For most people, a trip to the casino is a form of entertainment where the dream of a life-changing win is part of the thrill. These stories of incredible luck serve as a testament to the unpredictable nature of gambling. Here are some of the most famous and largest casino wins in history.
The Biggest Slot Win Ever
The largest slot machine jackpot in history was won in March 2003 at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. A young programmer from L.A. put some money into a Megabucks machine to kill time before a game. His relatively small investment of $100 resulted in the ultimate prize. The total prize was a staggering $39.7 million, a sum so large that the casino agreed to pay it out in 25 annual installments of about $1.5 million. His story is the quintessential example of how a small bet can lead to an unimaginable fortune.
Don Johnson: The Man Who "Broke" Atlantic City's Blackjack Tables
Sometimes, a big win is about more than just a lucky spin. Between 2010 and 2011, a man named Don Johnson went on an unprecedented winning streak, taking three Atlantic City casinos for a combined total of over $15 million playing blackjack.
His secret wasn't card counting in the traditional sense. Johnson, a savvy businessman, negotiated special rules with the casinos before he even started playing. These negotiated perks, including a generous loss rebate, effectively tilted the odds in his favor. With these conditions, he played with a positive expectation, a rare feat in casino gaming. After his epic winning streak, casinos became much more cautious about the deals they offered high rollers.
The Double Megabucks Winner
Winning a massive jackpot once is a statistical miracle. Winning it twice is almost unbelievable. But that's exactly what happened to World War II veteran Elmer Sherwin. In 1989, casino (mouse click the up coming article) at the age of 76, casino 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. His persistence paid off in 2005 when he hit another Megabucks jackpot for casino over $21 million. A true philanthropist, he gave a significant part of his second win to those in need.