This Person Bet $5, Walked Away With Over $12 Million!

Kudos for that. The casino did release a statement:

“We love celebrating big wins at Virgin River Casino & Lodge and this incredible jackpot is a testament to the excitement our property brings,” Mesquite Entertainment CEO Justin Moore said. “There’s nothing like the thrill of turning a small bet into a life-changing moment and we’re proud to be a destination where players can experience that.”

Now, let’s be honest. You can read about this and salivate over the win at the brick-and-mortar casino or hope you could hit one for a fraction of that at an online casino but the reality is these hits are infrequent. Like, once in a lifetime.

Fancying Up the Venue

After the big win, one can be sure players will look to hit the Virgin River Casino & Lodge simply because of the attention the score delivered.

However, Moore and his colleagues are not resting on their laurels. The venue is in the process of a $25 million renovation, including huge monitors and a giant video wall. If you are wondering how far Mesquite is from Las Vegas, it’s a bit more than an hour, 81 miles as the crow flies.

Other Big Hits

Action Network reported in November that a player at MGM Grand Central in Detroit won more than $1.2 million on a Dragon Link slot. The reporting showed the win was a record-breaker, topping a hit in 2008. That alone should tell you how rare these seven-figure scores are. Seventeen years between one win and another that topped its prize.

And how about this big spender, who won 100K and explained he always tips the person who pays him. This time he tipped $1,000 to the lucky employee.

How much you tipping the casino if you won $100,000? pic.twitter.com/3fYlUf7XHf

— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) February 18, 2025

This guy “only” won $10,000 but he also came away with a great replica wrestling championship belt.

How much you tipping the casino if you won $100,000? pic.twitter.com/3fYlUf7XHf

— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) February 18, 2025

It was in the cards for a player at the Venetian last July when he turned a $5 side bet into more than $1 million with the insane hand of a seven-card straight flush.

A gambler at the Venetian turned a $5 side bet into $2.2 million on Sunday after being dealt a 7 card straight flush playing Face Up Pai Gow.

It was the largest Pai Gow Progressive jackpot in the resort’s history, and the second largest in Las Vegas history. pic.twitter.com/BNLgmhy4qr

— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) July 24, 2024

And on Feb. 16, someone hit for 100K on a Resorts Casino slot.

Another BIG win! 💲🎰

Congratulations to our recent guest who hit the jackpot of $100,000 on this Double Double Bonus Poker! pic.twitter.com/dnu106dzFe

— Resorts Casino Hotel (@ResortsCasino) February 17, 2025

The Biggest Slot Wins in Sin City

While the $12 million-plus win on the spin was great, it would only be good for eighth on the all-time list of hits in Las Vegas, per an article from igovegas.com in 2023.

It knocked a $12 million win down to the 10 slot.

The top five are beyond crazy money. Like no one could dream of this kind of spin to win.

The fifth was at the Cannery Casino and Hotel for $21.1 million, fourth was $22.6 million at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino, third was $27.5 million at Palace Station Hotel Casino, and in the second slot was $34.9 million at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

So, how could someone actually hit for more than almost $35 million? In March 2003, a 25-year-old software engineer was playing at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. The person’s reels land on a $39.7 million payoff.