[craigster59]

I'll throw a few bucks at it today. You can't win if you don't play!

I had a buddy come in last week who I've known for years, going back to the Unsolved Mysteries/ America's Most Wanted days. Great guy, always locked into the True Crime/Forensic Files shows which are "bump and run" fast and furious shows.

I asked him about retirement and he gets a grin on his face. "I'm not retiring just yet but I'm going to be able to be more selective in my projects".

He proceeds to tell me that he was in Vegas last month visiting his guitar tech friend for a show by the group Train. He's at the airport waiting to fly back to Burbank and his flight is delayed for an hour. So he throws a $20 in one of the Wheel Of Fortune 25 cent slot machines and on his second pull, bells and lights go off. He won the progressive jackpot $375k.

They cordon off the area, take his picture and inform him that he's going to miss his flight. The Station Casino has the contract for the machines at the airport so they send a limo to take him to the casino to fill out the paperwork. He gets there, they put him up in a suite with freebies to all the bars and restaurants in the casino.

They write him a check for $16k (which would be the amount of the first payment if you took the installment plan) and informed him that if he wanted lump sum it would be $260k after taxes. Walked him to the casino cage and told them to "take care of him and cash his check if he so desired".

He took his check straight up to his room and deposited at his bank when he flew in the next day (he said the balance was deposited within 2 days), he's no dummy.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, I'm really happy for him.