Question of the Day 2022-08-11

I was recently at the Las Vegas airport and saw someone win a small jackpot, about $500. It got me wondering two questions. First, what is the biggest jackpot ever won at the airport? Second, for all the money that’s not won, does the airport keep the money or does it go to the city or somewhere else?

There are nearly 1,500 machines at Reid International. As far as we know, the biggest slot jackpot ever hit there occurred in January 2005, when a player won nearly $4 million on a 25-cent Wheel of Fortune machine.

As an aside, in 2010, an airline passenger hit the Megabucks jackpot at Reno-Tahoe International for $10.4 million. That's the largest jackpot we know of hit at an airport anywhere.

The airport itself collects 86.5% of the net revenue from the slots, which amounts to tens of millions every year. In 2018, the last year we've ever seen numbers for, the airport earned $36 million from the bandits. The airport claims that slot machine profits help to lower operating costs, so they can charge the airlines less. In turn, the airlines can lower airfares. Sounds nice, in theory anyway, to us.

The rest goes to Michael J. Gaughan Airport Slot Concession, Inc. Gaughan was awarded the airport slot concession in 1985 and has been operating it ever since, 37 years.

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Comments

Sandra Ritter Aug-11-2022

Not Exactly Related

Reading your QOD of 2/23/21 on Harry Reid and your QOD a few days ago on Pop Squires, I'm thinking a better name for the airport would have been Squires International Airport.

Jeffrey Small Aug-11-2022

Jackpot

Many years ago I won a "jackpot" at the airport--I think it was $250 and that was when you received gaming tokens from the machine--the size of silver dollars.  When I asked the slot lady for folding money she refused, saying I had to stack the tokens in little plastic trays. I was getting nervous since my flight was boarding!  I scooped up the tokens and stuffed them into the trays--worried that my "jackpot" was going to result in a missed flight!  I suppose getting a slip of paper out of the machine has its advantages after all!

Kevin Lewis Aug-11-2022

What, you have money left?

Kind of adds insult to injury. Somehow, we neglected to grab every dollar you have, so please fork over whatever you have left.

In general, though, if you look around the departure gates, you see a host of slumped-over, exhausted, hollow-eyed, disheveled people--with everyone surrounded by bags and parcels, it looks like nothing so much as a refugee camp or a Red Cross disaster relief project. I'm surprised that those slots get played much at all.

DonaldM87801 Aug-11-2022

Not Bad

From my math, if the remaining 13.5% would result in revenue of over $5.6 million (if Gaughan receives the remainder). Not bad for very little overhead and a captive audience.

Dave_Miller_DJTB Aug-11-2022

Very little overhead???

Seriously? There is a slot attendant at every group of slot machines. How many groups are there? 20? 30?

And figure at least two shifts per day, every day of the year. 

That’s considerable overhead right there. Wanna also add maintenance? It adds up!

Jxs Aug-11-2022

Chicago airport slots

Chicago’s first casino within the city limits (Bally’s) is in the planning stages, and with it comes the right for them to put slots in the O’Hare and Midway. They get 4,000 total slots so how many go in the airports is anyone’s guess.

Roy Furukawa Aug-11-2022

Love the Airport Slots

McCarran/Harry Reid airport is the only "casino" where I have won more than I have lost. I had one trip where I had the Midas touch on everything I played and ended that trip winning a $3500 slot machine while waiting for my flight home. If I lose $40 I usually quit because I know how bad the payoffs are at the airport.

Question of the Day - 11 August 2022

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