California

Lucky player wins big on $1 slot machine at Sacramento-area casino

A gambler at Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento hit a $143,763 jackpot on a $1 slot machine Friday, casino officials reported.

The player won big on a $125 bet on a Golden Century slot machine, the casino said.

“You see a lot of jackpots,” said Dawn Clayton, general manager of Thunder Valley Casino Resort. “But the ones where everything hits at once like this, those always get people’s attention.”

The casino has paid out more than 251,000 jackpots in the past year.

Thunder Valley Casino Resort at 1200 Athens Ave. in Lincoln has 3,500 slot machines and 89 table games. It is about 35 miles northeast of Sacramento.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 9:44 AM with the headline "Lucky player wins big on $1 slot machine at Sacramento-area casino."

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DS
Don Sweeney
The Sacramento Bee
916-321-1028
Don Sweeney has been a newspaper reporter and editor in California for more than 35 years. He is a service reporter based at The Sacramento Bee.
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