The Man Who Won $39 Million and Disappeared

On March 21, 2003, a 25-year-old software engineer from Los Angeles walked into the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas with about $100 in his pocket. He sat down at a Megabucks slot machine, inserted a few dollars, and pulled the lever. Within moments, his life changed forever—he had just won $39,710,826.36, the largest slot machine jackpot in history at the time.

What happened next wasn't the typical winner's story of celebration and media tours. Instead, it became one of the most intriguing mysteries in casino history: the man essentially vanished from public life. His story raises profound questions about sudden wealth, privacy, and what really happens when ordinary people hit life-changing jackpots.

The Night Everything Changed

The winner, whose identity was eventually confirmed through various sources as a young professional working in the tech industry, was reportedly in Las Vegas for a casual weekend getaway. Unlike high rollers who might spend thousands chasing big wins, he was playing with modest amounts—the kind of recreational gambling that millions of people do every year.

When the symbols aligned and the machine erupted in lights and sounds, casino staff quickly surrounded the area. Megabucks jackpots are so large that winners don't simply collect their money and leave. There's a verification process, paperwork, and the inevitable question of whether the winner wants to take a lump sum (roughly $1.5 million per year for 25 years) or a reduced immediate payout.

According to reports from sources who were present, the winner seemed stunned rather than jubilant. He reportedly asked casino staff multiple times if the win was real, and whether there was any possibility of a machine malfunction. The International Game Technology (IGT), which manufactures the Megabucks machines, confirmed the jackpot was legitimate after a thorough technical review.

The Decision to Disappear

In the days following the win, the casino and its PR team prepared for the usual winner's celebration. Giant checks, photo opportunities, and media interviews are standard for record-breaking jackpots. Casinos love these moments—they're proof that someone really can win big, and they're worth millions in advertising value.

But the winner had other plans. According to reports, he declined all media appearances. He hired a lawyer almost immediately. And within weeks of claiming his prize, he had essentially dropped off the radar entirely.

"Winners of large jackpots face an immediate and overwhelming set of decisions. Many are not prepared for the attention, the requests for money, or the fundamental changes to their relationships." — Financial planning expert quoted in the Las Vegas Review-Journal

Research from the National Endowment for Financial Education suggests that approximately 70% of lottery and jackpot winners end up broke within a few years. The reasons vary: poor financial decisions, pressure from family and friends, lifestyle inflation, and the psychological burden of sudden wealth. The young engineer apparently understood these risks—and chose to avoid them by disappearing.

The Psychology of Sudden Wealth

Psychologists who study lottery winners and sudden wealth recipients have identified a phenomenon sometimes called "sudden wealth syndrome." The condition, while not a formal medical diagnosis, describes the anxiety, guilt, and isolation that can accompany unexpected financial windfalls.

Dr. Stephen Goldbart, co-director of the Money, Meaning & Choices Institute, has written extensively about how sudden wealth can paradoxically increase unhappiness. "Money amplifies who you already are," he told CNBC in an interview about lottery psychology. "If you have unresolved issues, money will make them bigger."

What We Know About Life After the Win

Unlike many jackpot winners whose lives become public spectacles, the $39 million winner maintained extraordinary discipline in protecting his privacy. What little is known comes from court documents, property records, and occasional secondhand accounts.

Reports suggest that the winner:

• Chose the annuity option rather than a lump sum, receiving approximately $1.5 million per year before taxes for 25 years
• Relocated multiple times to maintain privacy
• Did not contact or was contacted by most family members seeking money
• Continued to work in some capacity, though details remain private
• Made no known extravagant purchases that would attract media attention

The choice to take the annuity rather than a lump sum is particularly notable. Financial advisors often debate which option is better—the lump sum can be invested for potentially greater returns, but the annuity provides built-in protection against spending the entire fortune too quickly.

The Broader Picture: Big Winners and Their Fates

The $39 million winner's story is unusual precisely because it's so quiet. Most large jackpot winners eventually surface—often in unfortunate circumstances. Consider some notable examples:

• Jack Whittaker (2002): Won $315 million in the Powerball lottery. Within years, his granddaughter died of a drug overdose, his daughter died under mysterious circumstances, and he was robbed multiple times. He later said winning the lottery was "the worst thing that ever happened to me."
• Abraham Shakespeare (2006): Won $30 million in the Florida lottery. He was murdered three years later by an acquaintance who befriended him specifically to steal his money.
• Evelyn Adams (1985, 1986): Won the New Jersey lottery twice, totaling $5.4 million. She gambled it all away and was living in a trailer by 2012.

The National Council on Responsible Gambling notes that these stories, while extreme, illustrate the very real risks that come with sudden wealth. The psychological toll, combined with the attention from predatory individuals, can be devastating.

Lessons from the Vanishing Winner

Financial planners and psychologists who study sudden wealth often point to the $39 million winner as an example of how to handle a windfall correctly. His approach—immediate legal counsel, rejection of publicity, relocation, and presumably modest living—aligns with best practices for wealth preservation.

"The winners who do best are often the ones you never hear about," notes a wealth management advisor quoted in several analyses of lottery psychology. "They understand that money creates as many problems as it solves, and they take steps to minimize those problems."

For those curious about casino security and how casinos verify these massive wins, our article on how casinos track you explains some of the technology involved. And for stories of those who tried to beat the system through less legitimate means, see our coverage of the MIT Blackjack Team scandal.

Where Is He Now?

As of 2025, the winner would be receiving his final annuity payments, having collected approximately $39.7 million over 25 years (minus taxes, which would have taken roughly 40% in combined federal and state obligations). Whether he's still living quietly somewhere, whether he invested wisely, whether he found happiness—all of these remain unknown.

And perhaps that's exactly how he wants it. In an age where privacy is increasingly rare and where sudden fame often leads to tragedy, the man who won $39 million and disappeared might be the smartest gambler of all. He took his winnings, protected them, and vanished—the ultimate jackpot strategy.

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