17 Biggest Jackpot Wins

Do you enjoy the thrill of gambling online hoping to become a multi-millionaire? Well, you’re not alone.

Most gamblers flock to both land-based and online casinos with the dream of striking it rich, thanks to the endless list of jackpot games.

Although the chances of becoming a millionaire are rare, some individuals have amassed vast amounts of wealth through gambling both online and

We were curious about some of the biggest jackpot wins and decided to research several ordinary people who have been lucky enough to become millionaires within a short period by winning the biggest jackpots.

One day, this could be your story.

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17 Biggest Jackpot Wins in History

Megabucks Las Vegas

Although online casino slots offer players multi-million jackpots, the biggest slots jackpot win ever recorded came from the Megabucks machine in Las Vegas. The state operates these slots, and they link to form a progressive jackpot.

In 1989, Elmer Sherwin had a life-changing experience after winning $4.6 million playing slots. Elmer secured another $21.1 million in 2005 at 92 years. Instead of spending the money on himself as most individuals do, he gave away a considerable portion to his family and charitable causes before dying a few years later.

In 1998, a 67-years old retired flight attendant in Palace Station Hotel became a Megabuck winner. She wagered $300 and won back over $27 million. A few months earlier, she was also a $680 Wheel of Fortune winner.

However, the most significant slot jackpot win of all time happened in 2003. The fortune was won by a 25-year-old software engineer who had come to Las Vegas to see his favourite sports team play. He walked away with $39.7 million after wagering $100 on Megabucks at Excalibur. The individual received the cash in 25 annual installments of $1.5million.

$38 Million Winner of Progressive Jackpots from Norway

In 2010, a Norweigan player hit the mark and won millions of euros online. Using the alias “Peter”, the Norwegian player walked away with an astonishing 11.7 million Norwegian Krone ($38 million) after playing the Arabian Night slot, operated by Betsson online casino.

This amount won online should not be a surprise as many Canadian online casinos often offer huge jackpots. That’s our job here at ViaBonus. We work hard to be the best online casino comparison site finding you the best bonuses and potential jackpot wins.

New Zealand Players Get a $7.4 Million Jackpot

Heading to the Southern Hemisphere, Rawiri Pou from New Zealand walked away with a total of NZ$10,44,395.82 ($7.4 million) after playing a progressive slot machine Mega Moolah at a Casinoland. Rawiri said the money was going to change his life and the lives of his family forever.

Jon Heywood Hits $17.2 Million Online

Mega Moolah progressive online jackpots are some of the most lucrative games in the UK. One lucky duck who reaped the rewards was Jon Heywood from Chesire, UK. On October 6, 2015, the 26-year-old British soldier won a whopping £13.2 million ($17.2 million) jackpot while playing for 25p per spin.

Like many jackpot winners, Heywood couldn’t come to terms with his win. However, he swore to spend a huge chunk of the cash to help treat his sick dad. Don’t believe us? Read about it here.

Jon Mega Moolah's win became the biggest jackpot win in the online slots game at the time. But in September 2018, an £18.9 million Mega Moolah prize surpassed it.

After winning, Heywood appeared in several interviews and articles where he shared his experience of winning such an immense sum of cash. In one interview, he claimed to have given his friends about 4 million.

What a great friend he is!

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$40 Million from Poker Winner

Archie Karas recorded the biggest poker win of all time. Karas is a Greek Immigrant who relocated to Las Vegas with just $50 in his pocket. He decided to try his hand in gambling and went ahead to borrow $10,000 from a friend to play high-stakes Razz.

Archie won one game after another, and by the end of the day had accumulated $17 million and cleared up his debt of $10,000. His winning streak didn't stop there. Within 30 months, Karas quickly accumulated a total of $40 million through his Poker success.

He quickly became one of the most feared poker players in the world, beating poker legends like Stun Ungar. However, despite accumulating an impressive fortune, rumor has it that it left as quickly as it came.

He lost about $17 million on a single baccarat game, $11 million on craps, and another $2 million at poker. Karas lost all of his winnings and even got banned from all Las Vegas and Nevada casinos for life.

Don Johnson Wins $15.1 Million

Don Johnson is perhaps the best blackjack master in the world. Instead of counting cards or using strategies like most players, Johnson negotiates special rules with casinos and croupiers in a way that would give him an upper hand.

Don took advantage of the guaranteed 10% paybacks offered by some casinos to high-rollers like him. Sometimes he could negotiate to get 20% paybacks with the right to wager up to $25,000 a hand. His negotiating skills and betting strategies helped him accumulate $15.1 million from three casinos within six months.

Cynthia Jay-Brennan Wins $34.95 Million

Cynthia Jay Brennan’s story started as a fairytale and ended as a nightmare. During her mothers-in-law’s birthday party in January of 2000, Cynthia tried her luck at the Megabucks Slot machine in Desert Inn Casino, Las Vegas.

She left the casino after one hour with $34.95 million. She quickly quit her cocktail waitress job, got married to the love of her life, and decided to travel the world.

