Due to Ontario’s gambling laws, big wins often come along for players within the province, and some of the winning amounts have been life-changing to local residents.
We discuss some of Ontario's biggest winning casino stories.
Large online casino wins
Some of the biggest casino wins in Ontario have taken place at online casinos. However, it can be hard to know who has won and where in Canada they are based. Finding the virtual casinos with the best game selection and bonuses is easy. All of these casinos are licensed and regulated by iGaming Ontario, so players can find the best Ontario online casinos that suit their individual needs.
In 2019, one unnamed user was playing the popular Mega Moolah slot title through the online Zodiac Casino. This jackpot was worth an astonishing $20,059,287.27, which they managed to scoop.
Mega Moolah has what is known as a progressive jackpot. This is where a small amount from each wager across linked games is put into a pot. Games can be linked by casino, the title itself or the game developer. Thus, participants can have people across the world contributing, meaning that the jackpot will mount up quickly and must be won by someone.
The biggest wins in Ontario’s physical casinos
One of the biggest wins in a physical casino in Ontario happened in Dec. 2019, when an unnamed man from Gatineau walked into Casino du Lac-Leamy. According to a statement released by the casino, the man placed a $1 bet and managed to hit the $1 million jackpot. The patron had been playing on the Powerbucks slot machine. As soon as the jackpot hit, the casino provided him with a private lounge to celebrate with his family. At the time, he announced that he planned to buy a new house and a small car.
Powerball slot machines feature a bonus round with lottery-style elements. In this, one of four jackpots can be won, ranging from a mini to a mega jackpot. As it uses a graphic and license familiar to many who play, it is a very popular slot machine. They also use a progressive jackpot, which links up with other machines in Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba.
In Feb. 2019, the same slot machine at Casino du Lac-Leamy had paid out even more money, an unnamed woman from Ottawa won $1.8 million. The lottery officials said she had claimed her prize immediately.
However, this was not even the biggest slot win at Casino du Lac-Leamy . Back in 2011, William Brownlee of Stittsville, Ontario, walked into the casino and placed a wager. He made a $15 bet on the Monte Carlo slot machine and won the jackpot, which was a sizable $1.86 million. Brownlee used the money to take his family on a holiday to Mexico.
One of the largest wins at a physical casino in Canada occurred in Toronto in 2023. $3.2 million was paid out at the Casino Woodbine to Marcelo Loyola, a solutions contractor from Toronto. Loyola had been a regular at the casino for many years.
Gambling laws in Ontario
Ontario has quite a progressive approach to gambling. The legal age to buy lottery tickets is 18, with the legal age to gamble at a casino slightly higher at 19. It was the first Canadian province to provide a regulated iGaming market for its citizens. This means that sites are closely monitored, so that they offer fairness and transparency for players. It also means that any payments and winnings are paid out quickly, and that payment and personal details are secure.
Many websites will display this proudly by having the blue and yellow Ontario iGaming logo. This shows they have complied with AGCO's onboarding process and have a signed operating agreement with them. By sticking to sites like this, players can gamble safely and responsibly.
DISCLAIMER: The information presented on this page/site is intended for entertainment purposes only. Please be aware that gambling entails inherent risks and it's crucial to acknowledge this when utilizing online gambling platforms.
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