Las Vegas Megabucks
Las Vegas Megabucks
Las Vegas Hilton: $ 11,967,142.00: 10/18/95: Gold Coast: $ 10,918,895.00: TOP Here are just some of the location you can find Megabucks in Las Vegas and the. Kevin, a part-time Las Vegas resident will have a very Merry Christmas after hitting the $15.5 million Megabucks jackpot at the Suncoast on Thursday. A $40 investment at 12:30 p.m. Suncoast is a locals casino owned by Boyd Gaming, about 15 minutes west of the Las Vegas Strip. Suncoast rents that sky just to make our photos look better. Apparently, Kevin (a part-time Vegas resident, who also lives in Alaska) put $40 in the lucky Megabucks machine before his big win. It'll be a merry Christmas for one Suncoast guest! Boyd Gaming announced Christmas Eve that one part-time Las Vegas resident hit a $15,493,103 jackpot on a Megabucks machine, the biggest in the. A Las Vegas visitor has won a Megabucks jackpot valued at about $11.8 million. LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL August 11, 2017 - 11:02 am Updated August 11, 2017 - 11:20 am.
Megabucks is a Nevada state-wide slot jackpot network that is owned and run by the slot machine company, International Game Technology (IGT). Considered Nevada’s state lottery, Megabucks is extremely popular and has created quite a few millionaires in its 19-year history.
Thanks to a wonderful marketing strategy, Megabucks continues to ignite a firestorm every time the jackpot reaches ‘megabuck’ status. It is also a slot machine that generates a ridiculous amount of gossip and urban legend circulating on the game and its winners.
However, if you look at the real truth behind IGT’s Megabucks, even with all the myths and legends dispelled, it will become apparent that this progressive slot is a poor place to spend your money.
How Does Megabucks Work?
IGT’s Megabucks is a dollar coin slot machine that requires 3 coins or $3.00 to hit the jackpot. The jackpot is reset to a predetermined amount after every mega win. While the present reset amount is $10-million, there is chatter that this will be increasing to $11-million.
Megabucks is part of the company’s MegaJackpot slot system that connects about 750 machines in 136 Nevada casinos to one primary jackpot that builds from the base jackpot amount. International Game Technology owns the Megabucks machines and the casino gets a cut of the money that each machine wins from the players. It is common knowledge that IGT created Megabucks to compete with state lotteries.
Where Can You Play Megabucks?
Nevada is the true home of Megabucks and is found in nearly all of the casinos on the strip. Unlike multi-state lotteries, this game does not cross state lines. IGT runs Megabucks jackpots in the states of California, New Jersey and Mississippi, as well as some Indian reservations.
I’ve had the opportunity to throw a few dollars in the Megabucks ring on a trip to Mississippi. I noticed the jackpot was much lower than I have seen in Las Vegas and while I did feel like, by some magic formula, my odds were better because the stakes were lower I did not win.
However, these don’t include as many venues as the Nevada edition and their jackpots are usually only a fraction of the original. Each state that offers Megabucks has a separate jackpot system with individual meters and winners. If a jackpot is won in one state, it does not affect the progressive jackpot in another.
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Each Megabucks machine has its own random number and hence chooses its own outcomes. These outcomes are then reported to a central location. When the jackpot is hit on one machine, the central station sends out a message to the other machines, resetting their respective meters.
How About the Odds of Winning Megabucks?
Statistics about the true odds of winning the Megabucks jackpot remain sketchy at best.
It is certainly understandable why the betting for the Megabucks sometimes reaches chaotic proportions and has people crossing over the state line just to have a shot at winning so many millions.
But do winners really receive what the games advertise? Let’s take the example of a $35-million win. Initially, for that amount of money, winners get a check of $1.4 million. They then have between sixty and ninety days to decide whether they want to take their money in annual installments over twenty-five years or a lump sum of 60% of the money.
For a $35-million win, that would result in $21-million before taxes. Obviously, most winners choose the former and take the lump sum payment.
Whichever option the winner chooses, he or she still needs to take into account the taxes payable to the IRS. They are subject to the maximum tax rate of nearly 40%, with state taxes also needing to be taken into account. When all is said and done, the prize money dwindles somewhat miserably after Uncle Sam takes a bite.
Of course, nobody has ever refused the money all together & taken $0. So, I suppose most people wouldn’t scoff at $14 million or so.
Megabucks Curse
No slot machine in the history of the world has had close to as many urban legends, myths and stories surrounding the game of Megabucks.
Typically, these legends center around the unfortunate fate of Megabucks winners, which leads the masses to believe that winning the multi-million dollar jackpot will result in an ultimately unlucky death. While pretty much all of these stories have proven to be fabricated, Megabucks still has the obstinate reputation of being cursed.
Many believe that the genesis of the rumors hanging over Megabucks is based on the truly tragic story of a 37 year-old cocktail waitress named Cynthia Jay-Brennan. In 2000, Jay-Brennan, was the lucky winner of a $34.9-million Megabucks jackpot, played in the Desert Inn Casino in Vegas.
