Then it happened: The symbols on the three reels matched, and the digital Wheel of Fortune began to spin, indicating a win. To Budz, a few hundred bucks on a Vegas visit is 'just entertainment.' But the huge bonus prize is the real draw - announced by an electronic display that resembles the ticking wheel on the TV game show, placed just above eye level.Īs her losses mounted to more than $200, Budz fed the machine $5 tokens, pressing the Spin button almost rhythmically - no serious slot player touches the pull handle on a one-armed bandit. Players can wager as little as a quarter, and small jackpots - a dollar or 10 - come along frequently enough to keep the action going.

Three spinning reels occupy the center of the machine. The gambling device in question is a fairly typical modern Vegas slot.

The Chicago grandmother was seated at one of four chattering Wheel of Fortune games in the Big Apple-themed casino - a rococo affair with a mock Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, and Coney Island roller coaster.

( ) - Kathleen Budz had been at the slots in the New York-New York casino for only a couple of hours when the big money came along.

Old time casino font