Traveler bets $3 on airport slot machine — and wins big jackpot near Las Vegas

One lucky traveler ended up with a jackpot win after betting $3 on a slot machine at a Nevada airport.

Now, she’s $17,957.01 richer.

Jamie Rankin sat at a slot on St. Patrick’s Day at the Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise, the airport said in a March 19 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Rankin bet $3, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen until a jackpot message appeared.

“WOW! Jamie Rankin turned this St. Paddy’s Day into ST. PAYDAY,” the airport said.

Paradise is an unincorporated town that’s about a 3-mile drive southeast from the Las Vegas Strip.

Other gamblers have gotten lucky recently on slot machines in Las Vegas.

One player bet $2.50 on a Phoenix Link slot and won over $12,000 at Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall.

Another visitor bet 50 cents on a Dragon Link slot machine at Palace Station and won $13,726.23.

This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Traveler bets $3 on airport slot machine — and wins big jackpot near Las Vegas."

Helena Wegner

McClatchy DC

Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.