Winning Tales

14 July 2004

By Gayle Mitchell

If you are looking for the true 'dream makers' in the casino, that award goes to the ever-increasing progressive jackpots. I have compiled some of these Winning Tales for you to dream on.

Pinch Yourself
Steve Gibson of Camino, CA is still in disbelief over the fact that he's an instant millionaire. He hit a Wheel of Fortune quarters MegaJackpot for $2,621,685 at the Pinion Plaza Casino in Carson City, NV.

Gibson said he always plays the Wheel of Fortune game, and that he put $20 in the machine, played for a while, then put in another $20 and it hit. "I had a really strong feeling that I was going to win big. I just knew it," said Gibson, who was in town to visit with his brother in-law. "I tried my luck for a while at the table games and then came over to play Wheel of Fortune with my wife. I had to wait a few minutes until the man playing the machine next to her got up and left.

When it hit, the bell started ringing and I looked up at the meter and thought I won $4,600, but then I looked again and almost had a stroke. I couldn't believe it."

The facilities manager stated that he won't leave his job because he enjoys what he does and he wouldn't know what to do with himself if he didn't go to work. He did say his wife Candice, probably would not work as much.

Lucky Sevens Again
Caspar J. Guida of Brooklyn, NY won $1,161,019 on a Millionaire 777's progressive Slot machine at Trump Marina Hotel Casino in Atlantic City.

A big fan of this slot, Mr. Guida becomes the second person to hit the top Millionaire 777 jackpot in AC. As luck would have it, this winner was waiting to be paid for a smaller jackpot he'd just hit at a nearby slot when he decided to try the same game with another $100. The investment paid off with a super progressive jackpot.

While he has no immediate plans for the money, the retiree said to onlookers that he intends to throw a big party for his friends and family.

Fortunate Florida One
Cecil Stames of Milton, FL spun and won on the Wheel of Fortune dollar slots at the Isle of Capri Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. After an outlay of only twenty dollars, he won $4,436, 033.

Starnes, who is self employed, had been playing the dollar Sizzlin' 7's but wasn't having much luck. He got up to walk around, saw the casino's new Wheel of Fortune slots, and decided, "to give them a go".

When asked what he would with his windfall, Starnes said, "Buy a new car and spend some."

Until next we meet in the Slots Playground…

Gayle Mitchell

Gayle Mitchell, one of the first women to break through the “felt ceiling” of the previously male-dominated world of casino gambling gurus, is now regarded as one of North America’s leading experts on casino gambling.

Gayle’s commitment to educating the gambling public began almost 20 years ago, when she walked into a Las Vegas casino and experienced for the first time the thrill that comes with winning even a small bet. She made up her mind then and there to learn every game in the casino, and a short time later resolved to make a career out of sharing her insights with other gamblers. She had always considered herself to be a good teacher – she believes in keeping things simple – and decided that she would commit herself to showing newbies how to become knowledgeable, intelligent gamblers.

Gayle started her own publishing company, and her first book came out in 1997. Today she is the author of seven books, seven EBooks, and a set of five Tips booklets, and has presented many seminars on casino gambling. Currently she teaches Learn to Win Programs with other leading experts at GamblingTeachers.com. The site is a player-friendly Free Gambling Learning Center offering 300+ online lessons for popular casino games plus Gambling Teachers Blog. Gayle also operates www.gamerisms.com, which is a games glossary site for sport, casino, skill and video game players.

“It’s a fact that less than 2 percent of casino players know the profitable, correct strategies and/or rules for most casino games,” Gayle says. “Our group of career teachers and writers are working to improve that statistic.”

Gayle Mitchell Websites:

www.gamblingteachers.com
www.gamerisms.com