LEGENDARY JACKPOTS: THE BIGGEST CASINO WINS OF ALL TIME!
Casinos are sometimes the stage for extraordinary destinies. A few spins of the wheel or rolls of the dice, and the lives of perfectly ordinary people can change dramatically. Jackpot stories have always fascinated the general public, and some of them have become legendary. Dive with GAMRFIRST into the heart of the biggest casino wins.
LAS VEGAS, THE WORLD CAPITAL OF CASINO JACKPOTS
It's in Las Vegas, the mythical city of gambling, where the biggest casino jackpots in history are found.
THE BIGGEST JACKPOT IN CASINO HISTORY
Las Vegas, renowned worldwide for its flamboyant casinos, witnessed an event forever engraved in the annals of the gaming industry. In 2003, a young engineer walked through the doors of the prestigious Excalibur casino. Little did he know, he was about to become the biggest winner in history.
Determined to enjoy his evening, he headed for the sparkling slot machines of this iconic establishment. He spun the reels, and in a matter of moments, he pocketed a whopping $39.7 million, or about 35.4 million Swiss francs... For the record, it is rumored in the casino corridors that the young man bet a modest $100 to hit the jackpot!
This monumental win undoubtedly changed his life, but no one knows for sure. The man wished to remain anonymous, and to this day, the mystery of his identity remains intact.
ELMER SHERWIN'S TWO LEGENDARY JACKPOTS
Elmer Sherwin, a World War II veteran, was a lucky gambler. At the age of 76, he pocketed $4.6 million just a few hours after the opening of the famous Mirage casino in Las Vegas. Sixteen years later, he tried his luck again, and bingo! He won another staggering sum: $21 million!
The story is beautiful because Elmer, then 93 years old, decided to dedicate most of his winnings to charitable causes. Several million were distributed to the residents of New Orleans, devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
DESERT INN CASINO JACKPOT
The Desert Inn casino, now known as Wynn Las Vegas, also witnessed one of the biggest jackpots in gambling history. Cynthia Jay-Brennan, a young waitress, had the audacity to try her luck during her lunch break. The result? An extraordinary win of $35 million!
THE RETIREE'S LUCK
In 1998, history repeated itself at the Palace Station Casino, but this time it was a retiree about to change her life forever. That day, this experienced player had no intention of risking more than $100. Swept away by the excitement of the game, she made a decision that would alter her destiny: she decided to triple her bet. A few hours later, she left the casino with a staggering $27.6 million in her pocket.
A FEW DOLLARS FOR THE BIGGEST WINS IN CASINO HISTORY
It's not over yet. In 1999, a man from Illinois, visiting Las Vegas, bet $10 on the gleaming slot machines of the famous Caesars Palace. Suddenly, the ringing of hundreds of slot machines was interrupted by a cry of joy. The player had just won the incredible jackpot of $21 million.
Let's finish with the incredible luck of a player at the M Resort, who pocketed $17.3 million, solely thanks to free credits on the Megabucks machine.
THE BIGGEST CASINO WINS AROUND THE WORLD
It's not just in Las Vegas that you can win big at the casino! All over the world, players have experienced the thrill of hitting the jackpot. Here's a brief overview of the most remarkable stories.
The casino isn't just the realm of slot machines. In 2004, a Greek businessman decided to try his luck at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Moscow by spinning the roulette wheel. After a series of bold bets, he left the establishment with an absolutely staggering win of $3 million.
In Switzerland, the magic of jackpots has also worked many times. In 2018, a lucky bettor pocketed the impressive sum of 1,116,739 CHF at the Bern casino.
That same year, in Zurich, a woman won a jackpot of 7.5 million francs at a city casino. In 2022, a player at the St. Gallen Casino walked away with 5.2 million CHF in his pocket.
In France too, record wins are recorded. In 2013, two 67-year-old retirees from Frejus and regulars at the Barriere casino, won 7,524,034 euros. In 2011, in Antibes, a 59-year-old man had already won 4.5 million euros. His starting bet? A 20 euro bill! On May 7, 2018, on a slot machine at the Monte-Carlo Casino Café de Paris, a player won the tidy sum of 958,950 euros. But the record is held by a bettor from Morbihan who pocketed no less than 9,402,902 euros at the Joa de Port-Crouesty casino.
Fun fact: the astonishing story of Charles Devil Wells
It's 1891 at the Monte Carlo casino. For a week, Charles Devil Wells would rack up wins at roulette, from lunchtime until the casino closed. After 7 days, his winnings amounted to 4 million pounds. A series of miraculous victories that became legendary in casino history.
THE BIGGEST CASINO WINS IN ONLINE CASINOS
The world of online gambling has also become the stage for extraordinary wins that defy all expectations. In 2011, Norway saw an online bettor win the impressive sum of over eleven million euros playing Mega Fortune.
In 2013, it was the turn of a British soldier, John Hayward, to pocket the colossal sum of £13.2 million, or about 14 million Swiss francs. Before hitting this immense jackpot, he had only bet 25 pence.
In 2015, a Swede also wrote a page in history by winning a jackpot worth over eight and a half million euros, playing Mega Moolah. That same year, a Finn had a similar fate by winning the impressive sum of 17.8 million euros. He too had only bet a few cents on the virtual reels before hitting the jackpot. On January 30, 2019, an anonymous player did even better by winning an incredible progressive jackpot of $20,059,287.27 on the Mega Moolah game.
Ultimately, the biggest win in online casino history was won by a Finn. That day, he spun with a bet of €0.025 and won… €21,500,000!
These tales of big casino wins remind us that luck can strike at any moment. Whether in Las Vegas, online, or in a Swiss casino, the aspirations for sudden wealth remain. However, it is crucial to be aware of the risks associated with gambling. Play responsibly and remember that the main goal is to entertain yourself.