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Gambler hits slot machine jackpot with 88-cent bet at Florida casino. ‘Holy cow!’

File photo of slot machines. A gambler bet some change and won a big prize at a Florida casino.
File photo of slot machines. A gambler bet some change and won a big prize at a Florida casino. Lee Thomas via Unsplash

A gambler got lucky at a slot machine in southwestern Florida with just an 88-cent bet.

The visitor sat at a Dancing Drums slot machine at the Seminole Casino Hotel in Immokalee, the casino said in a Jan. 29 Facebook post.

The player bet 88 cents, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen until a jackpot message appeared.

The casino said the gambler won $18,661.45.

“Wow on an $0.88 bet….i can’t wait for mine….congratulations,” one person commented on Facebook.

“Wow .. congrats. Wish that would happen to me!!” another person wrote.

“Holy cow! That’s the best one yet,” someone else said.

A couple of other gamblers have also won big prizes at the casino.

One player went to a Tree of Wealth slot machine, bet $52.80 and won $212,640.60 on Jan. 16, McClatchy News reported.

That same day, a second gambler sat at a Buffalo Link slot machine and won $165,800.

Immokalee is an unincorporated community in Collier County. It’s about a 35-mile drive southeast from Fort Myers.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Gambler hits slot machine jackpot with 88-cent bet at Florida casino. ‘Holy cow!’."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
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