Here are the details of  the historic 'bad beat' poker jackpot that was hit earlier today at Caesars Atlantic City

Total amount: $553,958.

Qualifying hands: Four aces/four 3s.

Payouts: $276,979 (four 3s, Steve Gedney, 56, Dover, Del.; $138,479 (four aces, Chris Dobrizanski, 23, Bridgewater, N.J.); $19,784 (paid to each of the seven other players in the hand).

A "bad beat" jackpot is paid when a player holding a minimum of four 2s loses to a superior hand. The player who loses with such a hand receives 50 percent of the progressive jackpot. The hand's winner gets 25 percent, and the other players at the table split the remaining 25 percent, provided they were dealt into the qualifying hand.

The Caesars jackpot had been building since latethe  fall. For the past month, players hoping to get a piece of the pie have reportedly waited up to three hours for a seat at a Caesars poker table. The length of time it took for Caesars' prize to be claimed was highly unusual. According to Ray Steffanelli, director of poker marketing at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, his casino has paid 12 bad beat jackpots (a total of some $1.5 million) since Caesars' last jackpot was hit.

The previous record was about $360,000, which was awarded at the Showboat last summer.