A slot-player from Thornwood, New York, hit a jackpot worth nearly $1 million at Empire City Casino on Sunday (November 13), the second largest in the 10-year history of the Yonkers casino. If you would like to try out some slots for yourself and try your luck, try clicking this link.
An impromptu, afternoon visit to Empire City turned into $961,411.81 for Linda H. when the casino regular player made a $10 wager on the $5 denomination Wheel of Fortune slot-machine in the Gotham Palace.
“It was such a shock,” said Linda. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was surreal, and a dream come true. Everyone dreams of hitting the big jackpot.”
“My husband (Edward) and I go to Empire City a couple of times a month,” she added. “He was at the casino, but wasn’t with me, and didn’t have his cell phone. He met me after all of the excitement.”
It was just over a year ago, on October 25, 2015, that Howard G. of Suffolk County, Long Island, scored Empire City’s record-breaker, a life-changer worth $1,473,503 on the Wheel of Fortune Triple Star slot machine.
“Wheel of Fortune is my favorite game because there are generous jackpots and I like the idea of spinning the wheel,” said Linda. “I hit a $4,000 jackpot on ‘the Wheel’ last year, but nothing like this.”
Linda’s hit eclipsed former runner up Manuel Esteche’s $571,049 by almost $400,000, and was the 12th six-figure jackpot of the year at Empire City.
The distance traveled from Thornwood to Yonkers is approximately 18 miles, so the mileage for Hansen was a whopping total just short of $60,000 per mile.
Linda said that she and her husband usually go to Empire City with friends for the slots, dinner and harness racing, but this time it was just the couple, a “spur of the moment” visit which was supposed to be followed by a trip to the supermarket, “but we never made it food shopping because I was too exhausted.”
She promises to be back, though. “We’ll absolutely be back,” said Linda. “Empire City has been good to me.”
Another $900,000-plus jackpot is still up for grabs on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine at Empire City.