Casinos
Casinos are probably one of the few places in the world (aside from trading rooms, of course), where thousands of dollars can change hands in the blink of an eye. You can become a millionaire, or maybe lose that last dollar from your bankroll, in just a few seconds and no one really notices as everyone else in the casino is attempting to either recreate your good luck, or avoid your misfortune.
It’s not surprising then that gaming floors often become the stuff of legend. Whilst some of these legends may well be true, quite a few casino myths circulate amongst players and end up becoming legends. Today, we’ll discuss the weirder side of these casino urban legends, picking out one or two stories which we think are not only eerie, but also have a slight hint of truth to them.
The Megabucks Tragedy
Megabucks slots offer a statewide progressive jackpot which pays out huge sums, usually worth millions of dollars. Since the progressive slots were first introduced into casinos just over 20 years ago, rumours have been circulating that those who were lucky enough to hit the jackpot soon faced misfortune afterwards. In 1998, a rumour circulated suggesting that everyone who had hit the Megabucks jackpot had died. Another also suggested that when a Megabucks player saw the winning symbols line up, they suffered a heart attack and died at the slot machine.
Perhaps the most famous urban legend relating to Megabucks is the tale of a young gentlemen who won over $20 million on the slot machine, then died after a drugs-binge in a Las Vegas Casino. IGT, who created the Megabucks slots, soon found that the urban legends were getting out of hand, so set about dispelling them. Connie Britt, who appears to be in charge of legend busting at IGT, told popular website Snopes.com that the majority of these stories are simply untrue, noting that the young man who apparently died after hitting the jackpot is still alive and well.
What gives prominence to the Megabucks urban legend is the unfortunate case of Cynthia Jay-Brennan, who, after winning over $30 million on a Megabucks slot was involved in a car accident. Cynthia was left quadriplegic and her sister was unfortunately killed. The driver who caused the accident was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Haunted Casino Table
If you’re interested in the paranormal side of Las Vegas, then make sure you visit Casino Online again soon, as we’ll be unveiling something rather special in the near future. Anyway, for now we’ll discuss the allegedly haunted blackjack table located in Virginia City, Nevada. The table is believed to be haunted by Black Jake, who lost all his money and sadly shot himself.
Black Jake was playing (no, not blackjack) Faro, a popular game in the Wild West, it’s also known as “Bucking the Tiger”. It’s believed that Black Jake was having an unfortunate time at the table and lost $70,000. After his death, the table was put into storage, but it has since been put on display as a tourist attraction. It’s believed that the ghost of Black Jake still hangs around, perhaps warding people off playing Faro. If you’d like to check out this ghostly exhibit, just visit the Delta Saloon in Virginia City.
