Top Five Casino Payouts In History
Although we have Italy and France to thank for the rise of casino gaming back in the 17th century, it’s Las Vegas that claims today’s mantle as the quintessential home of gambling and casino big winners – and it’s not difficult to see why.
The total wins from casino gaming in Vegas surpass $5 billion every year, and of that honeypot, $2.3 billion is from the infamous Strip. Now, considering the figures we’re throwing out there, it’s no surprise to learn that the best casino payouts of all time took place in Nevada’s prized city.
So who exactly are the ones raking in all that Vegas dough, and by exactly how much have their bank accounts grown?!
Bodog Casino has been on the case, and we’re ready to reveal our answers to all of those burning questions about winning big. Here are the most legendary casino payouts in gambling history to marvel at.
5. Palace Station Casino: $27,580,879.60
A retiree who chose to remain nameless had a moment of pure jubilation when the best casino slot game, Megabucks, spurted out a jackpot win that was certain to be a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.
It was November 15th in 1998, and this former flight attendant had the urge to play on Megabucks at the Palace Station Casino. We don’t know much about this lucky winner, only that the legend has it they intended to only spend $100 on the machine.
Whatever made them decide to triple their investment to $300 we’ll never know, but we can say for sure it turned out very well in their favour, and it’s likely this Megabucks mega-millionaire enjoyed their retirement in style!
4. Desert Inn: $34,955,489.56
It may not be the best casino payout ever recorded, but California-native Cynthia Jay-Brennan still has one of the best casino payouts ever at just under $35 million.
37-year old Ms. Jay-Brennan was working as a cocktail waitress the day she won the big one in the year 2000. The mother of her boyfriend was having a birthday celebration at the Desert Inn Hotel and Casino, and Cynthia joined the gang after her shift at work.
After the gathering, Jay-Brennan thought it would be fun to drop a few bucks into the famous Megabucks slot machine.
Just as she was about to call it quits, that very next spin had her frozen in awe as three Megabucks symbols fell into place one by one, and the $34,955,489.56 jackpot erupted before her eyes.
As astounding as Jay-Brennan’s story is, it’s a reminder that not all casino big winners live on to have perfect, stress-free lives. After her big Megabucks win, Jay-Brennan and her sister were hit by a drunk driver in a fatal car crash that killed her sister, and left herself paralyzed from the chest down.
Nowadays Jay-Brennan is involved in a charity that gives away free wheelchairs, and she speaks out against drunk driving, ultimately turning her tragedy into a positive way to help others.
3. Excalibur in Las Vegas: $39,710,826.36
For most of us, it’s difficult to even comprehend the sum of nearly $40 million, let alone grasp what it might feel like the moment we realise that money is ours.
Back in 2003, a 25-year old software engineer from Los Angeles got to find out exactly what that feels like.
It was the 21st of March in 2003, and the Excalibur Casino in Vegas was as magnificent as it had been since its development in 1990. Our anonymous soon-to-be-biggest-winner of the world felt the Megabucks machine calling to them, and sauntered over the brightly lit, retro-styled slot.
The player dropped a humble $100 into the game, and practically fell over when the biggest jackpot in history of $39,710,826.36 detonated from the machine. Given the request for privacy, we don’t know what the celebrated player did with their winnings, other than they opted to receive it in installments over 25 years. That means to this day they are remembering their glorious win every single year with yet another grand paycheck.
2. MGM Grand: $40 million
When it comes to Blackjack big winnings, none can compare to the epic windfall that Australian investor and billionaire Kerry Packer scooped up from the game in 1995 at the iconic MGM Grand in Vegas.
Packer himself dominated Australia’s gambling establishment when it took off in the 1990s, with Melbourne’s new, sprawling entertainment complex, Crown Casino, under his family’s auspices, So whenever the mogul sidled up to the high-roller tables, VIP status etched into the fine threads of his charcoal suits, the game was going to be big, and the bet, bigger.
Packer’s larger-than-life reputation (and a pre-established fortune) makes it less surprising that on a day in 1995, Packer laid down $250,000 on the Blackjack table. After playing for just 40 minutes, the Australian mogul (intensely disliked, it should be noted, by the majority of his fellow Australians), had already won a whopping $40 million, making him Blackjack’s biggest ever million-a-minute winner.
1. Various Las Vegas Casinos: $40 million
Tying with the Packer for the biggest casino win ever recorded is a series of wins known as “The Run” accomplished by a Greek American known as Archie Karas.
Before The Run, Karas had been a waiter working out of Los Angeles, who also had a rather impressive affinity for pool. After earning a solid bankroll from his pool days, he went to Vegas to try his hand at poker. Poker did Karas well for a while, until he lost almost everything but his last $50.
With this $50, Karas made casino win history as he transformed the win into $40 million over a span of three years and multiple casinos from 1992 to 1995. Not all winners remain lucky, however, and Karas lost his winnings practically immediately within three weeks, bringing him back down to zero.
Whether you’re spinning, standing or splitting, you can win big… as every player dreams of. If you want the chance to receive a life-changing payday without hopping in a plane and flying to Vegas, Bodog Casino remains your casino destination of choice; a place where big winners are made every day. You, too, could have the opportunity to join the ranks of casino big winners and float away on the crest of a gold-lined cloud.