Gambler hits big jackpot playing slot machine at California casino. ‘Can’t believe it’

A lucky gambler took home a big jackpot win after playing a slot machine at a Southern California casino.

The Newport Beach man played a max bet on a 2x 5x 10x Bonus Times slot machine Sunday, March 2, at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Ciara Green, the casino’s communications director, said in a March 10 email to McClatchy News.

“Before he knew it, the 10 Times Bonus symbols lined up across the center of the slot reels,” Green said.

With his $30 bet, Green said the man won $100,000.

“I can’t believe it,” the gambler told casino staff upon learning of his big win.

Despite his big win, Green said the man told staff he would stay at the casino a bit longer to try his luck even more.

Pechanga Resort Casino, about a 90-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles, “is one of the largest casino resorts” in the country, according to the resort’s website. The casino features more than 200,000 square feet of gaming space, which includes slots machines, video poker machines and table games.

This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Gambler hits big jackpot playing slot machine at California casino. ‘Can’t believe it’."

Daniella Segura

McClatchy DC

Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she’s worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.