The Biggest and Most Famous Casino Wins in History
For most people, casino – Read Much more, a trip to the casino is a form of entertainment where the dream of a life-changing win is part of the thrill. Though large wins are rare, some lucky individuals have hit jackpots so massive they’ve gone down in history. Let’s look at a few legendary tales of astonishing casino victories.
The Megabucks Jackpot: A Software Engineer’s $39.7 Million Win
The largest slot machine jackpot in history was won in March 2003 at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The anonymous winner, a 25-year-old software engineer, was just passing time on the Megabucks slot. His relatively small investment of $100 resulted in the ultimate prize. The win amounted to an incredible $39.7 million, paid out over 25 years. He wisely opted to keep his identity private, becoming a legend in the process.
Beating the House at its Own Game
Some of the most famous wins are a result of skill, strategy, and negotiation. Between 2010 and 2011, a man named Don Johnson went on an unprecedented winning streak, casino (Read Much more) taking three Atlantic City casinos for a combined total of over $15 million playing blackjack.
He didn’t use card counting to achieve this feat. As a known high roller, he was able to negotiate extremely favorable playing conditions for himself. These negotiated perks, including a generous loss rebate, effectively tilted the odds in his favor. With these conditions, casino (Read Much more) he played with a positive expectation, a rare feat in casino gaming. He won so much that he is no longer welcome to play at many of the world’s top casinos.
Elmer Sherwin: The Man Who Struck Lightning Twice
The odds of winning a major casino lottery-style jackpot are astronomical, but winning it twice seems impossible. Yet, that is precisely the story of Elmer Sherwin, a veteran of the Second World War. In 1989, at the age of 76, he won a $4.6 million Megabucks jackpot at The Mirage in Las Vegas, just 10 hours after the casino opened. He didn’t stop playing, hoping for a second miracle. Sixteen years later, at 92 years old, lightning struck again, and he won a second Megabucks jackpot, this time for $21.1 million. He was incredibly generous with his second windfall, donating a large portion to charity.