written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
09 Jan 2024
Journalist, Editorial Department
Last week, a visitor at the Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore hit the jackpot on one of the slot machines, winning a staggering SGD 1,175,425.82 (over 80 million rubles).
The event was witnessed by another guest, a 68-year-old man named Zhang, who shared his experience with the media. A member of the Sands Rewards club, Zhang was in the Ruby Lounge contemplating his betting options when he heard a scream behind him. He turned to find a woman, seemingly in her 40s, standing in front of the slot machine.
The woman asked Zhang to verify her win, and upon checking the screen, he confirmed that she had indeed hit the jackpot. "When I told her she had won the grand prize, she started jumping and screaming," Zhang recalled.
He advised the woman to stay put while he went to inform the casino staff about her win. Zhang then kept an eye on the machine while the woman went to find her husband to share the news. The couple returned a few minutes later to learn how to claim her prize. For his assistance, Zhang received a reward of SGD 200 (approximately 13,667 rubles).
Chua Ting Chiu, an honorary research fellow at the National University of Singapore's Department of Statistics and Data Science, told reporters that the odds of winning a jackpot are extremely low. A five-reel slot machine with 30 symbols can generate over 24 million combinations.
The news of the substantial win has sparked a flurry of speculation online, with many users suggesting that there may have been a malfunction in the slot machine or that it could be a marketing stunt by the casino ahead of the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated on February 10 this year.
Notably, Sands China, the operator of the Macau casino, has announced plans to distribute bonuses and increase salaries for its employees.
