Harry Reid Airport Visitor Wins $328K on Terminal Slot Machine Spin

Posted on: March 14, 2022, 06:05h. 

Last updated on: March 14, 2022, 12:49h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

One lucky California traveler won $328,655 last week while playing a slot at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport. He is one of several big winners at the airport over recent years.

William J. stands in front of his winning game. During his time at the airport, he won more than $300,000. (Image: Harry Reid International Airport)

The visitor was identified as William J. from Van Nuys. He chose not to reveal his last name.

He apparently was at the airport last Wednesday either waiting for or exiting a flight. He decided to play a Wheel of Fortune slot machine in the B Concourse. The airport did not say how much the spin cost.

The airport tweeted about the win on Thursday. It congratulated him and encouraged other passengers to play the slots.

Upon reading the tweet, many people posted their own congratulations. Some also pointed out the older machines in the airport do not typically pay out a big jackpot.

https://twitter.com/LASairport/status/1502052567173505025?s=20&t=k_DSFCU9607BTUo8fOkelA

Prior Airport Jackpots

But this is not the first jackpot won at the Las Vegas airport in recent years.

On Feb. 25, 2021, a woman identified as Megan H. of Flower Mound, Texas, won more than $302,000. She also was playing a Wheel of Fortune slot in the B Concourse.

She was waiting for her flight when she decided to try her luck.

In July 2020, Kaoru H., a woman from Torrance, California, played a Wheel of Fortune 4D penny slot, located inside the airport’s C Concourse. After landing, she tested her luck with a $5 spin on the slot. It hit. She won $873,511.

The largest jackpot believed to have ever been won at McCarran was in 2005. That is when a player won $3,961,585.14.

Reid Airport has over 1,400 slot machines in the terminal buildings. Many were not in use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IGT is the manufacturer behind the Wheel of Fortune progressive machine.

Airport Now Renamed

The airport was renamed in December to honor former US Sen. Harry Reid. He represented Nevada in the Senate between 1987 and 2017. Reid was also the Majority Leader of the Senate. He passed away later in December at the age of 82.

It formerly was named McCarran International Airport. That was to honor former US Senator Pat McCarran. He represented Nevada between 1933 and 1954. But officials chose to rename the airport after complaints were made that McCarran was prejudiced.

The Las Vegas casino industry and gaming leaders contributed to renaming the airport for Harry Reid. There was some controversy about renaming the airport for Reid. Some just wanted it to be called Las Vegas International Airport.