Less than 2 months after her win, Jay-Brennan was surprisingly involved in a car crash. Her sister was killed instantly and poor Cynthia, herself, was left a quadriplegic. The driver of the car that hit the pair was under the influence of alcohol and was eventually tried and sentenced to 28 years; however, this did not stop rumors flying that Megabucks was a cursed game to win.
The fact is that Jay-Brennan’s accident was not the first of these rumors, as they circulated well before the year 2000. However, since this event, stories continuously surface regarding the tragic fate of every winner of the latest Megajackpot win.
When another young man hit the jackpot in 2003, rumors spread like a virus of his untimely ‘death’ through various ends, including a fatal drug overdose in a casino hotel and in a gang fight as far away as Los Angeles. All these stories have, thus far, proven to be false and while the winner chose to remain anonymous, IGT has assured the public time and time again that the lucky young man is alive and well, and enjoying his new found wealth.
To date, none of these stories have come up as anything other than tall tales.
A rumor, which has not yet been dispelled, is one regarding the change in the Megabucks programming system. Some claim that IGT changed the programming of the system to make the jackpot hit less frequently but for more money. While IGT claims that they did not do anything of the sort, there are many experts in the gambling field who feel that some sort of change was made in the past.
Finally, a minor rumor that can be dispelled is one that says that the central station to which each jackpot machine reports chooses the winner. IGT assures its gambling public that each machine has its own RNG and thus every machine chooses its own outcome.
Conclusion
So, while you now understand that most stories flying around the industry regarding the curse of Megabucks are false, I cannot ignore the fact that this is simply a bad slot game to play for 2 reasons.
How Is Megabucks Paid Out
First is the house “hold”. Megabucks holds between 10% – 15% of every dollar played. Many slot machines in Nevada hold as little as 2% or 3%. The second reason that makes Megabucks a terrible play for the serious gambler is that you only receive 60% of your jackpot. There are many other progressive slots in your casino that pay big jackpots, but give you the whole thing.
When we strip Megabucks from all the pomp and glam that surrounds it, we find a middle of the road progressive slot game that doesn’t give you much for your money. And even if you do get incredibly lucky and win, you don’t exactly get the flashy numbers promised to you. Instead you will have to settle for a sum that is much more modest in nature, paid off to you over a period of 25 years. Final conclusion? Megabucks is not a mega hit. In fact, there are lots more fish in the proverbial gambling sea.
Jay-Brennan was a kind-spirited cocktail waitress in Las Vegas that was eager
to pick up extra shifts at her job so that she could save up enough money for
her wedding. She lived in a one-bedroom apartment and lived a very modest
lifestyle. All that changed in the blink of an eye when she won nearly $35
million from a Megabucks slot machine back in 2000.
While winning money can be a huge blessing, it certainly does not solve all
your problems. A tragic incident just weeks after Jay-Brennan’s big win would
leave her paralyzed from the chest down. Specialists have told her that no
amount of money will be able to help her walk again. To learn more about the ups
and downs of Cynthia Jay-Brennan’s life, feel free to continue reading this
exclusive biography.
Before Her Win
Cynthia Jay-Brennan was born in Sacramento, California, to a large family.
She had 5 sisters and 3 brothers, all of which she was very close with. She also
had a good relationship with her mother and father, who worked hard to support
the family. They never had a lot of money growing up and couldn’t afford
luxuries like family vacations or expensive toys, but they always made the most
out of what they did have.
Jay-Brennan’s fondest childhood memories are of time spent on Christmas
morning, watching White Christmas together as a family. After the movie was
over, they would each open their one Christmas gift, which was often something
hand-made by their mother. She often looks back on those moments and smiles; she
never felt like she was missing out because of a lack of presents. She just
enjoyed the time she got to spend with her family.
While still in high school, Jay-Brennan got her first job as a waitress at a
local diner. She worked evenings and weekends, giving the majority of her wages
and tips to her parents so that they could pay their bills. She was thankful for
everything her parents had done for her over the years and had no problem
helping them out.
Early on, she had dreams of going to college to pursue a career in
photography. Those dreams were crushed when reality sunk in; there was no way
she was going to be able to afford tuition. Even community college would be too
expensive for her. She decided to move to Las Vegas and work as a cocktail
waitress so that she could save up enough money for college.
Las Vegas Megabucks 2019
She started working for the Monte Carlo casino and was able to make a decent
amount of money. While working there, she met her future husband: Terry Brennan.
It wasn’t long before the two started dating and eventually moved in together.
Jay-Brennan’s desire to go to college was soon replaced by a desire to get
married. She often picked up extra shifts at the casino so that she could start
putting away some money for their wedding. This meant she would be working for
nearly 20 hours straight several nights a week.
