The story of Elmer Sherwin shows that it isn’t impossible to win millions of dollars twice in one place.
When Sherwin and his wife decided to stop in Las Vegas for a visit with family, they were travelling across the country in their mobile home. Sherwin spent $100 a week at the local casinos while they were there. His $100 budget quickly disappeared at the Mirage Hotel and Casino’s grand opening when Sherwin and his wife attended. To try the Megabucks machine just one more time, he asked his wife for twenty more dollars.
Sherwin, 76, won his first $4.6 million jackpot at the Mirage 10 hours after the casino opened. Sherwin’s big win was an important one, but it wouldn’t be his last.
As a result of his first jackpot win, Sherwin said winning it again became his “life’s dream”.
To win the top prize on the Megabucks machine, a dollar slot machine from International Game Technology, players must bet $3 to hit the jackpot. When a jackpot is won, the jackpot resets to $7 million and builds again until a Megabucks symbol is lined up.
Less than one in 10 million people are likely to win the Megabucks grand prize.
But after Sherwin won his first big win, he returned twice a week to the casino for 16 years before hitting his second big jackpot.
On what felt like the millionth time, Sherwin tried his luck at Las Vegas’ Cannery Casino & Hotel’s Megabucks slot machine on September 16th, 2005. His life could truly be changed after winning the $21 million jackpot this time.
The majority of Sherwin’s winnings, however, went to those affected by Hurricane Katrina, as well as sharing with his family in Las Vegas, including his son and daughter-in-law.
His family was shocked when they discovered he had won as he did not tell them. He let them see it on the news instead!