Diner Waiting for Table Hits Jackpot, Wins $10.9 Million

Hungry for prime rib, a history student went to a hotel for dinner and emerged $10.9 million richer after winning the largest slot machine jackpot ever.

The 29-year-old University of Nevada at Las Vegas student, who hit the Megabucks jackpot at the Gold Coast hotel, refused to give his name and declined to appear at a Thursday news conference.

Michael Gaughan, president of the Gold Coast, said the winner was “very shaken and scared.” The student told Gaughan he had gone to the hotel for prime rib.

He spent $15 playing the machine for about five minutes Wednesday night while waiting for a table.

The previous slot machine jackpot record was $9.3 million, won in May, 1992, in Reno.

Megabucks operates a network of 726 machines in 137 Nevada casinos. The machines are connected and each time someone plays, the jackpot goes up.

The jackpot surpassed $10 million this month, and casinos reported lines of people waiting to play. The winner’s money will be paid out over 25 years.