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Jackpots are what keep players coming back to casinos. That rush when lights flash, reels spin or the bell rings after a side bet hits — it’s thrilling.
In 2025, there have already been several wins that make you stop and think, “That could be me.” Here are some of the biggest so far, along with what to know if you ever get lucky too.
1. Powerball pays $1.787B: Second-biggest lottery win in US history
September will be remembered as the month Powerball lit up the record books once again. Two winning tickets — one sold in Fredericksburg, Texas, and the other in North St. Louis County, Missouri — matched all six numbers to split a jackpot worth $1.787 billion. The winning numbers were 11, 23, 44, 61 and 62, with the red Powerball 17.
Each winner now faces the age-old lottery decision: take the annuity option of $893.5 million paid over 30 years, or grab the cash option of about $410.3 million before taxes. Either way, it ranks as the second-biggest lottery prize in US history, behind only the $2.04 billion California win in 2022.
2. The largest online casino jackpot in US history at DraftKings
March brought a story that sounds almost too good to be true. The biggest US online casino jackpot in history hit earlier this year when an anonymous player in Michigan logged into DraftKings Casino, placed a 20-cent wager on the Irish Pot Luck slot, and watched it grow into $9.28 million.
That’s more than 46 million times the original bet. It’s the kind of story that makes even casual players stop and wonder if today might be their turn.
3. Dinner date turns into $4.1 million Megabucks jackpot
Few slot games carry the legend of Megabucks, and in April, it lived up to its name at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California. A couple from Eastvale stopped in after dinner, spun the reels on Megabucks Mega Vault, and hit a life-changing jackpot: $4,178,889.94.
One spontaneous choice and a few spins later, nearly $4.2 million was theirs.
4. Table games can pay like slots too: Spanish 21
Slots usually steal the spotlight, but this year one of the biggest payouts came from a table game. In July, a player at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, dropped a $5 side bet while playing Spanish 21 in Casino of the Earth. That little wager triggered a Bonus Spin Xtreme jackpot worth $2,018,742.30.
It wasn’t just the casino’s biggest table game win of the year — it ranked among the largest in Mohegan Sun history. Proof that sometimes side bets, though risky, can change everything in a single hand.
5. Small bet, huge payout on blackjack at FireKeepers Casino
At FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, Michigan, the summer closed with a bang. On Sept. 9, 2025, Anthony W. from Indiana placed a $5 Bonus Spin Xtreme side bet during blackjack. The dealer’s cards set off the chain reaction, and suddenly he was holding a win worth $1,376,465.30.
This “must-hit” progressive jackpot is a reminder that even a small extra wager can unlock seven-figure prizes.
6. $1.37 million win on Jumanji-themed slot
Also in Connecticut, a player struck it rich Jan. 14 on the Jumanji-themed slot machine at Mohegan Sun. The win was worth $1.37 million, proving that branded games are more than flashy eye candy — they can also deliver serious payouts.
7. A $3 spin turns into a million-dollar song
Las Vegas joined the jackpot parade April 12, 2025, when a player at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino hit a $1.5 million win on IGT’s Whitney Houston slot. She won the Platinum Progressive jackpot after betting just $3.
8. Mohegan Sun’s winning streak continues
Again at Mohegan Sun, a Connecticut guest sat down at the Squid Game slot machine by Light & Wonder. With just a $10 spin, they walked away with $627,479.43 in March 2025.
Mohegan Sun has been on a hot streak this year, with this win following close on the $2 million Spanish 21 jackpot and a $1.37 million Jumanji slot hit earlier in the year.
9. Vegas guest hits one of the rarest hands with Pai Gow Poker
At The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, another table game made headlines in May 2025. A guest hit a seven-card straight flush in Pai Gow Poker, one of the rarest hands you can land. The payout was $486,000 — $461,351 from the progressive jackpot and a $25,000 Fortune Bonus kicker.
Even better, every other player at the table who placed a Fortune Bonus side bet pocketed $3,000. A jackpot that truly shared the love.
10. Half-million spin at Thunder Valley
On May 3, 2025, a player at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California, proved you don’t need massive bets to win big. They wagered $5 on the Dollar Storm Mega Grand Wild Ninja slot machine and scored a jackpot of $512,872.
11. Big Sunday Jackpots at Hard Rock Bet – ongoing in 2025
Not every big win comes from a land-based casino. Hard Rock Bet in New Jersey has been handing out weekly Big Sunday Jackpots throughout 2025.
One highlight: Allison from Evesham, New Jersey, hit $61,482.14 from a one-cent spin on “Triple Gold Bars” in June. Other winners have turned 10 cents into $53,800, 60 cents into $58,600 and even a penny into more than $70,000.
Player’s takeout
If 2025 has shown us anything, it’s that jackpots come in all shapes and sizes. A few key lessons:
- Side bets can be risky, but sometimes they unlock life-changing jackpots.
- You don’t always need to bet big. Pennies and nickels have delivered six- and seven-figure prizes this year.
- Know your games. Slots, table games and online progressives all work differently. Understanding volatility and payables helps set the right expectations.
- Promotions matter. From Hard Rock Bet’s Sunday jackpots to progressive slots like Megabucks, setups designed to eventually hit are the ones worth chasing.
