Empire City Casino Enlists Record $1.4 Million Jackpot Winner as Ad Pitchman; Another $1.4 Million Jackpot Looming

Empire City Casino, one of New York’s most successful casinos has 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 ad campaign after scoring Empire City’s record-breaking jackpot worth $1,473,503 on October 25, 2015. (View the commercial at http://bit.ly/HowardG)

Coincidentally, the same jackpot that made Howard G. a very wealthy man, has grown since Howard’s fateful day and is fast approaching the record-breaking amount and could even exceed it. This record-breaker is ripe again for winning and is only available on two Wheel of Fortune slots at Empire City Casino. Now, anyone could be the next Howard G.!

Howard'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. Howard 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.

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 ten-year history of Empire City. Linda’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.

“Right now there are 11 six-figure jackpots ready for the taking at Empire City, almost half of them above $300,000 including the $1.4 million life-changer,” says Ryan Munroe, Empire City’s director of gaming operations. “With over 5,200 slot machines available, there’s no need to travel far when you can win this kind of money so close to home.”

At the time of this writing, six-figure jackpots at Empire City range from just over $100,000 to more than $1.4 million on slots with minimum bets from one cent to ten dollars. To be eligible to win the top jackpot, a player must make the maximum bet on the machine.

Current Six-Figure Jackpots Available at Empire City

Jackpot Game Theme Minimum Bet* Maximum Bet

$1,420,546 Wheel of Fortune $10.00 $20.00

$382,781 Betty Boop $0.01 $5.00

$326,363 Wheel of Fortune $5.00 $10.00

$310,108 Hot Shots $0.01 $3.00

$305,835 Hot Shots $0.01 $2.50

$193,786 Fireball $0.01 $2.00

$171,667 Titanic $0.01 $4.00

$171,504 Michael Jackson $0.05 $3.00

$137,543 Wheel of Fortune $5.00 $10.00

$124,966 Wheel of Fortune $1.00 $6.00

$107,996 Nascar $0.01 $3.20

If the current top Wheel of Fortune jackpot is not hit before it exceeds the amount of Howard G.’s win of $1,473,503.54, the lucky winner who takes it home will be celebrated as the new highest jackpot winner at any of the state’s racetrack casinos.

Top 10 Jackpots in Empire City Casino History

Date Won Jackpot Min. Bet Game Theme Winner Hometown

10/25/2015 $1,473,503.54 $10.00 Wheel of Fortune Howard G. Suffolk County, NY

11/16/2016 $961,411.81 $5.00 Wheel of Fortune Linda H. Thornwood, NY

2/27/2015 $571,049.65 $0.01 Hot Shots (WAP) Manuel E. Portchester, NY

11/14/2014 $509,121.96 $5.00 Wheel of Fortune Moosue S. Bergenfield, NJ

2/5/2016 $388,311.84 $0.01 Blazing 7’s Tracie B. New Jersey

9/11/2016 $332,654.62 $1.00 Wheel of Fortune Santa N. Union, NJ

8/11/2016 $320,000.00 $100.00 3x4x5 Double Diamond Tommy Yorktown Heights, NY

11/11/2015 $272,745.47 $10.00 Wheel of Fortune Maria V. undisclosed

9/21/2009 $247,273.07 $0.25 Stars & Bars James O. undisclosed

2/24/2015 $222,459.74 $5.00 Wheel of Fortune Ella undisclosed