Biggest Slot Wins in History

Megabucks Drops the Biggest Slot Jackpot Win in History

IGT’s Megabucks slot delivered one of the biggest wins in Las Vegas history on March 21, 2003. The record-breaking jackpot struck at Excalibur Casino, where a 25-year-old man from Los Angeles decided to try the machine while waiting for a baseball game to begin.

The choice proved life-changing as Megabucks rewarded him with $39.7 million. After wagering just $100, the young engineer hit the massive prize. Rather than taking the money in a lump sum, he opted to receive annual payments of $1.5 million over 25 years.

Elmer Sherwin – the Veteran Who Hit a Multi-Million Win Twice

They say the odds of landing a multimillion-dollar slot jackpot are longer than those of being struck by lightning. Yet one fortunate player beat those odds not once but twice.

That player was Elmer Sherwin, a World War II veteran who celebrated his first life-changing win in 1989. Sherwin collected $4.6 million from the famed Megabucks machine at Las Vegas’ Mirage Resort and Casino, just hours after the property’s grand opening. He was 76 years old at the time.

After the surprise windfall, Mr. Sherwin said it was his dream to hit a second Megabucks jackpot. Sixteen years later, that dream came true.

Imagine everyone’s astonishment when Mr. Sherwin, then 92 years old, captured another $21.1 million on Megabucks in 2005 at the Cannery Casino and Hotel in North Las Vegas. He donated a sizable portion of his winnings to charity, including a relief fund for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Following his second win, Mr. Sherwin expressed a desire to set an even higher record by winning Megabucks a third time, and he also had his eye on the Wheel of Fortune machine. Sadly, that wish never materialized. The veteran passed away in March 2007 at the age of 94.

The Megabucks Curse or the Tragedy Behind a Record $35 Million Win

Megabucks has inspired a variety of myths and urban legends, with some gamblers believing that jackpot winners are doomed to an untimely death. Although there is no evidence the so-called “curse” is real, one winner suffered a tragic fate.

That winner was Las Vegas cocktail waitress Cynthia Jay-Brennan, who was 37 years old at the time of her life-changing hit. In 2000, Jay-Brennan played a Megabucks machine at the now-closed Desert Inn Casino and won $34.9 million, the largest progressive jackpot of its day.

After the win, she married her boyfriend, and the couple planned to travel the world. Sadly, their dreams were cut short. Just weeks after the record payout, Jay-Brennan’s Camaro was struck by a drunk driver at a red light.

Her sister, Lela Jay, who was riding with her, was killed instantly. Cynthia suffered a broken spine, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. She remains in a wheelchair and depends on her husband for everyday tasks such as dressing and brushing her hair.

In the aftermath of the crash, Mrs. Jay-Brennan said she would gladly surrender the entire jackpot if she could walk again and have her sister back.