A grad student turned mere cents into the proverbial pot of gold as he won more than $500K on a BetMGM online slot game. Jonathan Hamrick played Bison Fury while sitting idly in class, and before he knew it, he had struck gold. The winnings will go towards his student loans, and he was also treated to a complimentary stay in ARIA in Las Vegas.

A West Virginia graduate student has found an extraordinary stroke of luck this week by turning just 40 cents into an astonishing $532,969, thanks to a spin on an online slot at BetMGM. The remarkable win has multiplied Jonathan Hamrick's original bet by over 1.3 million times, making Hamrick one of the latest big winners in the growing world of online gaming.

A life-changing slot game

The game that changed Hamrick's life was Bison Fury, an online slot game featuring the American wilderness. The win came at a critical time for the grad student, who plans to use the windfall to pay off his student loans for tuition and living expenses. "I was in disbelief for a while, but once it hit my account, it started getting real," Hamrick shared after the jackpot was credited to him. "I don't have to be in debt anymore... Grad school is expensive, and I had to take out loans. Now, I don't have that burden."

Hamrick's big win was so significant that BetMGM invited him to Las Vegas for an all-expenses-paid trip, where he stayed at ARIA Resort and Casino. During his stay, Hamrick was presented with the customary gigantic fake check by the Director of VIP Casino at BetMGM, Michael Vricella. "I was sitting in class and I figured I had a couple of extra minutes to get on and play," Hamrick recounted in a statement provided by BetMGM. "So I logged on, hit spin a couple of times... clicked the button, and it said, 'Congratulations.'"

BetMGM's rise in online gaming

The growing popularity of online gaming platforms like BetMGM has continued to captivate players across the country. BetMGM is the online sportsbook and iGaming platform offered by MGM Resorts International, providing players with a diverse range of gaming options, from slot games like Bison Fury to live casino games and sports betting.

Bison Fury, the game that brought Hamrick his jackpot, was developed by Entain, a UK-based gaming company that holds a 50% stake in the US operations of BetMGM. The game is themed around the beauty and power of the American wilderness, with its five reels providing players with multiple ways to win, including the possibility of hitting progressive jackpots, which have been a major attraction for online slot enthusiasts.

Hamrick's massive jackpot is just the latest in a series of life-changing wins for players on the platform. In June, another BetMGM player from Michigan won an even larger jackpot playing the same game, Bison Fury, walking away with $1 million after wagering just 40 cents. That player, who chose to remain anonymous, also experienced the excitement of turning a small bet into a significant fortune.

A growing market for BetMGM

The online casino platforms by BetMGM are currently available in several states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, and Hamrick's home state of West Virginia. Additionally, BetMGM's online sportsbook operates in 22 states, making it one of the largest platforms in the rapidly expanding US online gaming market.

With more players discovering the potential for big wins from small bets, BetMGM continues to strengthen its reputation as a leading online gaming destination. The platform offers a wide variety of slot games, table games, and sportsbook options.

A debt-free future for Hamrick

For Jonathan Hamrick, this unexpected jackpot means much more than just a big win. It represents the end of years of financial stress and uncertainty about how he would manage the cost of his education. As online gaming continues to grow in popularity, Hamrick's story is a unique testament to the unpredictable and thrilling nature of games like Bison Fury. For now, Hamrick is enjoying his newfound financial freedom, thanks to a few spins on a slot machine that turned into the opportunity of a lifetime.