Since New Jersey’s online gaming market went live, a Morris County woman has claimed the state’s largest online gambling jackpot payout which was more than $1.3 million.
As she sat at home in her pyjamas, Cathy Ruela was playing Harrah’s Casino’s Millionaire Genie slot game online when she won $1,000,000 after unlocking the “Genie’s Treasure Chest” with her 15-line wager. Despite the online jackpot display being too small to accommodate the payout figure, it was $1,334,641.
Ruela would sometimes be playing $20 here and there. She was playing late one night when she finally struck gold and her life was about to change. Her husband had told her that she had won more than a million dollars, after she couldn’t read the decimal point and decided to call him and read out the number, asking him what it meant.
Quite frankly, Ruela was in shock when it hit. She stared at the computer screen for a moment while attempting to digest everything on HarrahsCasino.com. Nevertheless, she is pleased to report that it is the same as at the physical casino and even better that she can do so in pyjamas at home. This jackpot win was one of the most exciting things to happen to Ruela, especially as she was just expecting a casual night of playing $20 here and there for some entertainment.
New Jersey, where online gaming went live on Nov 26, 2013, is the first state to see a seven-figure jackpot won from an online one-armed bandit. Including land-based casinos and online gaming, it ranks third for gaming prizes awarded to players in New Jersey this year.
Despite state officials’ expectations, online gambling has only brought in about $100 million, or 10% of the $1 billion expected by Atlantic City casinos in its first year.