Back-to-back jackpots

15 July 2018

By John Grochowski

When I've relayed readers' stories of back-to-back jackpots, they've generally focused on big wins. A thousand dollars for a video poker royal flush qualifies; $2.50 for three bars on a three-reel slot or $1.25 that just covers your bet for a pair of jacks, not so much.

Nikki, an East Coast reader, e-mailed to ask if small progressives would do. How small? Let's let her tell her tale and relay stories from a couple of other players who have had close encounters of the winning kind:

NIKKI: I wasn't sure you'd be interested in this because the amounts are so small, but they do show you can win back to back.

This was on one of the deluxe Buffalo slots, the one with the extra reel on the right side. The regular game is on the other five reels, and the sixth reel is for jackpots, mini, minor, major and grand.

Most of the time, the sixth reel stops on empty space between the jackpot symbols, but I had one of those great days where the jackpots kept coming. My first one was a mini for $24, and 10 or so spins later I got another mini for a little over $20.

That's when I had my back-to-backs. On the next spin after the mini, I got the major jackpot. That was $215, and it made the day for me since I play pennies.

I know $20 jackpots are small potatoes, but that $215 major right after the mini gave me butterflies for sure.

JODY: I never really believed the back to back luck could happen to me, but it did, and I have a witness: The slot attendant who paid me.

It was on a progressive Double Double Bonus Poker machine. I was dealt jack, queen and ace of clubs, and on the draw I got the 10 and the king. Hooray!

My royal was worth $1,463.17, and since it was over $1,200, I had to sign a tax form. An attendant came over to get my information, ID and Social Security number. Before she went to have the form made up, she gave me a receipt and said she'd unlock the machine so I could keep playing.

Then she wanted to see me play once more. I guess they like you to play jackpot combinations off the screen. While she watched, I was dealt four aces and a 9. The attendant rooted me on, saying, "Get the kicker!" And I did! My draw was a 4 to go with the aces, and that made the hand worth $500.

I'd never won so much in a day, never mind two hands in a row. I still have to pinch myself.

KEVIN: My wife and I mostly play pennies, and we had a good day, up $100 between us.

Marissa said, "Let's do something crazy for a change." I asked what she had in mind, and she said, "Let's play our winnings through a dollar Wheel of Fortune."

We agreed to count 33 spins at $3 each, and whatever was left we'd take home. On spin No. 12, we got the wheel spin, and won $100. That was pretty good, and we were going home winners.

Then on the next spin, we got the wheel again. This time, magic. It stopped on $1,000.

We spun once more to see if we could make it three in a row, but when that didn't happen, I told Marissa, "That's enough. We don't need to finish these spins." No argument from her. We were thrilled with our win.

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