Nationwide Casino and Lottery Jackpot Wins

This month, casinos and lotteries across the U.S. reported a run of large wins, ranging from six-figure casino jackpots to a $3 million Mega Millions ticket sold in McHenry, Illinois (unclaimed). At Mohegan Sun’s Casino of the Sky, three players hit progressive jackpots — $202,338 on a Wheel of Fortune slot, $241,200 on an Ultimate X Triple Double Bonus Poker machine, and $108,386 on an Ultimate Fire Link Ultra Bank game. MGM Springfield recorded a multi-day streak of winners, including a $20,000 jackpot won on a free video poker bet, and said the property paid out more than $80 million in jackpots from February through September. In Nevada’s Las Vegas metro area, locals won several large linked-progressive payouts: a $1,048,675.87 Wheel of Fortune Cash Link Big Money jackpot at Sunset Station (from a $3 bet), a reported $1.7 million Dragon Link win at MGM Grand, a $437,311 Pai Gow progressive payout at Palace Station (plus a $5,000 Fortune Bonus), and a $210,742 Ultimate Texas Hold’em progressive win at The STRAT. Reports and casinos noted that linked progressive features let modest side bets yield large payouts, that large progressive jackpots may be paid as lump sums or multi-year annuities depending on the game and player choice, and reminded players about responsible-gaming resources such as the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.