Sacramento-area casino player turns a 50-cent bet into a ‘big’ jackpot
One lucky gambler at Red Hawk Resort + Casino made more than $16,000 after betting less than a dollar on a slot machine, according to casino officials.
The player won on the Dragon Link Peacock Princess slot machine with a 50-cent bet. Their jackpot amounted to $16,724.
“Sometimes it really does come down to being in the right seat at the right time, it was about as simple as it gets,” a spokesperson for the casino said in an email Tuesday. “The guest sat down to play the hugely popular Dragon Link slot and after playing for just a short time, was thrilled to see the symbols appear for a $16,000 jackpot. That’s the magic of slots!”
On Red Hawk’s Facebook, one commenter congratulated the player, saying “it is possible to win big on small bets.”
The casino did not share when the jackpot win occurred, but it posted the win on Monday afternoon.
“We love celebrating those moments with our guests and are always excited when someone hits a big win like this,” the casino said in an email.
Red Hawk Resort + Casino — operated by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians — is at 1 Red Hawk Parkway in Placerville. It’s a little more than 30 miles east of downtown Sacramento.
The casino opened in 2008 and features more than 2,100 slot machines.
This story was originally published March 10, 2026 at 10:05 AM with the headline "Sacramento-area casino player turns a 50-cent bet into a ‘big’ jackpot."
