Laguna Resident Starts 1996 With $1.1-Million Win

For Laguna Beach resident Dan Sullivan, it took just 10 minutes and $57 at a slot machine on New Year’s Day before he walked away with a cool $1.1 million.

Happy New Year, indeed.

And the first thing Sullivan plans to do when he gets home to Orange County?

“I’m going to Disneyland!” he bellowed to congratulators who surrounded him at the Caesars Tahoe casino.

Sullivan and his family, who were visiting the resort town for the week, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Casino officials said Sullivan is a frequent guest of their hotel and casino. However, he had never played on the Million Dollar Babies slots before hitting the jackpot Monday.

Caesars Tahoe’s Million Dollar Babies slot machines are a progressive system linked with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Every coin that goes in both casinos’ carousels adds up to a bigger jackpot for the winner, no matter where the jackpot is won. The jackpot never dips below $1 million.

Sullivan is the first Caesars Tahoe winner since the machines were installed in August, casino spokeswoman Tricia Gilber said. Caesars cut him a check for the entire amount: $1,158,415.59.