Slots are one of the most popular aspects of the casino due to their simplicity. Playing on slot machines is one of the easiest ways to win some cash – it’s all a game of luck at the end of the day and you’ve got as good a chance as anyone else to win big. This thrill of the unknown is what attracts many people to Slots, that even a small stake could yield a massive jackpot.
Nowadays, there are more ways to play Slots than ever before. There are online Slots available to recreate that authentic casino atmosphere with a few clicks, or you can always head to your nearest brick-and-mortar establishment to try your luck there.
Whatever way you enjoy playing Slots, hitting the jackpot is the dream for all gamblers. Let’s take a look at a few of the biggest Slots wins.
Winning big online
British Army soldier Jon Heywood probably wasn’t expecting much when he bet 25p on an online slot game in 2015, but after a few clicks he had won a reported £13.2 million. The sum is the current Guinness World Record for the largest jackpot payout from an online slot, although Heywood managed to keep his win quiet for three days before telling anyone.
It was a wonderful moment for the veteran, who was able to help his father with medical costs for heart and lung transplants. The win also meant he could trade his Fiat Punto for a brand new Bentley Continental GT. Not bad for a 25p wager!
At the double
Winning the jackpot on a slot machine is an incredibly rare achievement. To get your hands on the mega sum requires a big helping hand from Lady Luck. Well, Elmer Sherwin managed to get his hands on a slot machine jackpot not once, but twice!
In 1989, Sherwin won a massive $4.6 million on the Megabucks slot machine at the Mirage Casino in Las Vegas. He was 76 when he collected that windfall, but Sherwin had no thoughts of retiring from the slot machines. Sixteen years later, he struck gold once more at the age of 92, winning the Megabucks jackpot again, this time at the Cannery Casino where the sum was a whopping $21 million.
Sherwin was charitable with his winnings, donating large sums to provide relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina. He also shared much of his cash with his family before passing away two years on from his second jackpot win.
Flying high
In November 1998 a retired flight attendant found herself on cloud nine after winning an incredible $27.5 million on the Megabucks Slot at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. She wagered $300 in total before hitting the jackpot against all the odds.
The 67-year-old preferred to keep her identity undisclosed, explaining that her life was “quiet, organized and simple” before the win and she didn’t want that to change.
She added: “It will brighten my life. But my life was good before. I was just in the right place at the right time.”
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Winning a Slots jackpot is a dream many people share, and these stories might inspire you to have a few goes on your favourite online slot game, or head to Las Vegas to emulate the big winners of the past. You never know, you might just strike it lucky.