N.M. woman wins $8 million Megabucks jackpot

Monday, March 8, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.

A New Mexico woman hit the jackpot at a Megabucks machine Sunday.

Beverlee Groves of Albuquerque, who said she had never played Megabucks before, won $8 million at the Palms casino.

Grove received a bank draft for the first of 25 annual installment payments Sunday afternoon.

The 46-year-old real estate escrow officer said she would use the money to help her parents and her daughter, according to International Game Technology, which operates the progressive slot machines.

"I still have goosebumps," Groves said Sunday. "I found a dollar at the airport and said at that time it was a lucky sign. I just never guessed how lucky."

It was the fourth jackpot on the system in the past six months, and the 62nd jackpot on Nevada Megabucks, they said.

Megabucks is a progressive slot machine that is networked with machines in casinos across the state.

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