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Despite the fact that the odds of hitting a multimillion-dollar progressive jackpot on a Las Vegas slot machine are almost impossible, the truth is that it happens. Not to everyone, and not frequently, but it happens enough times for you to take a try yourself.
It seems that it happens even more frequently at online casinos. The biggest so far have been registered at Microgaming and NetEnt casinos, both unavailable to American players, where the biggest amounts paid out have been more than $20 million all of them won in the last couple of years.
You can try to find casino reviews of online casinos that accept American players, but you won’t find such big jackpots there and these are usually of low reputation. Maybe you can try using bitcoins, because more and more reputable online casinos accept bitcoins. It’s anonymous and no bank can block your transaction as explained at PureNetEnt.com.
Anyway, let’s see the biggest progressive jackpots in Las Vegas.
August 23, 2014 – $2.4 Million
The Lion’s Share slot at the MGM Grand is one tough slot machine known for not paying out a jackpot for more than 20 years until it was lit up by Walter and Linda Misco from New Hampshire in 2014. Just five minutes after they started breaking their $100 bill on this slot machine they won the $2.4 million jackpot. When asked what they will do with the money they said that they will pay for their grandchildren’s education.
The Lion’s Share 2.4 million dollar jackpot at the MGM Grand
February 19, 2012 – $2.9 Million
In 2012 a 26-year old U.S. Marine, Alexander Degenhardt was playing the Money Vault Millionaires Seven slot at the Bellagio on his day off from the Nellis Air Force base when suddenly he won nearly $2.9 million. He said he never won more than $200 on a slot machine, and this time he won a total of $2,882,808.32.
December 5, 2013 – $10,337,640
This jackpot was won on the Megabucks slot machine at the MGM Grand from the slot manufacturer IGT. Actually, the man that was identified as the winner of this jackpot was actually the executive producer of the movie “All American Christmas Carol” from 2013 with Meat Loaf in the leading role. The producer’s name was Mark Hodos.
April 22, 2011 – $10.6 Million
Two years earlier a jackpot lightning struck the same Megabucks slot machine made by IGT and an unidentified gambler took home $10.6 million. This slot machine was introduced in 1986 and had never paid out more than $10 million until it did for the first time in 1995 at the Gold Coast. This was the second time it did that at the Aria.
January 21, 2011 – $12.7 Million
Three months earlier the Aria celebrated another jackpot winner, this time a lady that was on her way to her room, but still decided to try her luck with a $6 bill before going to bed on the Megabucks slot. If she didn’t do it she would walk away to her room retire for the night without $12.7 million in her pocket. First she thought the slot machine broke down, but her niece assured her that she is a millionaire.
September 15, 2005 – $21,147,947
This is maybe the oldest jackpot winner ever, Elmer Sherwin, 92, who won $21.1 million on the Megabucks slot at the Cannery Casino in North Las Vegas. What’s even more fascinating is that this was his second jackpot on the same slot machine after he won another one at the Mirage in 1989 of $4.6 million. What he said after winning the second one was that his lifelong dream was to win the jackpot twice.
June 1, 1999 – $21,346,952.22
Imagine winning more than $21.3 million on the first spin! This is what happened to a 49-year-old business consultant on the Megabucks slot at Caesars Palace in 1999. He deposit $10 and after just one spin cashed in $21.3 million.
March 27, 2002 – $22,618,156.67
Covina, California, probably saw its first millionaire citizen after Johanna Huendl, 74, won $22.6 million on Bally’s Megabucks slot. She was on her way to a breakfast at her hotel and decided to spend $170 on this amazing slot machine that has made many millionaires. She first thought that she won only $2 million after misreading the flash sign.
Johanna Huendl, 74, won $22.6 million on Bally’s Megabucks slot machine.
November 15, 1998 – $27,580,879.60
This 67-year-old retired flight attendant from Las Vegas is only one in the long line of retired elderly slot machine players that became rich from playing Megabucks. This unnamed woman won the Megabucks jackpot in Palace Station after putting $300. She first intended to play with only $100, but changed her mind after which the slot rewarded her with millions. This was her second big jackpot. She won the Wheel of Fortune slot machine jackpot of $680,000 at Palace Station some years earlier. This was also the first time that the Megabucks machine paid out $20 million.
January 26, 2000 – $34,955,489.56
Being a Las Vegas cocktail waitress has really paid off for Cynthia Jay in 2000. She decided to play the Megabucks slot at the Desert Inn and won $34.9 million. However, after six weeks people fueled up the myth that bad things happen to jackpot winners because she was rear-ended by a drunk driver, which left her paralyzed and killed her sister. It’s one of the most notorious urban legends in Las Vegas.
Cynthia Cynthia Jay hit Megabucks at the Desert Inn and won $34.9 million.
March 21, 2003 – $39,710,826.36
And here is the biggest recorded so far, a $39.7 million jackpot won by a 25-year-old software engineer from Los Angeles. Do we even need to mention the game on which the jackpot was won? Anyway, the odds to hit this jackpot were 16.7 million.
