A gambler visiting Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas, months after President Donald Trump visited the same location in January, hit the win of a lifetime after wagering just $2 on a slot machine.
The player, identified only as James, was playing a Dollar Storm slot machine when the screen flashed a jackpot message announcing a win of $1,016,145.14. The casino shared news of the jackpot in a public post on Mar. 22.
According to the casino, the fortunate customer initiated the spin with a $2 bet, and as the reels stopped, the game triggered the progressive jackpot. The win was part of the Dollar Storm slot series, known for its link to progressive jackpot networks, which pool a portion of bets to offer large payouts. Social media users met the post with hundreds of reactions, some claiming they were near the winner when he hit the jackpot.
This win is one of several notable high-dollar payouts in recent months at land-based casinos across Nevada and New Jersey. In Las Vegas, The Venetian Resort also recorded a pair of major wins over the same weekend. One guest, playing a Dragon Link slot machine in the high-limit gaming lounge, hit a grand jackpot worth $1,215,998.
A different gambler in Vegas also scored a significant win on the same slot earlier this year, though the payout was smaller. In January, a player landed the Dollar Storm Progressive Super Grand Jackpot at Rampart Casino, collecting $104,378, according to a casino representative.
Circa proves lucky for gamblers
Circa is getting used to producing winners. In a separate incident at the property, another guest secured a $707,096 payout by landing a club royal flush in Ultimate Texas Hold'em. The customer won with a $5 side bet in addition to the regular game wager, activating a progressive jackpot feature.
Elsewhere, in Aug. 2024, a player at an online platform affiliated with a New Jersey land-based casino made history by securing the largest U.S. online casino jackpot on record. The win was on a Fruit Blaster slot game and totaled $6.5 million.
The platform is linked to Atlantic City's regulated gaming market, allowing integrated digital and physical casino experiences. The jackpot was part of a progressive network that operates similarly to land-based versions, building a growing prize pool until a user achieves a rare combination.
In another vast casino payout, a guest at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut won over $1.3 million through a blackjack side bet. The win came from the Super 4 Progressive side wager, resulting in a payout when the player's hand of ace, king, queen, and jack of diamonds aligned with the dealer's blackjack. This rare occurrence triggered the top progressive prize for that table game variant.
