A lucky gambler in Las Vegas has struck gold, winning a jackpot of almost $2 million dollar. The guest was visiting Wynn Resorts’ Encore Las Vegas on the famed Las Vegas Strip and playing a slot by Aristocrat Gaming.

According to an official release from Wynn Resorts, the guest was firing up the reels of Buffalo Power Pay, an American wildlife-themed game. At around 1:45 am on Sunday, the guest hit the slot’s jackpot, securing them a $1,935,806.31 payday.

The winner, who remained unidentified in the official press release, won the jackpot on a $60 wager, Wynn Resorts reported. As of the time of this writing, no additional information is available.

Another Bison-Themed Slots Enthusiasts Won Jackpot Prizes

In any case, the Encore Las Vegas player isn’t the only recent gambler to emerge richer from playing a buffalo-themed title. BetMGM’s Borgata Online brand just handed a huge jackpot to a customer who was enjoying the Entain-developed Bison Fury.

An exclusive to BetMGM’s brands, Bison Fury is an exciting title best known for its 1,000 ways to win, thrilling bonus and progressive jackpot.

According to BetMGM, the player won $417,404 on a $18 wager. What made this victory so special, however, is the fact that it was the same player’s second jackpot in nine months. The aforementioned win was scored in May but in August 2023, the player had won an additional $1 million playing Bison Fury.

The lucky gambler thanked BetMGM and Borgata Online for giving them this opportunity and changing their life.

Mega Millions Jackpot Continues Growing

Speaking of jackpots, the Mega Millions jackpot just survived another drawing, swelling to $251 million for the next drawing. Set to take place on July 19, the upcoming drawing will provide players with a shot at a life-changing prize with a lump cash value of $118.7 million.

The last time a player won the Mega Millions jackpot, for reference, was in early June when a player from Illinois hit the $560 million Mega Millions jackpot. This win followed three months of unsuccessful drawings.

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In a significant breakthrough, unionized workers at Encore Boston Harbor casino in Everett have reached a “tentative agreement” on a new contract with Wynn Resorts, effectively avoiding the scheduled strike set to begin on June 30. 

Union Workers and Wynn Resorts Find Common Ground in Contract Negotiations

The breakthrough was announced on June 29 following an hours-long bargaining session that involved union leaders and representatives from Wynn Resorts. Both parties expressed their satisfaction with the terms of the agreement, which they believe fulfils the workers’ demands for better wages, benefits, and job security.

Boston media outlet WGBH reported that UNITE HERE Local 26 president, Carlos Aramayo, praised the casino’s management for demonstrating leadership by agreeing to a contract that ensures excellent wages and benefits for the resort’s workers. He further expressed relief that a strike would be avoided and emphasized the spirit of partnership that prevailed during the negotiations.

The specific details of the contract remain undisclosed, pending a ratification vote scheduled for June 30. However, the union is optimistic that the agreement achieves its objective of a “five-star contract” with competitive wages and top-notch benefits, surpassing industry standards.

The workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 encompass a diverse range of roles, from room attendants and cocktail servers to delivery drivers and bar porters. The Encore Boston Harbor casino, owned by Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts, has been under pressure to reach a new contract since the previous one expired in April. Union leaders had threatened to initiate a 24/7 picket line if an agreement wasn’t reached in time.

Encore Boston Harbor Sets New Standard with Exceptional Compensation and Benefits

Encore Boston Harbor expressed its satisfaction with the outcome, stating that the agreement aligns with the company’s commitment to providing exceptional compensation and benefits, making it one of the most attractive workplaces in Massachusetts’ hospitality industry.

While the contract did not address every issue, it made significant strides in rectifying wage disparities and improving work conditions for employees. With the tentative agreement in place, both Encore Boston Harbor and its dedicated workforce are looking forward to a new chapter of cooperation and harmonious relations, ensuring a better future for all involved parties.

Back in February, Wynn Resorts received approval from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) to construct a new building near its Encore Boston Harbor casino, allowing for expanded offerings including sports betting and poker. The decision came after a favorable interpretation of a 2013 casino referendum, allowing authorized gaming on both sides of Route 99. With the recent legalization of sports betting in Massachusetts, Wynn’s expansion plans are seen as a significant step in the growing gambling scene in the state.

