The Most Important Pokies Winners In History
Pokies are simple to play and can be enjoyed for just a few cents, yet they have been responsible for some of the most life-changing victories in gambling history. The introduction of progressive jackpots has resulted in an exponential rise in the amount of money that a lucky punter can win in a single spin.
The result has been massive jackpots for both online sites and land-based venues like Crown or The Star, with some winnings reaching into the millions of dollars.
Basically, each time a player takes a spin on a progressive pokie, the jackpot grows. A portion of the money from each bet is placed into a "pot." These machines are often pooled together across multiple casinos or servers. As a result, if no one wins the jackpot for a period of time, the sum can increase to an absolute fortune.
Online Progressive Jackpots: The Aussie Dream
In recent years, online casinos have been able to compete with the massive prizes provided by Las Vegas, thanks to progressive jackpots linked across the globe.
One of the most famous wins actually belongs to one of our own. On the Dark Knight online pokie (tied to the Mega Moolah network), an Australian player won a phenomenal $10.4 million (AUD). It remains one of the largest payouts in Australian online history.
Globally, the record is held by a British man named Jon Heywood. In 2015, he won approximately £13.2 million (over AU$25 million) while playing the famous Mega Moolah slot.
These days, many Aussie-friendly online casinos feature "Daily Drop" jackpots or major progressive networks that regularly create millionaires.
Megabucks: The Legends of Las Vegas
While online wins are huge, the land-based Megabucks machines in Nevada still hold the world records. These are the "Holy Grail" of pokies wins.
The largest ever recorded slot win was made by a software developer who bet $100 on Megabucks at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas in 2003. He won US$39.7 million (approx. AU$60 million)!
Another legendary story is that of Elmer Sherwin. His tale is both heartwarming and inspiring. Sherwin won US$4.6 million playing Megabucks in 1989. Then, in 2005, at the age of 92, Elmer defied the odds to win the jackpot again—this time for a whopping US$21.1 million. Ever the generous bloke, Elmer donated a large portion of the money to charity and his family before passing away a couple of years later.
Mishaps And Misfortunes: A Cautionary Tale
Not every winner gets a happy ending. Take the story of Katrina Bookman at Resorts World Casino in New York.
She was playing a machine and hit a ticket showing a winning of $42.9 million. She took a selfie with the screen, thinking her life had changed forever. However, when she went to collect, the casino informed her it was a "technical glitch."
The machine had a maximum payout of only $6,500. Instead of $42 million, the casino offered her a complimentary steak dinner. That's a rough trot! It serves as a reminder to always understand the rules and max payouts of the games you play.
Conclusion
Whether you are spinning the reels on your mobile phone in Sydney or sitting at a machine in Vegas, the allure of the big win is always there. While the odds of hitting a multi-million dollar jackpot are slim, history shows that for a lucky few, one spin is all it takes.