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The Biggest and Most Famous Casino Wins in History

For most people, a trip to the casino is a form of entertainment where the dream of a life-changing win is part of the thrill. These stories of incredible luck serve as a testament to the unpredictable nature of gambling. These are the stories of ordinary people and high rollers who experienced a once-in-a-lifetime win.

The Megabucks Jackpot: A Software Engineer’s $39.7 Million Win

The largest slot machine jackpot in history was won in March 2003 at the Excalibur Hotel & casino (amicireggiavenariareale.com) in Las Vegas. The anonymous winner, a 25-year-old software engineer, was just passing time on the Megabucks slot. After feeding about $100 into the machine, he hit the jackpot of a lifetime. The win amounted to an incredible $39.7 million, paid out over 25 years. He wisely opted to keep his identity private, becoming a legend in the process.

The Blackjack King

Not all legendary wins come from pure luck. Between 2010 and casino 2011, a man named Don Johnson went on an unprecedented winning streak, taking three Atlantic City casinos for a combined total of over $15 million playing blackjack.

He didn’t use card counting to achieve this feat. His strategy was to leverage his status as a whale to get better rules. These included a 20% ”loss rebate” (where the casino would refund him 20% of his losses if they reached a certain amount), the ability to bet up to $100,000 per hand, and favorable rules like splitting and doubling down on any four cards. With these conditions, he played with a positive expectation, a rare feat in casino gaming. His incredible run caused some casinos to change their high-roller policies, and he was eventually banned from many establishments.

Elmer Sherwin: The Man Who Struck Lightning Twice

To hit a huge jackpot once is a miracle; to do it twice on the same machine type is beyond belief. Yet, that is precisely the story of Elmer Sherwin, a veteran of the Second World War. He first won $4.6 million on a Megabucks machine in 1989 at the grand casino opening of The Mirage. He didn’t stop playing, hoping for a second miracle. Incredibly, 16 years later, in 2005, casino at the age of 92, he did it again. He won a staggering $21.1 million jackpot on another Megabucks machine at the Cannery Casino. He was incredibly generous with his second windfall, donating a large portion to charity.