They say fortune knocks once at every man’s (or woman’s) door. In 2020, luck struck a Florida woman named Laurie in a life-changing way. While playing penny slots at the Hard Rock Casino in Florida, the sixty-year-old won a staggering $3,854,682 jackpot.
Laurie had just turned 60 years old. She loved slots and played the games occasionally for fun. But she had never won any significant amount of money until that fateful evening.
At the time, Laurie’s windfall was the largest-ever jackpot produced by an IGT slot machine in Florida. Previously, the record jackpot paid out by an IGT game in the Sunshine State was $3.6M—awarded in 2012.
Casinos produce millionaires all the time. However, Laurie’s windfall is special in that she won a $1 machine. Most people don’t play penny slots hoping to win millions of dollars.
Penny slots generally trigger small winnings. You can win $20 or $100 when lucky. But winning more than $1000 at a penny slot is a rarity. Laurie wagered $5 on Megabucks slot. She walked away with a record jackpot.
An Unimaginable Dream Come True
Winning a gigantic amount of money from a casino isn’t just exciting. It can also be shocking. That was the case for Laurie, who said she had never dreamed of winning such an amount of money in her life.
“I am in absolute shock,” she said. “You like to dream big but that’s really big,” she added.
Laurie told news reporters she had several ideas on what she would do with her windfall. She would spend some of it on hurricane windows. She would also resurface her pool and consider buying a new condo.
Megabucks’ History of Producing Millionaires
IGT’s Megabucks slot has a long history of producing new millionaires in the country. In 2003, a man who chose to remain anonymous won $39.7 million while playing slots at a Las Vegas casino. His jackpot has never been broken.
Over the years, gamblers in the country have hit million-dollar windfalls while playing Megabucks or similar slots. For example, a man won $12 million last year while playing Megabucks.
In 2012, the same game awarded $17.4 million to a lucky man playing at the M Resort Spa Casino. Still, the same game had produced $21.1M enjoying slots at the Cannery Casino in 2005.
While multiple people have won millions playing Megabucks and similar games in Las Vegas, they represent a small fraction of players. For Megabucks to pay someone over $1M, thousands of people have to participate in the game.
Megabucks pays small payouts to the majority of winners. But occasionally, it awards a life-changing amount of money to a lucky player.
The Rise of Online Casinos
Last year, Florida became the latest state to legalize sports betting. This now brings the total number of states with legal gambling to 38. While most jurisdictions are legalizing sports gambling, some of them also permit casino games.
In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia, you don’t need to leave your house to play a slot jackpot. You can bet on your favorite games through a mobile casino.
In the past few years, mobile gambling has grown tremendously. In 2023, New Jersey online casinos generated more revenues than land-based gambling businesses. This wasn’t something new.
Internet betting sites have been making more money in Garden State since it legalized sports gambling in 2018. Last year, mobile betting income grew by 15%. Retail casinos are feeling the heat of a rising demand for mobile gambling. But not all of them are worried.
While in-person bets have been decreasing, they’re not down completely. Borgata Casino generated $729 million from players last year. Hard Rock made $512 million while Ocean Casino ranked third with revenues worth $415 million.
Online Casino Jackpots
The rise of online casinos means one thing. You can now play a plethora of casino games, including Megabucks, online. IGT is one of the biggest casino software providers in the world.
Look out for IGT online casinos if you would love to play Megabucks for real money on your smartphone. IGT aside, consider these companies when finding great mobile slots:
- Microgaming
- NetEnt
- Betsoft
- Pragmatic Play
- Big Time Gaming
- Scientific Games
Microgaming is known for creating Mega Moolah, one of the most generous online slots. The game has produced more than a dozen millionaires, including a British soldier who won over $15M in 2015.
Online slots are great for people who love convenience. You don’t need to leave your house to play a jackpot game. When you win, you can maintain your privacy. Another benefit is that online jackpot games are always available.
You can gamble online at any time. Sometimes you can play multiple slots in one session. And if you’re lucky, you can receive free spins as a reward from the casino.
Land-based vs Online Casino Jackpots
In light of a rising demand for online casinos, you might be wondering whether to choose an online casino or a land-based establishment. The short answer is that spend your money where you’ll get maximum value for your money.
Land-based casinos are impressive in many ways. They look incredible. They have loads of amenities. The gaming floors are massive and complimentary drinks make social gaming memorable.
Unfortunately, you can’t play at a land-based casino too often. This is especially true if you live away from Las Vegas and Atlantic City. By comparison, online casinos don’t involve transportation or accommodation.
You can access online casino games at your convenience. The only cost involved is your deposit amount. And it can be as little as $10. You can deposit up to $100,000 at some online casinos.
Choose Jackpots Wisely
Whether you decide to play jackpots online or at your local casino, choose games to play wisely. Slots are based on luck. If you want to increase your chances of winning, select games with high Return to Player (RTP) rates.
RTP dictates a game’s long-term payout. Choose games with high payouts. And you might win a windfall one day.