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SACRAMENTO, Cal (Gambling911.com) - Two large jackpot wins totaling more than half a million dollars were paid out at Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, outside of Sacramento, California last week, Gambling911.com is learning.
The casino only announced the details behind both jackpots on Friday September 4.
The first jackpot occurred on Aug. 26, when a Lodi resident won a $583,824 Mega Grand jackpot after putting in a dollar wager for the Dollar Storm Mega Grand Link Buccaneer, a popular pirate-themed slot machine by Aristocrat Gaming that features a linked Mega Grand Jackpot.
Sky River said the second win came Aug. 29, when a Stockton resident played the same game and got $130,812 in exchange for putting in a $2 bet. This winner has been a rewards member for the casino since opening day on Aug. 15, 2022.
Back in January, Dollar Storm Mega Grand Link Buccaneer paid out a $552,460 jackpot on a $40 bet to a Modesta resident at this very same casino.
While the jackpots are not as frequent or as large as the uber popular Dragon Link slot, three jackpots in one year at the same property is not to shabby for a single slot game.
"To see another six-figure jackpot awarded just days after this same game produced a Mega Grand jackpot is phenomenal," Sky River President and General Manager Michael J. Facenda said in a news release.
Facenda said that since the start of 2026, Sky River has awarded more than $190 million in cumulative slot machine payouts.
Meanwhile, the nearby Thunder Valley Casino Resort paid out a $101,522.13 jackpot during the early morning hours of Friday September 4.
The six-figure progressive jackpot hit shortly before 4 a.m. on a Crystal Star $1 denomination slot machine after a $45 bet.
“Now that’s how you start Labor Day weekend,” said Dawn Clayton, CEO of Thunder Valley Casino Resort. “Before the sun was even up, one of our guests was celebrating a $101,000 jackpot. We love seeing these unforgettable moments, and we hope the excitement continues throughout the holiday weekend.”
Crystal Star is a classic-style progressive slot made by Everi (now part of IGT/Everi). It's quite different visually and mechanically from games such as Dragon Link or Dollar Storm—it's deliberately designed to resemble an old-school three-reel casino slot.
The Thunder Valley Resort has been a cash cow for gamblers this summer.
On June 28, a player won $132,705 on Lightning Buffalo Link, and Thunder Valley said that was already its 23rd six-figure jackpot of 2026. Since then, there have been many more, including:
$604,597 — Monopoly, July
$496,685 — Smokin' Hot Stuff, August
$221,176 — Buffalo Link, August
$166,860 — Samurai Secrets, August
$145,888 and $112,505 — two jackpots on the same day in August
$210,138 — Buffalo Link, August 28
$113,765 — Dragon Link Happy & Prosperous, August 28.
There was also a $1.1 million Face-Up Pai Gow jackpot in July, which Thunder Valley described as its first $1 million table-game jackpot.
- Jordan Bach, Gambling911.com
