Marcelo Loyola had a bittersweet moment at Toronto’s Casino Woodbine this month when he won a jackpot of $3.2M on the very slot his recently deceased girlfriend used to love playing. Upon entering the complex, the Toronto contractor was met with a flood of memories of the times he and his partner had spent there. On April 5, three days after his 50th birthday, his girlfriend had tragically passed away. He felt her spirit that day, so he decided to try out the slots, despite usually sticking to table games. As he was exploring different machines, he spotted her favorite slot and remembered her pressing a button during the spin to try and hit the jackpot. He decided to give it a shot and, to his surprise, the three ‘Jackpot’ icons appeared, signaling his big win.
The other players and casino workers were aware of his story, offering both their condolences and congratulations. Marcelo was pleased with his winnings and plans on using some of the money to purchase a new house for his parents and take his brother on a holiday in British Columbia. He wishes his girlfriend could have been alive to share in the celebration and, in many ways, he feels that she was with him on the day.
The same week had other notable wins, such as ‘Brian’ who won $717,634.90 at Las Vegas’ South Point Hotel Casino & Spa on a Wheel of Fortune slot from International Game Technology (IGT). Christian Short of Aliquippa, PA also won $158,505 at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino whilst playing Three Card Poker. He intends to use some of the money to fund a family vacation, with the remainder being invested.
