Man Hits $7.2 Million Jackpot After Funeral For Friend Who Loved Slot Machines

A man hit a $7.2 million jackpot after a funeral for a friend, turning a tragic road trip into a life-changing event.

The man, Tyler Morris of Montague, Michigan, had traveled to Mississippi to attend a memorial service for a friend who died there. While on the trip, Morris decided to try his luck at the penny slots at the Palace Casino. Morris said he usually played craps when he went to the casino but decided to try the slot machines in honor of his late friend, who enjoyed playing penny slots at the Palace Casino.

So he sat down as a specialty Lord of the Rings game with a progressive jackpot and won the $7,217,175.15 grand prize, the Sun Herald reported.

“Tyler said he felt his friend was watching over him and had blessed him with the big win,” a casino spokesperson said.

After the man’s win, the progressive jackpot reset at $200,000 and began to build back up again, The Associated Press noted.

Hitting a $7.2 million jackpot after a funeral would be nice for anyone, but, to Morris, the big win came at a particularly good time. He and his wife Mary said their car just topped 200,000 miles, so they bought a new one just before making the trip to Mississippi. They now plan to use their winnings to pay off the new car.

Aside from the new car, the $7.2 million jackpot he won after the funeral will go to family, Morris said. He and his wife plan to spend some on their children and grandchildren and put a new roof over their business manufacturing weathervanes and house numbers.