Player lands ‘unreal’ jackpot on $5 side bet at Sacramento-area casino

A Sacramento man won $142,327 on a $5 side bet while playing a table game at Sky River Casino.

German Rangel won the life-changing jackpot while playing Bonus Spin Xtreme Triple Diamond Progressive near the end of his visit to the Elk Grove casino on April 11, the casino said in a Friday news release.

“I was trying to process the fact that I hit that amount of money on a five-dollar bet,” Rangel said. “(My) first thought was, ‘What am I going to buy?’ It felt unreal.”

Rangel, a Sky River Rewards member since September 2022 and current Gold Tier member, said he hopes to use his winnings to buy a classic car he has long admired.

“For a Sacramento resident to be just minutes away from Sky River and experience a life changing win that close to home is incredible,” said Michael J. Facenda, president and general manager of Sky River Casino. “I hope German gets the car of his dreams and brings it to the casino, where our valet will welcome his arrival and make sure his new ride is well cared for.”

Rangel said his advice to other players is “don’t give up. Just keep playing, ‘cause your win is coming!”

The casino, which opened in 2022, spans 100,000 square feet with more than 2,500 slot machines and more than 80 table games. It has 18 restaurants and bars.

Owned by the Wilton Rancheria in partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, the casino is located at 1 Sky River Parkway in Elk Grove, about a 15-mile drive southeast from downtown Sacramento.