A New Jersey woman hit the jackpot after her first spin at a casino on Saturday, raking in millions from a measly $10. The unnamed gambler from Hawthorne was playing the Wheel of Fortune Double. When choosing where to do your slot gambling, you may want to keep in mind the following slot payback percentages for Nevada's fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and ending June 30, 2019: 1¢ Slot Machines The Strip - 88.33% Downtown - 88.96% Boulder Strip - 90.53% N. Las Vegas - 90.79%. 5¢ Slot Machines The Strip - 91.96% Downtown - 93.32%.
It's important to note, however, that as on many penny slots, all the individual spins (without a bonus) pay out in relative terms. So if you were to win $3 on a $2 bet, you would win $6 on a $4 bet with that same combination of symbols and $9 on a $6 bet. So the big benefit to betting $6 only comes if you're fortunate enough to get the bonus.
Atlantic City is loosening up this year.
That's according to a jackpot report from the state Division of Gaming Enforcement, in which the DGE says that the Atlantic City casino jackpot totals through Aug. 18 surpassed the annual totals reported in 2017, 2016, and 2015: $21.9 million.
The big numbers come with a caveat, though. Jackpots of $50,000 are counted in this year's total, whereas only jackpots of $75,000 or more were used in the previous three years.
Casinos continue to churn out $100K+ jackpots
During the past eight months, land-based and online jackpots provided 78 jackpots of $100,000 or more. Here is a breakdown of those jackpots:
The big numbers come with a caveat, though. Jackpots of $50,000 are counted in this year's total, whereas only jackpots of $75,000 or more were used in the previous three years.
Casinos continue to churn out $100K+ jackpots
During the past eight months, land-based and online jackpots provided 78 jackpots of $100,000 or more. Here is a breakdown of those jackpots:
- $1 million and up: 1
- $500,000 and up: 1
- $250,000 and up: 4
- $100,000 and up: 72
The biggest win of the year so far came at Harrah's on July 6. A lucky gambler won $1,672,498.68 playing Wheel of Fortune Pink Diamond.
More than a month earlier, someone won $687,785.53 a playing Gods of Gold on HarrahsCasino.com.
Big Slot Wins In Atlantic City 2018 Schedule
The next two biggest jackpots were a $498,427.86 on Willy Wonka at Bally Park Place and a $400,000 win on Double Top Dollar at Resorts.
As far as $100,000 jackpots or higher go, here is the breakdown of how the Atlantic City casino jackpots were distributed month by month:
- January: 12
- February: 5
- March: 11
- April: 10
- May: 13
- June: 9
- July: 12
- August: 6
Is the lower reporting requirement skewing numbers?
The fact that the DGE has lowered the jackpot reporting limit to $50,000 certainly has an effect on how many jackpots casinos report. But is it enough to inflate numbers to the point that, without those numbers, 2018 would be an average year?
According to the official numbers from the DGE, there is around $6.5 million worth of jackpots of between $50,000.99 and $74,999.99 that would not have been reported in the three years prior to 2018.
The Press of Atlantic Cityreported that the previous three years' jackpot numbers were as follows:
- 2017: $20.2 million
- 2016: $21.96 million
- 2015: $20.89 million
When you subtract the sub-$75K jackpots from the year-to-date totals, the resulting number is around $14.9 million.
In other words, without the sub-$75K jackpots, casinos are averaging around $2 million a month, which would put the yearly projected total at $24 million.
Hard Rock and Ocean Resort are in the mix
At $24 million without the sub-$75K jackpots, Atlantic City would still experience the highest total of jackpot payouts in the past four years.
That number may go even higher before the year's end considering that Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Resort only have one jackpot of more than $50K since their opening in June.
Big Slot Wins In Atlantic City 2018 Results
If the two casinos start producing more $50K jackpots before the end of the year, it's possible that the year-end total could eclipse $25 million.
Other notes about Atlantic City casino jackpots
A review of the DGE's jackpot reports reveals some pretty interesting bits of metadata.
For example, there were three jackpots won on July 10, all of which happened at NJ gambling sites.
On April 18, Golden Nugget surrendered five jackpots and PlaySugarHouse.com gave up one.
Big Slot Wins In Atlantic City 2018 Calendar
The day with the most jackpots so far this year is June 30, upon which eight jackpots laid bare their riches to hopeful gamblers.
