Page 9 - March 2004 • Southern California Gaming Guide

JACKPOT
BIG
WINNERS!
What’s Luck Got to Do With it?...Everything!
by Billie Lee Bartell
I t was Saturday, 5:00 a.m., a few days after Christmas and San Diegan Richard and his girlfriend were at Sycuan Casino & Resort. ey had been heading to a restaurant for an early breakfast, when Richard’s girlfriend said she wanted to go to Sycuan. She was feeling lucky that day. Good-
natured Richard complied. Sycuan was the only casino the Southwestern Community College student ever visited. An occasional slot player, he had even won a few hundred dollars there on a
Wheel of Fortune® MegaJackpotsTM 25-cent reel-spinner.
New Santa Ana Millionaire! Lucky Enrique won the seventh largest MegaJackpotsTM award in California, totaling $1,660,984.51 on a $1 Wheel of Fortune® slot at San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino. He said, “I originally thought I had won $6,000, but when someone told me it was $1.6 million, I nearly fell out of my chair.”
Biggest Jackpot Winner! Alvenia from Panorama City won a record $5,537,958 on a $1 Wheel of Fortune® MegaJackpotsTM at Fantasy Springs Casino. The teacher’s aide and a hospital nutritionist was visiting the casino on one of her twice-a-month bus trips with her parents.
After about forty minutes of playing di erent 25-cent slots, Richard saw an empty seat at his favorite Wheel of Fortune machine — the one he had won on a month or so before. He had $7.00 left to play. He sat down at the reel-spinner, put in his bills, and began to play. On the third push of the spin button, he saw the rst
“Wheel” symbol pop up, (ching!) then the second one (ching — again!). And in that split-second he said he hoped for “something good”— never dreaming that the third would pop into place. And “ka-ching!” Before he could say “Holy Birdie!” (as he was quoted, but we understand his expression was far more colorful), the Emergency Medical Technician (emt) student had hit a jackpot of $486,512.48!
Awesome Anniversary! On a Sunday visit to Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort, Vance from Los Angeles celebrated his third wedding anniversary and new found fortune with a $670,353 MegaJackpotsTM award on a nickel Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous® slot.
Richard says his life hasn’t really changed that much. He still works part-time as a computer specialist and is still in school. He bought a new Honda Civic, and gave his girlfriend a diamond ring. And he’s planning to become a Certi ed Emergency Nurse after his emt training. He said the jackpot may help to eventually start an emt business in the Philippines where his mother lives. “ e money is now invested,” he said. Will he still go to casinos? “I’ll still go to Sycuan once in while, but not any more than I did before.” Richard smiles on our cover with his big check.
Imagine winning a big jackpot at a casino! Imagine having your life changed forever because of a big casino jackpot win! is article is all about Southern California
Best Birthday Present! Shelley of Carlsbad received the best birthday gift ever when she went to Pala Casino. The mother of five sat down at a Wheel of Fortune® video nickel slot, slid $20 into the machine and hit the $171,728 MegaJackpotsTM award!
March 2004 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE Page 9