A method, computer system, and computer program product to award one or more benchmark prizes in an online card game or hand. In certain embodiments, a controller automatically triggers awarding a first benchmark prize to at least one of one or more players or one or more game observers, based at least in part on an occurrence of a first benchmark event. The awarding occurs without any physical based-dealer taking time to payout the first benchmark prize, and thus, without slowing down the online game or hand that is being played.