Earlier this year, the old-school Lion’s Share slot machine, a ’90s anachronism on the casino floor at MGM Grand, garnered a lion’s share of media attention as the long-overdue progressive jackpot approached its 20th anniversary of failing to hit and caught the attention of outlets as diverse as the Wall Street Journal and the U.K.’s Daily Mail tabloid.
This lone Lion’s Share game was one of an original bank of 50 themed, three-reel, $1 progressive machines that debuted along with the hotel back Dec. 1993 and, according to state gaming regulations, could not be retired until its stubborn jackpot had been hit by a member of the public. Actually, that’s not quite true, as the casino also had the option to transfer the live jackpot to a different progressive machine of equal denomination, we understand, but recognizing the marketing potential, they opted not to.
Over time, the recalcitrant machine gained cult status, not unlike MGM Grand’s other vintage favorite, the 25-cent Sigma Derby horse-racing game, except Lion’s Share’s draw was purely of a financial nature. It was a lot more of an expensive proposition to play, too, with a $3 bet required to qualify for the progressive jackpot.
As with the Derby machine, the slot techs have been forced to cannibalize other out-of-commission contemporaries over the years for now-obsolete parts in order to keep this one Lion's Share in working order. Nevertheless, it consistently was among the most-played machines at the property and when milestones approached -- for example when earlier this year the jackpot was building to $2,345,678 -- there would be hopefuls lined up 12-deep, hoping to get their shot in the hot seat before it hit for someone else.
The machine had its own Facebook page and Twitter and was a part of Las Vegas casino lore until, on Friday, August 22, 2014, it finally hit. It was just before midnight that Walter and Linda Misco of Chester, N.H., walked up to the Lion’s Share and inserted a $100 bill. They had been playing for just five minutes when the jackpot, now in excess of $2.4 million, finally yielded.
The timing of this hit is interesting, coming as it did within hours of the opening of SLS this weekend. Since a Megabucks progressive for $4.6 million was hit by a local man just hours after the Mirage resort first opened its doors back in 1989, there's been a prevalent superstition about playing Megabucks at any new casino on opening night in the hope that history will repeat itself (it never has).
As to the fate of the Lion's Share machine itself, we've read in more than one report over the years that the casino promised that whoever hit the jackpot could keep the machine, too (management definitely has had a love-hate relationship with the thing). Unless Mr and Mrs Misco have another residence in a state other than New Hampshire, however, if they are offered the winning hardware as a gift they won't legally be able to take it home to their current abode, since individuals in that state can't own a private slot machine unless its at least 25 years old, which this one isn't, quite.
