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Empire City jackpot surpasses $1.6M

Empire City Casino, one of New York’s most successful casinos launched a new ad campaign entitled “Real Winners, Real Money, Real Deal.” Who better to enlist as advertising pitch-man for Empire City Casino than its biggest jackpot winner? Howard Gershowitz of Suffolk County, Long Island is back in the “slot-”light in the Yonkers casino’s new campaign after scoring Empire City’s record-breaking jackpot worth $1.47 million on Oct. 25, 2015.

Gershowitz ‘s lucky roll was the only million-dollar plus jackpot in the history of not only Empire City Casino but all New York state racetrack casinos. Gershowitz hit on the Wheel of Fortune Triple Star slot machine—one of the most popular slot machines in the world. There have been many television show-themed slots that have attempted to bring the action from the screen to the slot world, but none have succeeded in the dazzling style of Wheel of Fortune, which has captivated gamblers for years with high jackpots and spinning money wheels.

Howard Gershowitz hit for nearly $1.5 million at Empire City in 2015. Photo courtesy Empire City Casino

When this latest jackpot is hit, it will give Wheel of Fortune “bragging rights” to the three highest jackpots in the history of the Yonkers casino and six of the top 10 highest jackpots. Three Bally slot machines—Hot Shots, Blazing 7’s, and Stars & Bars—can also boast major scores ranging from nearly $250,000 to $571,000, all ranking in the top 10 jackpots at Empire City Casino.

This past November, Linda H. of Thornwood, New York, took home a $961,411.81 jackpot also from a Wheel of Fortune slot machine—the second largest in the 10-year history of Empire City. Linda H.’s hit eclipsed the $571,049 score won by former runner-up Manuel Esteche in February of 2015 on the Blazing 7’s.

Empire City recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and ranks as the sixth largest casino floor in the country, including Las Vegas and Indian casinos nationwide. More than 8 million visitors a year try their luck at Empire City Casino, hoping to hit one of the many six-figure jackpots on the behemoth gaming floor.

As of press time, six-figure jackpots at Empire City range from just over $100,000 to more than $1.6 million on slots with minimum bets from 1 cent to $10. To be eligible to win the top jackpot, a player must make the maximum bet on the machine.