The huge jackpot came from just a $12.50 bet
A woman struck it big after placing a small, last-minute bet of just $12.50.
While $12.50 might barely cover a Big Mac meal at McDonald’s these days, this lucky lady got far more for her money.
According to Investopedia, the odds of winning the top prize on a slot machine range from one in 5,000 to one in about 34 million, making it one of the riskiest games in a casino.
Despite the odds, she decided to take a chance—and it certainly paid off.
Many people have managed to win big on the slots. (Matthias Tunger / Getty)
In August 2023, an unnamed woman was playing the slots at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida. Just as she was about to leave, she decided to take one last spin, upping her bet from $5 to $12.50—a small change that would lead to a massive payout.
On that final spin, she hit the jackpot, winning an incredible $1,253,321.04 on the Dollar $torm slot machine.
The casino shared a photo of the lucky winner after her big win, stating: “She decided to put one last bill in the machine before she left and changed her bet from $5.00 to $12.50 and won BIG!”
However, even this impressive win pales in comparison to some of the biggest slot machine jackpots of all time. One extraordinarily fortunate player at M Resort in Henderson took home a staggering $17.3 million prize. Remarkably, the anonymous winner hit the jackpot using free credits they had available. Not bad at all.
The largest recorded win on a slot machine occurred at the Excalibur Casino in Las Vegas, where a player placed a hefty $100 bet. While it might seem like a significant gamble, it paid off in an extraordinary way—the player walked away with an astonishing $39.7 million.
If you’re thinking about trying your luck on the slots, it’s crucial to stay within your budget and avoid getting caught up in the excitement.
Big wins can be life-changing, but they remain incredibly rare.
Please gamble responsibly. For help, support, and advice about problem gambling, call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER, available 24/7.