Published on: October 18, 2024, 04:19h. 

Last updated on: October 18, 2024, 04:20h.

Jonathan Hamrick, a graduate student from West Virginia, recently won $532,969 from an online slot game on BetMGM, turning his 40 cents bet into a life-changing amount. This win will allow him to pay off his tuition and board loans.

“I was sitting in class, had a few extra minutes, so I decided to play,” Hamrick said in a statement to Casino.org from BetMGM. “I logged on, spun a few times, clicked the button, and it said, ‘Congratulations!’”

Hamrick’s winning game was Bison Fury, a five-reel online slot with an American wilderness theme.

As his jackpot exceeded $500,000, BetMGM arranged for Hamrick to have a complimentary trip to Las Vegas, staying at ARIA where he was presented with the standard oversized check.

“I was in shock for a while, but when the money hit my account, it became real,” Hamrick stated. “I no longer have to worry about being in debt… Grad school is expensive, and I had to take out loans. Now, that burden is lifted.”

Bison Fury was created by BetMGM by Entain, the Isle of Man-based gaming company with a 50% stake in BetMGM US operations.

In June, another player in Michigan, who chose to remain anonymous, won a $1 million progressive jackpot on a 40-cent bet playing Bison Fury, outdoing Hamrick’s win. BetMGM’s online casino apps are accessible in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, while the online sportsbook is active in 22 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.