They say that you should never play slot machines at airports because the payout percentages are low. But don’t tell this to people who play at Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport because one lucky player has hit a jackpot there worth $933,080.
McCarran officials were more than happy to announce that somebody won big at their airport, tweeting “A lucky local won $933,080 on Wheel of Fortune slots this week at @LASairport. Will you be our next winner? #Vegas.”
Again, airport slots payback is typically a little lower than what you’ll see at casinos. After all, airport slots are in a prime location because many fliers are looking for something to do while waiting in between flights. But those playing at McCarran have been pretty lucky over the past two years.
USA Today reports that two different fliers won jackpots worth over $1 million at the busy airport in 2015, with the largest win worth $1.7 million.
Of course, it’s not all wins at McCarran, and more big business for the airport than anything. The Las Vegas Review-Journal estimates that McCarran has over 40 million passengers come through their doors, and 1,330 slot machines to service them. Throughout 2015, the airport earned over $25 million in revenue for the Department of Aviation thanks to their slots.
From an overall perspective, you definitely stand a better chance of winning at the local Vegas casinos, rather than at McCarran or other airports. However, it also won’t kill your bankroll to play a few airport slots if you’re waiting on a flight. Sure, the payback is usually about 5-10% less than regular casinos, but this won’t impact you too much over a short duration.