Advanced Forum Search -- Advanced Casino Search

Vegas slot pays off big for local man
Message was posted: 08:32 Dec 30th, 2006

User: pokerbaby14 Rank: Moderator Casino Gold: 53493CG Contributor rating: 118840 Status: Offline Check out the latest television talk at Media Village

Casino news source: Wilmington Star - http://www.wilmingtonstar.com Vegas slot pays off big for local man Brief vacation proves life-changing By Mark Schreiner Raleigh Bureau Chief mark.schreiner@starnewsonline.com When the wheel of fortune stopped turning Thursday, it made 55-year-old Joe Jenkins, a longshoreman from Wilmington, a millionaire. Jenkins - who had only wanted a short Las Vegas holiday to take his mind off the recent death of his mother - won $5.5 million. He had spent about $20 at a Wheel of Fortune slot machine at Caesar's Palace casino when the machine's lights and sirens went off. "I was in shock. I was dazed," Jenkins said Friday in a telephone interview. "I didn't think it could ever happen to me. I was just in a dream world." After casino officials verified the win, which was on a super-jackpot machine linked to similar slots in other casinos, Jenkins posed for photos and received an oversized, novelty check. After verification, Jenkins received the first of his 20 annual checks for $278,714.49, according to the casino. On Friday morning, Jenkins said the life-changing significance of the win "hadn't sunk in yet." So far, he plans to pay off debts and be good to his friends, Jenkins said. "I expect I'll have many friends knocking on my door," he said. Jenkins went to Las Vegas to spend the last few days of the year with Carol McDuffie-Harris, a registered nurse and former Wilmington resident who now lives in Nevada. Her husband had recently died, and McDuffie-Harris suggested that spending time together between Christmas and New Year's in Vegas would make the holidays more festive for both of them. "I invited him to come, but he wasn't going to come. Then I insisted," McDuffie-Harris said. "I'm very glad he came. He was very blessed." While substantial, Jenkins' win was not record-setting. Progressive slots, which link multiple machines, produce huge jackpots. A world record $39.7 million was won on a Las Vegas progressive slot machine in 2003. Jenkins' win would place 11th on the all-time list posted Friday on the Web site of progressive slot machine system operator IGT.