Gambler bets $3 on slot machine — then wins ‘monster-sized’ prize at California casino

One gambler walked out of a Central California casino with a “monster-sized” jackpot.

The player was at the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino on Feb. 1 in Coarsegold, the casino said in a Feb. 6 news release.

The gambler sat at a Light & Wonder “Frankenstein” slot machine, bet $3 and hit spin.

Then the symbols flashed across the screen until a massive jackpot message appeared saying the player had won $771,668.89, a video posted by the casino shows.

“My husband and I were there when she won this.......it was unbelievable....I’ve never seen such a big pay out,” one person commented on the casino’s Facebook post.

“Never see this,” another person commented.

Coarsegold is about a 40-mile drive north from Fresno.

This story was originally published February 10, 2025 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Gambler bets $3 on slot machine — then wins ‘monster-sized’ prize at California casino."

Helena Wegner

McClatchy DC

Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.