Let’s be honest: the probability, for most of us, of spinning our way to a multi-million-pound jackpot is slim. But… it does happen. Sometimes, it happens with bells on; big, jackpot-filled, church tower-sized clangers of joy.
#1. Mega Moolah
Let’s start online with, according to Guinness World Records, the ‘largest jackpot payout in an online slot machine game’. In 2015, British soldier Jon Heywood became an instant multi-millionaire when a 25p bet ended up winning him a £13.2 million fortune.
The 26-year-old, from Cheshire, was playing the online slot Mega Moolah. He deposited £30 and was making 25p bets. In just seven minutes, he hit the progressive jackpot worth exactly £13,213,838.68.
Mega Moolah is an iconic online slot from developers Microgaming. First released in November 2006, the game is one of the oldest online progressive jackpot games.
At Casino.com, you can enjoy four different versions of this popular online slot. The classic game has five reels, 25 paylines, and a jungle theme, complete with ambient sounds and the distant roar of a lion.
Other Mega Moolah progressive jackpot games include Absolootly Mad, Atlantean Treasures, Fortunium Gold, and Juicy Joker. All the Mega Moolah games have different themes but they all pay into the same massive, ever-increasing, progressive jackpot.
Every online casino hosting a Mega Moolah game is contributing to the jackpot pool. At the time of writing, the jackpot stands at £13.5 million. It will be probably be a new record when it hits. Fancy your luck?
#2. Megabucks
Meanwhile, back on terra firma, the biggest game in town is Megabucks. Megabucks is a linked online slot from legendary casino game developers International Game Technology (IGT). It was one of the first ever slots to pool revenues from multiple machines to create a huge jackpot.
Over the decades, Megabucks has paid out millions to scores of exceptionally lucky players. However, it was an anonymous 25-year-old software engineer, from Los Angeles, whose weekend break in Las Vegas would be one to remember.
On March 21, 2003, our anonymous hero had been visiting friends and family in Sin City and enjoying the annual college basketball March Madness tournament. He was staying at the Excalibur Hotel. On the advice of his uncle, who had told him the jackpot was ‘ready to blow’, he gambled $100 on the Megabucks machine. Seconds later, he was $39,713,982.25 richer.
There are more than 700 Megabucks slot machines in Nevada. With the jackpot starting at $10,000,000, if you get lucky what happens in Vegas might actually end up coming back with you.
#3. Megabucks II: Return of the Jackpot
We’re staying in Las Vegas for our third jackpot winner. Once again, the slot machine of choice is Megabucks. This time, it’s not the size of the win but the luck of the winner. Winning the Megabucks jackpot once is fortuitous. Winning it twice? That’s just greedy.
Meet Elmer Sherwin; a Las Vegas local who got double lucky. In 1989, the Mirage Hotel Casino opened on the Las Vegas strip. Sherwin, a retired resident, decided to come and check out the new casino on the block.
The 76-year-old blagged $20 of coins from his former wife, after spending $80 of his own money, and had one last shot on the Megabucks slots. He promptly won a cool $4.6 million jackpot. At the time, it was the biggest slots jackpot in Las Vegas history.
In 2005, once again he steps up to the Megabucks slot machine and spins. Once again: he wins. This time Sherwin pockets a hefty $21.1 million. Sherwin gave most of the money to his family and charitable causes. After his second win, Sherwin pledged to go for the triple. Sadly, he passed away in 2007, aged 93. A good innings from one of the luckiest men to ever grace the streets of Las Vegas.
