Record Megabucks Jackpots Won

4/14/97 - If you were in town over this past weekend trying to win the latest record Megabucks Jackpot, rest assured, someone has! Somewhat after most weekend tourists had headed home discouraged, Suzanne Henley, a 46 year old local woman hit the 45th Megabucks jackpot for a total of $12,510,549.90 not counting a $2,606.98 "secondary" jackpot which she won at the same time. At least it was not the usual "$5, played while they were waiting" affair we've seen in the past. Ms. Henley had played over $100 on the machine before it hit at 1:45 am Monday morning at the New York New York Hotel and Casino. This win comes after another woman reportedly hit the winning Megabucks combination on a machine last week at The Orleans when the accumulating jackpot was around $11 million, but with only a single coin (instead of the three required for "the big one") thus winning only a much smaller jackpot.



1/28/96 Just after setting a new record back in mid-October, Megabucks, the state-wide, progressive, slot, jackpot which had not been hit since being reset to $5 million after the last winner, gave up another record jackpot of $11,968,359.20. According to International Gaming Technology who runs the game, the jackpot was "statistically overdue"!

Mr. & Mrs. John Tippin (ages 50 and 49) of Honolulu, Hawaii, hit the record jackpot around 3:30pm Saturday afternoon, January 27, 1996, at the Las Vegas Hilton. John hit the jackpot after plunking only $9 into the machine and was ready to leave the machine when he lined up the required four Megabucks symbols on the bottom line. Reportedly the previous player had just lost around $200 in the machine before walking away.

The previous record of $10,918,881 was set on the night of October 18, 1995 at the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas. The last jackpot prior to that was won at the Gold Coast as well. The last winner was a 29 year old University of Nevada - Las Vegas college student whose name was never released. Unlike other casino progressives, the Megabucks jackpot is paid in equal annual installments over a period of 25 years.

Mr Tippin, a labor relations specialist for the U.S. Postal Service in Honolulu, received the first of 25 annual payments from IGT in the amount of $479,000. He's not sure yet whether he'll be retiring.



If your Las Vegas hotel, casino, restaurant or establishment has new major construction, public activities (sorry, slot tournaments and bingo night don't count) or other interesting tidbits to offer, send them to us on company letterhead and if we think LVLG readers will be amazed, astounded, or even slightly interested we'll publish it. Make sure to send LOTS of pictures! We love pictures!

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Last Updated: January 28, 1996