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Gambler turns $20 bet into ‘scorching hot’ jackpot at Whatcom County casino

One lucky slot machine player at a Whatcom County casino has hit the jackpot — literally.

The gambler turned a $20 bet at Silver Reef Casino Resort in Ferndale into a $124,819 win on the Mega Meltdown machine.

“Things are heating up on the floor!” Silver Reef Casino said in a Thursday, Dec. 4, Facebook post. “We just had a scorching hot jackpot win of $124k+ on Mega Meltdown. The machines are hot, come find your spark!”

The Whatcom County casino shared “a huge congratulations to our lucky guest,” but didn’t name them.

According to one casino official, the Mega Meltdown machine has “been ready to go off for the last six months.”

“The team was excited. The guests were excited. Everyone was really excited,” the casino official told The Bellingham Herald via phone.

On social media, commenters congratulated the lucky player on the jackpot win.

“Wow! CaChin ... a great win!” one person wrote in a comment on Silver Reef Casino’s Facebook post.

“Holy wowza!!!! Way to go!!!” another commenter wrote.

The Mega Meltdown win was the largest jackpot won at Silver Reef Casino so far this year, casino officials said.

Silver Reef Casino is a 30-minute drive from Bellingham.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 11:31 AM.

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