Golden West Casino | 500+ Slots, Table Games & Full-Service Dining

I was just killing time on a Tuesday afternoon, had maybe $200 in my wallet and wasn't expecting much. My daughter had soccer practice nearby so I figured I'd spin a few times while waiting. When that progerssive meter hit and the bells started going off, I honestly thought something was wrong with the machine. My hands were shaking so bad I could barely hit the cashout button. First thing I did was pay off my truck then I set half aside for my kids' college fund because I'd been worried about that for years.

I'd been coming to Golden West on weekends for about five years, never really winning big, just enjoying the tables. That Saturday night I sat down with $500 and was playing pretty conservative. The dealer kept busting and I kept doubling down—must've been in the zone or something. By midnight I'd turned it into nearly ninety grand. I called my wife right there from the floor and she thought I was pranking her, I've never heard her yell that loud before. We're using it to renovate our kitchen and take the family to Hawaii.

I've been playing poker seriously for about eight years and had cashed in tournaments plenty of times, but nothing like this. I made the final table and I could feel something was diferent—my reads were sharp and the cards were cooperating. When I went all-in on that final hand with pocket aces, my heart was pounding so hard I thought everyone could hear it. The guy had AK and I held. Now I'm able to quit my day job and actually pursue poker full-time, which has always been the dream. My parents think I'm crazy but they're pretty happy about it too.

My boyfriend dragged me to the casino for his birthday and I was just there to support him, honestly. I'd never played roulette before so he explained the basics and I put twenty bucks on my lucky number, which is 17. I watched that ball spin around what felt like forever and when it landed on my number I just froze. I didn't even realize I'd won until the dealer smiled and told me. It paid for my car insurance for two years and I gave some to my mom who's been struggling with her mortgage.

I'd been playing Buffalo Gold on and off for years, it's always been my go-to machine when I visit. That night in December I was feeling pretty tired, almost ready to head out, but I thought I'd give it one more round. Everything just lined up perfectly—the bonus rounds kept hitting and I was holding my breath the whole time. My buddy next to me was cheering me on and actually caught me when my knees got weak. I used it to finally fix up my garage workshop, got all new tools and equipment I've been wanting forever.

I'm not usually a big gambler but my coworkers invited me out for my birthday and I thought why not. I sat down at Three Card Poker just to have something to do while they played craps. The dealer was friendly and explained everything patiently, and I started getting some decent hands. Before I knew it I'd turned my initial hundred bucks into over thirty-eight thousand and had to sit down for a minute. I finally felt like I could breathe again. That money is going toward paying down student loans and taking my mom out to a nice dinner—she raised three kids on her own so she deserves it.