Gold Coast’s Secret Jackpot: $1 Million on a 75-Cent Bet

^{These slots are hidden in plain sight behind the Keno Lounge in the back of the Gold Coast casino yet offer one of the best payouts in Las Vegas. (Photo: Marc Meltzer)}

LAS VEGAS -- Everyone loves hearing tips from Las Vegas locals. Unfortunately, many turn out to be exaggerations or based on unfounded rumors. So when I heard about a quarter slot machine with a million-dollar jackpot, I rushed to see if it was true. 

Great news. It’s true!

Gold Coast casino, just off the Vegas Strip near the Rio and Palms, features a bank of three slot machines with a $1 million jackpot. The best part is that players qualify for this huge win with just a 3-credit max bet for 75 cents. 

Related: 

• What Happens When You Win a Million-Dollar Slots Jackpot?
• Progressive Jackpot Slots

Hidden In Plain Sight

This bank of three single-line Double Gold reel slot machines with the $999,999.99 jackpot is hidden in plain sight. Frankly, most tourists will never know these machines exist. 

They’re located against a wall at the far eastern end of the casino. This is the opposite side of the Gold Coast casino floor from the main valet entrance, where most visitors enter.

The Gold Coast has a 62,070 square foot slot floor with more than 500 slot machines, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Visitors entering from the main entrance must pass new slots, table games, the sportsbook, another large slot area and the keno lounge to find these games.

There’s no direct line of sight to the games from the main entrance. They’re against the wall behind the keno lounge. 

Those familiar with the Gold Coast will know this area since it’s adjacent to Cornerstone Steakhouse. 

Despite the location, these games stand out from the pack. The Gold Coast features almost all video slot machines. 

However, the far end of the casino has many older video slot machines. The newest games are in the front of the casino, where most people visit. 

I did three laps around the casino to make sure these were the machines the tipster was talking about, even though I saw them minutes after walking into the casino. With this in mind, the location behind the old Keno Lounge makes sense. 

Winning the Million Dollar Double Gold Jackpot

We reached out to Boyd Gaming for additional information about the Double Gold slot machines. 

The company said that all three of these Double Gold slots are connected to the same progressive jackpot. They also confirmed that anyone who makes a 75-cent max bet will qualify to win the jackpot. 

Players simply need to have the Gold Coast logo with a ribbon on each reel with a max bet of 75 cents. Landing the logos on all reels will only pay $250 with a one-quarter bet and $500 with a two-quarter bet.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find out when this jackpot was last hit or how long the games will remain on the Gold Coast casino floor.

Rare Version of Double Gold Slots

This bank of single-line Double Gold slots is rare in Las Vegas. For starters, these IGT slots feature a Gold Coast logo for the progressive jackpot. The typical version of these games doesn’t feature a casino logo and comes in multiple configurations.

A version of the older Double Gold reel slots is typically found with a $1 or $5 per credit bet in high-limit rooms around Las Vegas. There are also newer versions of the single-line game in all denominations. They’re often mixed in with other IGT slot machines that feature the iconic glowing knob.

Additionally, there are multi-line Double Gold reel slot machines in different denominations. 

Sometimes the best machines in a casino are tucked away in a corner, away from everyone else’s breath. (Photo: Mark Meltzer)

Gold Coast Is a Forgotten Gem

I cut my Vegas teeth staying and playing at Gold Coast. It was one of the casinos I could afford when I was younger. 

The rooms, restaurants and gambling weren’t as glamorous as the Strip, but it was affordable and close to the Vegas Strip. It’s about a five-minute ride from Caesars Palace and Bellagio so getting to the fancy properties was easy when my friends and I wanted to explore the Vegas we saw on TV.

It still serves the same purpose and has a national loyalty program in Boyd Rewards. Players can earn points to use in Las Vegas in 10 states. Boyd also has a handful more casinos spread out around Las Vegas, including three downtown. 

My friend group is now spread around the country and we make sure to visit Gold Coast for an amazing affordable meal at Ping Pang Pong and a cheap gambling session. 

Pro tip: The hot and sour soup at Ping Pang Pong is one of the best hangover cures in Las Vegas.

As I mentioned earlier, Gold Coast has more than 500 video poker and slot machines. The older games are set up in rows like they were 20 years ago.

The new slot machines are very well spaced out in all kind of configurations. I found the well-spread Dragon Link machines seen above toward the back of the casino when I was exploring the property. 

At the Global Gaming Expo last year the “Slot Bank Tier List: Ranking Favorite Configuration” session, the panelists discussed how the 2x2 and 4x4 installations were most popular with players and casino executives. I think this Covid-inspired 1x1 might be my new favorite slot machine configuration. 

These were the only slots I noticed with this kind of setup. Casinos with large gaming floors can experiment like this and I like it! Playing slots is a solo endevour and having extra space is always nice. 

I don’t normally wander around this part of the casino so I’m not sure how popular the area is when it isn’t 7:30 a.m. What do you think?