Amid the closure of some casinos in Ontario, Great Canadian Entertainment Corporation has revealed that a Toronto man has won big at Casino Woodbine. The operator said that solutions contractor, Marcelo Loyola, has obtained a massive progressive jackpot worth CA$3.2 million. The lucky winner credited the whole win to his late girlfriend.
However, despite his winning story is rather sad, as he was recently struck by an unfortunate tragedy. He said that after celebrating his birthday on April 2, 2023, his long-time girlfriend passed away suddenly. Just two weeks later, he activated the major slot at Woodbine Casino, which was a favourite spot for them and they often used to play together.
Taking Home CA$3.2 Million
Mr. Loyola shared that on the day of his major winning, he played a few different slot games, before switching to his partner’s slot machine. He said that his girlfriend used to play on it but in her own way, but she thought that she would never win the progressing jackpot. She would press the button to stop the machine’s mid-spin and that’s exactly how he managed to win the jackpot.
The winner said that on the night of his winning, he felt his late partner was with him and he saw a message saying ‘Jackpot’ after several spins. He reveals he started running across the gaming floor and screaming out of joy. This attracted the attention of the crowd and casino staff who also shared his excitement about the CA$3.2 million winning.
Despite being happy about the windfall, Mr. Loyola is still sad that his girlfriend was still with him to share the amazing moment. With the prize money, he plans on buying a new home for his parents, visiting his brother in British Columbia, and making some investments. He intends to take care of his loved ones and believes that his girlfriend would be happy about him.
Earlier this year, Great Canadian Entertainment announced that its Casino Woodbine would be transformed into a new modern gaming resort in a CA$1 billion project titled Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto which is on schedule to open in the summer of 2023. It should be also noted that the current casino provided two decades of gambling entertainment, and the new jackpot win is another testament to it.
General Manager of the Toronto gaming hotspot, Robert Katsavelos also congratulated Mr. Loyola on his major slot game winning. He said that the casino and its staff were thrilled to see him take home such an amazing win, after his recent hardships. Mr. Katsavelos added that the win was special in many ways and that the team is delighted that the winner had chosen to share it with them.
Five Arrested
More recent news regarding Casino Woodbine saw the arrest of several individuals including a table games dealer who allegedly colluded with players. The Ontario Provincial Police reported the gambling employee in question was 52-year-old Arthur Segovia, who resides in Etobicoke. He is now facing charges for criminal breach of trust, cheat at play, theft over CA$5,000 and fraud over CA$5,000
Source: “$3.2 Million Progressive Jackpot won at Casino Woodbine” PR Newswire, April 21, 2023
