Casino news source: Times-Herald - http://www.timesheraldonline.com
Vallejo man wins $231,804 jackpot
By RACHEL RASKIN-ZRIHEN/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 08/21/2007 07:16:00 AM PDT
JOHN WENDLER and Judy Shaw of Vallejo celebrate his $231,804 jackpot at Cache Creek Casino Resort. (Courtesy photo)
John Wendler and Judy Shaw of Vallejo walked into the Cache Creek Casino Resort for breakfast and walked out with more than $200,000, casino officials said Monday.
Wendler on Sunday became the casino's first Super Cache Fever jackpot winner, with a $231,804 bonanza, said casino operations manager Oliver Shoemaker. He was given a $225,000 check on the spot, Shoemaker said, and the rest of his winnings will be paid out later.
"When one of those machines goes off, it triggers our PA system to announce a winner, and it was quite a surprise to hear that at 8 o'clock in the morning," Shoemaker said.
No one was more surprised than Wendler, who thought the slot machine's sudden silence was a bad sign, Shaw said.
"I was right there, and the machine stopped and he said, 'My machine broke, but the ticker tape says to please wait for verification,' " Shaw said. "I looked at the tape and the other machines' tapes, and his was the only one that said that. I said, 'I think you won,' and we both said, 'No way!'"
Wendler, 55, hit a Super Cache Fever quarter slot machine during what Shoemaker called a limited-time promotion that began July 23.
The idea has proved so popular, casino officials have yet to set an end date for the
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promotion, he said.
The Vallejo couple said in a prepared statement they often visit the casino for their usual Sunday morning outing, but that was the only thing typical about this week's visit.
Wendler and Shaw enjoy going out for breakfast on Sundays, and this week the choice was between Berkeley or Cache Creek, said Shaw, Wendler's girlfriend of three years. She chose the casino.
"It was like winning $7 million. It was enough to pay off his mortgage, which is what he did," Shaw said.
And where the money is coming from for Shaw's planned Jamaican cruise is no longer a question, she said.
"He's a serious, kind, generous, honorable man," Shaw said of the Marin Mazda auto technician, who has no plans to quit working.
"It's still overwhelming," Shaw said. "We still can't believe it." |
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