Win of a Lifetime
Jay-Brennan hardly ever gambled, but she would occasionally try her luck out
at the slot machines. On January 26th, 2000, she headed over to the Desert Inn
Hotel and Casino to celebrate her boyfriend’s mother’s birthday. They enjoyed a
delicious meal together and were ready to go home when Jay-Brennan had a sudden
urge to play the slots.
Since they hadn’t played in a while, her boyfriend happily agreed to join
her. She made him promise not to let her spend over $100. Any time she went to a
casino, she always set a budget for herself. She had seen too many people over
the years that were obsessed with playing the slots, spending their entire
paychecks every time they gambled.
She headed over to the Megabucks machine, as its jackpot was at an all-time
high. She put in $21, betting $3 per spin. That money was gone quickly, making
Jay-Brennan wonder if she should move on to a different machine. She decided to
stick it out, limiting herself to just 2 more spins. On her second-to-last spin,
she got absolutely no matching symbols.
Now, it was time for her final spin. Almost as if in slow motion, the
Megabucks symbols appeared one by one; 3 flashing symbols covered the machine,
signaling that she had won the jackpot. Jay-Brennan stared at the machine in
awe. She had just won a little under $35 million and was flooded with all sorts
of emotions. Her boyfriend came over, and the two started jumping up and down
for joy. Soon casino officials would be over to congratulate her on the win.
After Her Win
Despite winning a life-changing amount of money, she still showed up to work
the next morning. She didn’t want the Monte Carlo casino to be understaffed, so
she gave them her two-week notice and said she would be willing to train her new
replacement. Her co-workers were sad to see her go, as she was a pleasure to
work with.
The next four weeks would fly by. Old friends and classmates from high school
started contacting her; they wanted to borrow money. Since Jay-Brennan
understood what it was like to struggle financially, she agreed to have lunch
with everyone who called her and gave money to just about everyone she met with.
In the midst of all these lunch dates, she was also busy planning her wedding.
Wanting to get married quickly, they had a small ceremony and only invited
immediate family members and close friends. Jay-Brennan wore a beautiful ball
gown wedding dress and served filet mignon and lobster to each one of their
guests. She was happy to finally be able to afford such luxuries. After the
wedding, the couple headed off to Fiji for their two-week honeymoon: another
luxury they never would have been able to afford prior to winning the Megabucks
jackpot.
When they returned, they met with an attorney so that they could establish a
will and set up trust funds for each one of their family members. In addition to
the trust funds, they also agreed to pay off any of their family members’
accumulated debts, from mortgages to car loans. They didn’t want anyone in their
family to have to suffer financially anymore.
Once that was taken care of, they started planning their future together.
They wanted to build their first house just off the Las Vegas Strip. It would be
a two-story home with six bedrooms, a large balcony that wrapped around the
entire house, and an in-ground pool in the back yard. They would spend a couple
years traveling before officially settling down and starting a family. They were
hoping to have 3 children.
They seemed to have their whole life planned out. As most of us have learned
through experience, though, most things in life don’t go as planned.
Devastating Accident
Jay-Brennan invited her family to come out to Las Vegas for a visit. Her
mother, 4 of her sisters, and 1 of her brothers were able to make it. Once they
arrived, she gave them the grand tour of Las Vegas, as it was their first time
in the city. They ended the evening by going to the Boulder Station Hotel and
Casino for dinner and a show. Not wanting the fun to end, they decided to head
down to one last casino that was just a couple miles up the road.
Jay-Brennan and her sister, Lela, rode separately from the rest of the
family. While stopped at a red light just 2 blocks from their destination, they
were rear-ended by a drunk driver. The impact caused Lela’s neck to snap
forward, causing her to die on the spot. Jay-Brennan, on the other hand, was
rushed to the hospital.
She was unconscious for several days before she finally woke up. She was very
disoriented and was unable to recall the majority of the events that took place
that evening. She bawled as the doctors told her that the fifth vertebrae in her
spine had been shattered, meaning she would never be able to walk again. She is
now paralyzed from the chest down, so children are out of the question, too.
Thanks to intense physical therapy, Jay-Brennan has been able to regain some
strength in her arms. She is thankful for the money she won, as it allows her to
pay her medical bills. However, she said that she would happily give it all back
if it meant that her sister was alive again and that she would be able to walk
again.
Giving Back to Those in Need
Jay-Brennan chose not to stay bitter about her new wheelchair-bound life.
Instead, she looks for ways she can give back to others who have suffered from
similar accidents. With the help of the Free Wheelchair Mission, Jay-Brennan has
donated over 1,000 wheelchairs to disabled patients who otherwise would not be
able to afford them.
She also donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the MADD
(Mothers Against Drunk Driving) foundation in hopes of preventing the number of
drunk drivers on the road. She has even visited several high schools across
Nevada, sharing her story and warning students about the dangers of drunk
driving. She always donates a portion of her Megabucks winnings to the schools
she speaks at, so they can establish their own SADD (Students Against Drunk
Driving) clubs.
Las Vegas Megabucks