Go big or go home.
That seemed to be the motto at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino last year. This week the casino reported that it paid out a record-breaking $1.2 billion in slot jackpots.
According to a company statement, the casino paid out more than 420,000 jackpots in 2021. That works out to about one jackpot every second.
With these payouts, it’s no surprise gambling in Florida is a popular past-time.
Big jackpots highlight banner year
If 2020 was the year of holding back (and for good reason), 2021 was the year of Hard Rock Tampa excess. The average jackpot win in 2021 was $3,000, and the biggest jackpot won was $900,000.
The casino surpassed $1 billion in jackpot payouts in Nov. and celebrated the milestone in several ways. First, they awarded one player with a $100,000 prize.
Second, Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphin Jason Taylor appeared at the casino to congratulate the $100,000 winner. On top of that, Hard Rock Tampa donated $100,000 to Taylor’s charity, The Jason Taylor Foundation. At the celebrations Taylor said:
“It is unexpected but very much appreciated. Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood has always been a partner to the Jason Taylor Foundation. When things were tight during the pandemic, not only did they step up, but they gave more. They always find a way to prop us up and help us succeed.”
Justin Wyborn, assistant general manager at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, said the casino was proud to provide more than $1 billion in jackpots.
“We are proud to have awarded more than $1 billion in jackpots before the end of the year,” Wyborn said. “As the premier entertainment destination in South Florida, we are constantly striving to provide guests with the ultimate experience, not only on the gaming floor but throughout the property as a whole.”
Seminole Hollywood: the state’s premier slots casino
Part of the reason the Hollywood casino paid out such big jackpots lies in the sheer number of slots it offers players.
The casino has nearly 3,000 slots, including video poker and keno, roulette and craps. The denominations for regular slot machines are 1 cent to $5. Players can access high-limit slots, too, with denominations ranging from 10 cents to $1,000.
In addition, the casino has a non-smoking slots room for regular and high-limit monies, too.
Now, we all wait for real money online casinos in Florida to add to the fun.
Tampa Hard Rock paid out more than $1 billion
Not to be outdone, Seminole Hollywood’s sister property, Seminole Hard Rock Casino & Hotel Tampa also surpassed $1 billion in slots jackpot payouts in 2021.
The property hit the $1 billion mark in Aug. Duane Kelloway, a nurse from Spring Hill, won a new BMW when his jackpot win pushed the casino’s yearly slots jackpot payout past $1 billion.
“I thought I was going to pass out,” Kelloway said in a Hard Rock Tampa statement. “To be so lucky to be here at the right time and the right place and at the right machine.”
In Dec., the casino announced that a Clearwater resident won a $1.2 million jackpot playing the popular progressive slot game Dragon Link.
“All I wanted for Christmas was to hit that progressive jackpot,” the winner said. “I still can’t believe my holiday wish came true.”
