It’s not easy to leave a casino with more money than you walked in with, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Check out the stories of 5 plucky casino game players, who prove seven-figure, life-changing jackpots can be won if you’ve got Lady Luck on your side.
# 1: Anonymous $40m Megabucks Winner
On March 21st, 2003, a 25-year-old software engineer decided to head inside the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to pass the time before a basketball game. Little did he know that he’d be leaving $39.7 million richer, thanks to one lucky spin on a Megabucks slot machine. He opted to remain anonymous after the windfall. Nevertheless, it’s gone down as one of the luckiest wins in casino history.
# 2: Twice-Lucky War Vet Elmer Sherwin
At the ripe old age of 76, World War II veteran Elmer Sherwin showed up for the opening of The Mirage casino in Las Vegas. A few spins on the slots was all it took Sherwin to win a $4.6 million jackpot. He used the money to travel the world with his wife. But if you think Sherwin’s story ends there, think again. Sixteen years later, he returned to the slots – this time scooping an eye-watering $21 million.
# 3: Online Record-Breaker Jon Heywood
In 2015, 26-year-old Jon Heywood, an ex-soldier from Cheshire, was turned into an overnight millionaire after a lucky 25p spin of the online Mega Moolah slot. The £13.2 million jackpot smashed records as the biggest ever payout from an online slot machine, and allowed F1 fan Heywood to trade in his old Fiat Punto for a brand-new Bentley Continental GT.
# 4: Crazy Gambler Ashley Revell
In 2004, Ashley Revell, a 32-year-old from Kent, decided to commit to the ultimate all-or-nothing wager. He sold all his possessions – his clothes, his car, his house and even his name – and flew across the Atlantic to stick $135,300 on a single spin of the roulette wheel at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. Thankfully for Revell, red was his lucky colour. He doubled his money to come home with $270,600.
# 5: $15m Blackjack Pro Don Johnson
In 2010, pro gambler Don Johnson managed to take $15 million from casinos including Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, and The Tropicana Casino, Atlantic City, over the course of six months. Surprisingly, his trick wasn’t counting cards. Instead, he negotiated special deals with the casinos (including a 20% rebate on all losses) to significantly reduce the house edge and help him walk away from the blackjack tables with pockets full of cash.
Have these stories got you dreaming about your own big jackpot win? Then head to the casino or – better yet – play casino games from the comfort of home at online sites like bgo. Good luck!
