Casino Niagara Patron Wins Record Megabucks Jackpot; North Tonawanda Woman Takes Home $5,613,203.Business Editors NIAGARA FALLS Niagara Falls, waterfall, United States and Canada Niagara Falls, in the Niagara River, W N.Y. and S Ont., Canada; one of the most famous spectacles in North America. The falls are on the international line between the cities of Niagara Falls, N.Y. , Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2002 A retired nurse's aide nurse's aide n. A person who assists nurses at a hospital or other medical facility in tasks requiring little or no formal training or education. from North Tonawanda, New York
North Tonawanda is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 33,262 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the creek that once flowed past it. , won the largest slot-machine jackpot in Canadian history at Casino Niagara Casino Niagara is a commercial casino located in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada. It opened in 1996, on the site of the former Maple Leaf Village amusement park. It was originally an interim casino while the new Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort was constructed. today. Doris Wendt, 68, was playing one of Casino Niagara's 45 Megabucks A lot of money! progressive slot machines at around 10:30 a.m. when she made her history-making pull. When the wheels of the machine stopped spinning, she was $5,613,203 richer. Wendt had just sat down at the lucky machine and deposited her first three coins when the lights and buzzers began to go off. While Wendt said she had a feeling she "must have won something," it was a woman playing beside her who gave her the good news. "I always told my friends I would win the big one," said Wendt with a grin. Before today's record-breaking win, the largest jackpot she had ever won was $1,000 on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Wendt worked at North Tonawanda's Degraff Hospital for 34 years before retiring a few years ago. "This Valentine's Day Valentine's Day: see Saint Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day Lovers' holiday celebrated on February 14, the feast day of St. Valentine, one of two 3rd-century Roman martyrs of the same name. St. is a lot better than last year's was," said Wendt. "Last year I was in the hospital for Valentine's Day." Megabucks is a wildly-popular progressive slot machine system created by International Gaming Technology. The machines - known throughout the world for their large top prizes - have been a favorite in Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. casinos since they were introduced in 1986. The Megabucks machines at Casino Niagara are linked to Megabucks machines at Ontario's two other commercial casinos - Casino Windsor Casino Windsor, the largest in Canada, which will be renamed Caesars Windsor in 2008 is a major casino resort in Windsor, Ontario. Owned by the government of the province of Ontario, but operated by Harrah's Entertainment. and Casino Rama. The top prize is immediately reset to $1 million at all three properties whenever the top prize is awarded. Casino Niagara was the site of Ontario's two previous Megabucks winners as well. On Saturday, July 21, 2001, 37-year-old mother of four Maryam Talini of Mississauga won what was then the largest slots jackpot in Ontario history, taking home $1,309,301.20. Just two weeks earlier, on Saturday, July 7, 2001, Grimsby construction company manager Pam Fowler, 37, won more than $1.3 million as Ontario's first ever Megabucks winner. Fowler's win came just 19 days after the machines were installed. "We're thrilled to be the Ontario property to pay out this record-breaking prize," said general manager Jay Meilstrup. "This is the kind of excitement Casino Niagara is fast becoming famous for." The Nevada Megabucks system currently holds the world record for the largest slot machine jackpot ever won. On April 26, 2000, a woman playing a Megabucks machine at the Sheraton Desert Inn in Las Vegas won a whopping $34,955,489.56. The Nevada Megabucks system is connected to Megabucks machines at more than 150 Nevada casinos. Photo available on wire and discoverniagara.com |
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