Treasure in Florida

If pirates of old time could find out about the high payout in Florida’s casinos today, they would feel very jyped. After spending years and years in search of treasure, which probably was only worth a few thousand back then, hearing about the million dollar payout that a Margate woman won these days would likely crush their spirits a bit.

Now that slot machines are legal in Florida, thanks to Governor Charlie Crist, casinos have been cropping up in quite a few places, especially those owned by Native American tribes. Paulette Mills went to one of those the other day, the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino and sat down at one of her favorite slot machines. She played the maximum bet so that she would qualify for a major win, which she frequently did, just for fun.

However this day was different. When she got up and left the casino that night, that slot machine had made her exactly $1,114,815 richer. Not only did that win change her life, but it also marked a big first in the history of the state’s slot machines. It was the highest win ever to be paid out from a slot machine, and it was the very first million dollar and over win.

The machine she was playing was a nickel slot, and it happens to be linked to all of the tribes other casinos, so the jackpot built up pretty quickly, and in a very nice fashion indeed.

Her luck must have run in the family, since her father also won $7,000 at another casino in the span of a week. It looks like they must have inherited some of ye olde pirate treasure.

Back to July 2008 Archive.