after a lengthy battle with the
disease. She was 42.
An Amber Alert for a 2-year-old girl and her mother is canceled after the two were found safe.
The family of slain 15-year-old Jamar Pickney Jr. was overcome with emotions Wednesday as his father was led into court and arraigned on first-degree murder charges in his death.
Local 4's Rhonda Walker has the touching story of how she met this woman who now claims it was Rhonda who saved her life.
Police are looking for a Detroit man who is wanted in connection with the death of a 28-year-old Detroit woman whose body was found burning in a Dumpster last week. 
Madonna’s childhood home in Michigan has become the center of fight between its current owners and the city.
Heidi Klum and her post-baby body led the parade at the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show, which returned to New York with some fresh faces after four years on the road.
Think you know what your child is saying when they're IMing or emailing? Find out which acronyms for which you must watch.
When the Beach Boys sang about catching a wave, this method probably wasn't what they had in mind. Take a look.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
