Whether you’re sitting down at a slot machine for the first time or have been doing it for ages, there’s always a shiver of excitement. Despite being the easiest casino game with an absolute dependence on chance, the popularity of slots can rival the likes of poker, blackjack, and other games that require players to possess a specific skill set.
Aside from regular casino-goers, the simple gameplay and wide range of betting options (wagers can be as little as a penny) at slot machines also attract plenty of casual gamblers. Many of us continue playing in the hope of winning big one day.
Lady luck has smiled on quite a few individuals over the years and decades, enabling them to walk away with millions to their names. This piece lists the biggest slot machine wins of all time. So, without further ado, let’s get right into the discussion…
Nine Biggest Slot Machine Wins
As expected, most of the winners on this list enjoyed their big payday in Las Vegas. Throughout the year, the world’s gambling capital attracts visitors worldwide. Some of them have returned home as millionaires.
$39.7 Million (Excalibur Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas)
The $39.7 million jackpot pocketed by Ethan Miller, a software engineer hailing from Los Angeles, is the biggest recorded slot machine win of all time. He achieved this feat at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Miller’s fortune came after merely spending $100 in the slots section of the casino. Intriguingly, he had a 1 in 16.7 million chance of winning the big prize at the Megabucks slot machine. Yet, he left the gambling facility on that day as a millionaire. Being lucky is an understatement in this case!
$35 Million (Desert Inn Hotel, Las Vegas)
Cocktail server Cynthia Jay Brennan had her life changed forever in 2000 when she managed to secure a $35 million jackpot while playing Megabucks slots. After completing a work shift at the Desert Inn Hotel, she tried her luck on one of the machines and soon won the big prize.
However, Brennan’s win didn’t prove so lucky for the Desert Inn Hotel & Casino. The facility closed down permanently later that same year. Strangely, or bizarrely, Brennan sustained severe injuries in a car accident a few months after her big win. The crash left her paralyzed from the waist down.
$27.6 Million (Palace Station Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas)
Next on the list is a retired flight attendant who entered the Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas one day in 1998 to spend a maximum of $100. Things didn’t quite go as planned, as she ended up spending three times that amount.
Nevertheless, it turned out to be a superb investment. Like most other winners featured in this piece, she also played the famous Megabucks slot machine and went home with a whopping $27.6 million!
€17.8 Million (Online Slots)
An online slot player from Finland won €17.8 million (around $23.6 million) in 2013 after spinning the reels at Mega Fortune, the famous progressive slot game from NetEnt. Incredibly, the Finn spent a maximum of just 25¢ before their lives changed forever. The jackpot was won while playing at PAF.com.
$22.6 Million (Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas)
Another Megabucks slot winner on this list is Johanna Heundl. In 2002, the 74-year-old gambler played the machine at the famous Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. After spending $170 spinning the reels, she left the establishment $22.6 million richer.
$21.1 Million (Cannery Casino & Hotel, Las Vegas)
The story of Elmer Sherwin, who scooped up $21.1 million on the Megabucks slot machine in 2005, is perhaps the most unbelievable out of everyone mentioned here. This incredible event took place at the Cannery Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas.
Sherwin had already been a big winner on the Megabucks slot machine back in 1989. On that occasion, the scene of Sherwin’s exploits was The Mirage Hotel & Casino, where the first big payday resulted in winnings of $4.6 million.
£13.2 Million (Online Slots)
Jon Hayward, a highly fortunate British military service individual, won this online jackpot in 2013. The prize money of £13.2 Million (equivalent to $20.8 million) was won while playing Mega Moolah at Betway online. Hayward only spent 25p before going on to win the huge prize.
$17.3 Million (M Resort Spa & Casino, Henderson)
Yet another Megabucks jackpot win enabled the person involved to pocket $17.3 million. The lucky individual happened to be a Las Vegas resident who had traveled to Henderson to run some errands.
While in the city, she headed to the M Resort Spa & Casino. Utilizing some free credits to take a shot at the Megabucks slot machine, she won $17.3 million. This is a valuable lesson for casino-goers who tend to ignore free credits. Your next big casino winning haul could come from a game you entered using free credits!
$14.3 Million (Rampart Casino, Las Vegas)
Last but not least, no one knows much about the lucky winner of this slot machine jackpot. The person involved chose to remain anonymous after their big night in the world’s gambling capital. They also gave away a significant portion of the winnings to charity.
The Megabucks slot at the Rampart Casino in Las Vegas witnessed this grand win towards the end of 2013. The mysterious but lucky winner is reported to have spent just $20 before striking it rich beyond their wildest dreams!
Parting Thoughts
This list proves that getting super-rich by playing slots is entirely possible. Nevertheless, you need many things to go your way to win the big jackpot. Many players think that the loosest slot machines would give them an edge over the house. However, this isn’t necessarily the case.
For more exciting discussions about slots, keep following EnjoySlots.
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