Unfortunately, her happiness was short-lived. Six weeks after winning, Cynthia had a car accident that left her paralyzed.

Gloria McKenzie Wins $590.5 Million

Gloria McKenzie set a record by winning the biggest single Powerball Lottery in May 2013. Gloria, an 84-year-old grandma, walked away with a hefty $590.5 million after beating the odds of winning the game by 1 in 175 million.

According to rumors, a kind stranger allowed Gloria to cut the line and buy the ticket first. This act of kindness cost the stranger a fortune, but he didn't know that. Gloria later decided to receive the cash in annual installments.

D.P Wins $8.82 Millon Casino Jackpot

On August 28 of 2016, a live casino player known as D. P became the first individual to win one of the biggest mobile device progressive online jackpots. The age, gender, and origin of the player has never been revealed. However, we know the gambler walked away with over $8 million. The gambler was playing Mega Moolah Mobile via an iPad at Zodiac Casino when he won the jackpot.

The operator (at the time) revealed the winner signed up for the online casino’s promotion: 80 Chances to Become a Millionaire. Based on the terms and conditions, the casino required the player to deposit a small amount of one dollar.

Tipico Mobile Casino User Wins $9.22 Million

Based on previous examples, Mega Moolah seems to have a highly rewarding nature. Here’s some further proof. A Tipico Mobile Casino online user won the largest mobile payout of $9.22 million in April 2017. This was just a year after D. P won the $8.82 million.

The winner wanted to remain anonymous, and the only information we have was the impressive $7.2 wagered per spin. The humble wager helped this anonymous player take their place in the Mega Moolah gambling history books.

Johanna Heundl Wins Nearly $23 Million

On the morning of May 27, 2002, Johanna Heundl went for breakfast to Bally's Casino in Las Vegas and decided to play a Megabucks machine for the first time. She wagered a sizable sum of $170 and ended up winning $22,618,156.67 million after one spin.

Johanna walked away with the fourth-biggest slot machine jackpot of all time. We wonder if she remembered to eat breakfast or not.

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Rampart Lucky Local Wins Big and Gives Back

The Rampart Lucky local is a man who frequented the Las Vegas casino regularly. One day he inserted $20 into a Megabucks slot at Rampart Casino. He walked away with a multi-million jackpot worth $17,329,817.80.

Being a generous man, he contributed significantly to his local church. As a result, the church moved to a new building from a local high school gym. We are proud to announce that not all jackpot wins end in needless spending.

The Player with Insomnia Earns $13.9 Million

Who knew lack of sleep could turn you into a millionaire? Well, that's exactly what happened to a young Norwegian gambler who was unable to take a nap. Instead, he skipped nap time to play a few online casino games at Betsson.

He played the Mega Fortune online slot machine and became the winner of £11.7 million ($13,929, 757.50 million). We don’t have the exact name of the player.

However, we know that the win didn’t help his insomnia. He proceeded to stay awake until 6:00 am, most likely reeling in shock.

Kerry Packer Wins Between $20 to $40 Million

While most individuals gamble with the dream of becoming millionaires, that was not the case with Kerry Packer. This Australian billionaire gambled for fun. He staked so much money and wasted most of his winnings that it was hard to keep track of the cash.

Since he was a billionaire, he could throw lots of money at the slot machine worry-free. He even got nicknamed the “Prince of Whales” and was generous enough to give $1 million tips.

In 1997, Kerry won about $20 million and $40 million in baccarat and blackjack. Sadly, his luck ran out two years down the line in a London casino, where he lost approximately $28 million.

John Tippin Wins $12 Million

Imagine going to Las Vegas for a vacation and coming back a millionaire. Well, that happened to one postal worker known as John Tippin. In 1996, he walked into the Gold Coast in Las Vegas and hit the Megabucks. He won a jackpot worth $12 million.

Unfortunately, Tippin lost most of his winnings to a life of hedonism. He wrote a book about the effect of his LA trip and published it in 2001.

$24 Million Winner from Finland

On February 20, 2013, a 40-year-old Swedish poker player wagered 25 cents at Finnish betting company PAF while playing Mega Fortune Progressive. The anonymous player later won £17,861,800 million (about $24 million). This win has gone down in history as the biggest online casino jackpot ever recorded.

$21.3 Million Jackpot Win

Another individual who became a millionaire overnight was a man from Illinois. With only a $10 bill deposit on a Megabuck Machine at Caesars Palace, the man secured over 21 million in one shot.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to hit a giant jackpot in your life, take inspiration from these real-life examples of players around the world who struck gold. While there is a lot of luck involved, there is also some strategy in where you put your money and time. Our job is to make sure you are using your valuable gambling time, energy, and money wisely. We provide unbiased, customer-driven content to inform and educate our readers about the best online casinos New Zealand has to offer.

We hope you’re inspired to try for a fortune on online casinos. Visit us at Viabonus.com today, and get a comparison of the best casino and bonuses. We will do everything in our power to give you the best opportunity to get lucky and get rich.

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