Las Vegas Visitor Wins $10.3 Million With $5 On a Slot Machine

Against all odds, a $10.3 million prize no longer applies to the phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

An anonymous guest in America’s gambling capital hit a $10.3 million jackpot on an IGT Megabucks slot machine on Tuesday. The visitor, traveling from Atlanta, only needed a $5 wager to produce the life-changing sum.

The customer had only been at the machine for three minutes when they won.

The life-changing slot machine win

Las Vegas’ newest multi-millionaire won their prize while playing Wolf Run Eclipse, which has a 5x4 reel setup. Customers win prizes by matching 3-5 symbols on their paylines, while special symbols can unlock bonus prizes.

The win was achieved while visiting Westgate Las Vegas at 3000 Paradise Rd, just one block off the main strip. 

Westgate confirmed the win — which had an exact payout of $10,292,912.32 — in a post on X (Twitter) on Tuesday evening.

“Las Vegas is built on unforgettable moments, and it doesn't get much more memorable than turning a $5 bet into more than $10 million,” Cami Christensen, president and general manager of Westgate Las Vegas, said in a statement. “We're thrilled for our guest from Atlanta and love seeing these legendary stories happen at Westgate.”

Fortunately for the winner, they weren’t tasked with accepting a lump sum or a scheduled payment plan like they would if they won the lottery.

They did not disclose what their plans were for the $10.3 million prize.

Big wins in Las Vegas casinos

While the user remains unknown, X page Las Vegas Locally (@LasVegasLocally), an online news aggregation page with more than 460,000 followers, reported that the winner was a male in his mid-20s, according to a witness. 

This is far from the first major win in Las Vegas. Last November, a user won more than $1.1 million by risking $25 on a high-limit Dragon Link slot machine game at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas casino-resort. 

On the final day of May, a woman won nearly $1.3 million from an $8 bet while playing a Dancing Drums Dragon game at the Sycuan Casino Resort in El Cajon.

“It’s truly special to see our guests experience moments like this where a single spin can change someone’s life in an instant,” said Rob Cinelli, general manager of the property. “We extend our sincere congratulations to our guest on her life-changing jackpot win.”

Eye-popping wins such as these are one way to get customers back into Las Vegas casinos, which have struggled with declining tourism amid rising costs of living and other limiting economic factors.

Derek Stevens, owner of Circa Casino & Resort, The D Las Vegas, and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino in Vegas, has also implemented a couple of unique offers. The first offers at-par pricing for Canadian visitors, allowing them to use Canadian dollars without exchanging them for American currency. The promotion runs through the end of August.

Stevens also recently offered his private jet and a ticket to a World Cup watch party at his Stadium Swim to viral sensation “FreddyLA7,” who gained overnight online popularity for embracing American culture during his visit from Germany for the soccer tournament.