Woman plays $27, wins $34.9 million

Robert Macy

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000 | 9:08 a.m.

Talk about a great return on your investment.

A Las Vegas woman invested $27 in a Megabucks slot machine Wednesday night, and walked away $34,955,489 richer. It was reported to be a world-record jackpot.

The woman, believed to be in her late 30s, had attended the Bob Anderson show at the Desert Inn and was leaving the property when she decided to try her luck. Desert Inn spokeswoman Caroline Coyle said the woman had invested $27 when the three lucky Megabucks logos lined up and a whistle began to sound.

The woman asked to remain anonymous, but her identity may be revealed at a news conference later today.

She walked away Wednesday night with her first installment of $1,402,188. Megabucks winners are paid over a 25-year period, or can take a lump sum for a lesser amount.

The Megabucks machine is linked to 157 casinos throughout Nevada in a system coordinated by Reno-based International Game Technology.

The jackpot, which requires a play of three $1 coins to win, grows until someone lines up three Megabucks symbols on the payline.

"She was not playing for a long time when she hit it, it was a very short time," Coyle said. "She's played at other locations in the past, and said she would always play small amounts."

The casino set up the winner in one of its top suites and offered her champagne and caviar, Coyle said.

The previous world record payoff was a $27.5 million hit on Nov. 15, 1998, at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. In June, 1999, an Illinois man won $21.3 million playing Megabucks at Caesars Palace.