CHANDLER, Ariz. — A Mesa man walked into Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Lone Butte on Sunday night and walked out a millionaire after hitting one of the biggest jackpots in the casino’s history.
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The lucky gambler won more than $1.4 million while playing the “It’s Alive! Frankenstein” slot machine at the Chandler-area casino. According to casino officials, the jackpot is the third-largest payout ever recorded at Gila River Resorts & Casinos and was triggered by a $15 wager.
“I would guess he was pretty happy about that,” said Jackie Johnson, general manager at Lone Butte.
Johnson said the winning machine was a large progressive slot, meaning the jackpot had been growing over time before finally hitting Sunday night.
Casino employees spent hours verifying the massive payout before the winner could officially collect his money. Johnson said staff even contacted the slot machine manufacturer as part of the verification process.
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“They have to verify the jackpot, which can take a little bit of time,” Johnson said. “They actually had to call the manufacturer of the slot machine to make sure that all was good.”
Johnson said several casino departments worked together to process the payout.
“I think between all of us, we were just ecstatic for this gentleman,” she said.
By the end of the night, the newly minted millionaire left the casino with a seven-figure check. The winner asked to remain anonymous.
“It’s wonderful to work at a job where you can change people’s lives for the better, it’s an amazing feeling and we’re so happy for him,” Johnson said.
Casino officials said more than $256 million in jackpots have already been awarded across Gila River’s four Arizona properties so far this year.
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