Lucky Marine Turns a Penny Slot Into $2.8 Million Win
Cpl. Alexander Degenhardt learned he was accepted as a bone marrow donor to an anonymous patient just days before hitting a $2.8 million progressive slot machine back on February 19 at the Bellagio.
The US Marine told the Las Vegas Sun: ““They asked me if I was sure I wanted to go through with it, because it’s kind of painful, but what’s a little pain if it will save someone’s life?”
He admits the good karma may have paid off.
The $2.8 million win was the second biggest ever for slot manufacturer, Bally, which last week revealed it had applied for a license to operate online poker sites and/or partner with virtual card rooms from the state of Nevada.
The 26-year-old, who is stationed at nearby Nellis Air Force Base, hit the $2,882,808.32 score about 7 p.m. that Sunday on the Money Vault Millionaires Seven slot.
“Dude, what just happened?” Degenhardt remembers asking his friend.
“You just won,” the buddy told him.
“Cool,” Degenhardt said.
He was stunned.
“It’s something you always want to happen, but when it does happen you don’t believe it,” he said.
Degenhardt will receive about $100,000 a year over 20 years. He said he plans to first help his sister, who is pregnant, and his mother catch up on bills.
He’ll still be shopping at thrift shops and driving an old jalopy that has more than 250,000 miles on it, Degenhardt told The Sun.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
