Penny slot machine delivers $1 million-plus win at Biloxi casino to kick off 2026

Shortly after the New Years celebrations comes a big reason for Coast casinos and players to be optimistic in 2026.

Thirteen $100,000-plus jackpots hit at Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in 2025 and the Biloxi casino is off to a huge start in 2026.

A player from Baton Rouge sat down at a 1-cent Wheel of Fortune slot machine on Monday, Jan. 5, at 9:26 p.m.

After 16 minutes at the game, the player placed a $3 bet at 9:42 p.m. and the machine returned a dazzling, life-changing win of $1,132,124.08.

This Wheel of Fortune game on the main casino floor at the Beau Rivage is a statewide progressive. It’s linked to other casinos in Mississippi and each spin increases the total of the jackpot.

This is the first jackpot of $100,000 or more at Coast casinos in 2026 after 31 hit in 2025.

“We are super excited to have the first statewide area progressive of the new year hit at Beau Rivage,” said Steven Mink, Beau Rivage senior manager of slot operations.

“Over the past six years, the number of winners has increased year-over-year. In 2025, we had 192,999 jackpots pay out $516,348,104, and we anticipate even more winners in 2026,” he said. That number is total jackpots at the Beau Rivage, not just those over $100,000, which is the Sun Herald threshold for jackpots.

With the new reportable slot jackpot threshold increasing this year — to $2,000 from $1,200 — casinos won’t withhold taxes on jackpots less than $2,000, which he said is a great benefit to players.

The 13 jackpots of $100,000 or more at the Beau Rivage in 2025 totaled more than $3 million ($3,022,366 ). They include:

$1,280,000 — Aug. 1

$300,000 — Feb. 15

$270,000 —Jan. 22

$172,085 — Aug. 31

$150,000 — Feb. 12

$144,000 — Oct. 11

$134,539 — Nov. 3

$129,275 — Nov. 23

$125,000 — Nov. 1

$117,467 — Sept. 26

$100,000 — Sept. 3

$100,000 — Dec. 27

This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 11:30 AM.

Mary Perez

Sun Herald

601-909-0649

Mary has won numerous awards for her business and casino articles for the Sun Herald. She also writes about Biloxi, jobs and the new restaurants and development coming to the Coast. She is a fourth-generation journalist.