One lucky gambler at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, just northeast of Sacramento, walked in with a $10 bet and walked out with a jaw-dropping $236,313 progressive jackpot on a Buffalo Link slot machine Saturday.
The life-changing hit came on a 10-cent cabinet, meaning the player was using dime-denomination credits and stacked them into a $10 total wager to unlock the progressive bonus that delivered the massive payout.
According to The Sacramento Bee, the casino confirmed the win and quoted Thunder Valley general manager Dawn Clayton, who said, “Every jackpot tells a different story, but there is something especially exciting about seeing a $10.00 wager turn into more than $236,000.” The paper reported that the payday came from a progressive bonus on a Buffalo Link cabinet.
How a dime machine can pay six figures
The resort lists Buffalo Link among its linked progressive titles, where jackpots climb across multiple machines and bet levels. As players feed in credits, the progressive meters tick upward, allowing relatively small denomination games, like 10-cent cabinets, to trigger grand jackpots that land deep into six-figure territory.
It’s hardly a one-off
The casino told reporters it has paid out more than 251,000 jackpots in the past 12 months, which works out to nearly 700 a day, or roughly one every two minutes, according to The Sacramento Bee. With that kind of volume, Thunder Valley has seen a steady stream of six-figure wins at the Lincoln property this year.
More wins this year
This latest score follows other big dime-denomination payouts at the resort, including a $139,422 Memorial Day win that drew attention earlier this year. See Dime Spin, $139K Win for more on that hot streak.
Responsible gaming
For many visitors, the casino is a bit of entertainment and nothing more. For some, though, gambling can become a serious problem. The National Council on Problem Gambling runs a confidential helpline at 1-800-522-4700 and offers additional information and support resources online at the National Council on Problem Gambling.
