$28 million payoff just a pull away

Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2000 | 11:05 a.m.

The world record pay off was $27.58 million hit on Nov. 15, 1998, at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Megabucks slipped past that about noon on New Year's Day.

Nevada has 157 casinos with Megabucks, a statewide system coordinated by Reno-based International Game Technology.

Holiday play at more than 700 Megabucks slot machines statewide helped set the record level, said Rick Sorensen, supervisor of public relations for IGT.

"When it hits $12 million or $13 million, it picks up," Sorensen said. "But when it gets this high, it really zooms."

The last major payout was $21.35 million, hit just seven months ago in Las Vegas.

Jaime Ahumadh of Roseville, Calif., won a $540 jackpot on Megabucks Monday at Harrah's Reno. Ahumadh saw that the jackpot topped $28 million, but said he doesn't expect to win it.

He'll usually wager about $20.

"If you're going to play it, don't put a coin in. Don't put two coins in. Put in three coins or play another game," Sorensen said. "That would not be the way to start the year 2000."

While smaller jackpots are paid on any bet, it takes three dollar tokens for the big payout.

The main Megabucks jackpot has been hit 48 times, paying off more than $267 million.

Top winners can be paid off over 25 years or can get approximately 60 percent of the money up front as a lump sum payout, Sorensen said.