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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the gambling regulator in the Bay State, will evaluate recent rule violations and decide whether to impose penalties. The authority will discuss the matter at a meeting scheduled for April 14.

Unfortunately, Massachusetts’ fresh sports betting market quickly attracted illegal bets. In February this year, the regulator identified two illegal wagers on collegiate sports. In total, $1,230 was bet illegally within the first month of sports betting in the state. The two bets stood at $1,150 and $80 and yielded total winnings of $1,106.

According to earlier reports, MGM Springfield accepted these wagers by mistake and was reportedly unaware of them taking place. The operator even provided the commission with details of the exact dates of the infringement.

The wagers in question were placed on basketball games featuring Harvard University. Since Massachusetts punters cannot legally bet on smaller in-state collegiate events, both bets violated the law. This happened because the university was incorrectly marked as an out-of-state institution, investigators found out.

MGM Springfield Will Be More Careful

Since the incident, BetMGM, which operates MGM Springfield, vowed to be more mindful. The operator announced that it has “reviewed and verified that all Massachusetts collegiate sports are properly restricted.”

In addition, the gambling company confirmed that it will start a daily audit of all of the available wagers. This, it said, will help it avoid bets on blacklisted events.

The matter will be further discussed on April 14 when the regulator will convene to discuss the illegal bets and decide whether punitive action is needed. The gathering was announced on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s official website.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will convene an adjudicatory hearing relative to the alleged noncompliance of MGM Springfield with G.L. c. 23N, § 3; 205 CMR 247.01(2)(a)(2); and the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Catalogue.

MGC announcement

The MGC Will Address Encore’s Violations as Well

In addition to discussing MGM Springfield, the regulator will also discuss other illegal wagers that were recorded in Encore Boston Harbor. A bug in the system allowed customers to place bets on a Boston College women’s basketball game.

Fewer details have been officially released about this case. However, it is not the first time illegal wagers have been recorded at the property. As a result, the MGC will decide whether to penalize the operator.

As announced by the MGC, it will discuss the MGM matter from 1:30 pm and will continue by addressing the Encore case from 3:00 pm.

The post MGC to Consider Penalizing MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Wynn Resorts – Encore’s operator – received MGC’s blessing to construct a new building right across the street from its current integrated casino. The new plans include a variety of fresh offers, including sports betting, thanks to Massachusetts legalizing it recently.

Expansion Plans Get Green Light

The MGC approved the expansion on Wednesday after a favorable interpretation of the 2013 Everett casino referendum. This enabled Wynn to have authorized gaming on both sides of Route 99. The upcoming construction will include a dedicated poker room, a second sports betting salon, a theater, and a parking garage. The “Memoire” nightclub will also be relocated there.

The question of the referendum was whether it allowed Wynn to launch the casino on the Encore Boston Harbor’s site specifically or whether voters had agreed to a general casino license. The details of the referendum are the exact reason why the new casino will only be offering sports betting and poker – at least until legislative changes are introduced.

Wynn has been trying to expand for some time now, and the 4-1 vote of the MGC that gaming is allowed in the vicinity of the current casino is a big win for these plans. The only vote against belonged to Commissioner Eileen O’Brien, according to information from State House News Service. Her concerns were whether the voters’ will was being respected.

O’Brien’s notion is that by enabling this expansion based on proximity to the site that was initially the focus of the vote, this can continue happening. This raises some important questions, one of which is about the future of the gambling scene in the state. As retail sports betting was just launched not two weeks ago, some are wondering: What’s next?

Massachusetts Gaming Scene Growing

Six operators received preliminary license approval towards the end of January. FanDuel, Bally Bet, Betway, DraftKings, PointsBet, and Jake Paul’s Betr received the temporary untethered Category 3 license for online/mobile sports betting. This ensured that come launch day, sports betting would be well taken care of online.

As the question of mobile operators was settled, this gave way for other vendors to start populating the new market in the state. Sportradar received a vendor license on the eve of the launch. Genius Sports also received a temporary vendor license from the MGC, marking another state where the company can operate.

The number of states that offer sports betting has also been rapidly increasing ever since the 2018 repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). As it currently stands, over a dozen US states do not offer any form of sports betting, at least for the moment.

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