One week millionaire

By Alex P. Vidal

“Gambling has brought our family together. We had to move to a smaller house.” – Tommy Cooper

TUPPERWARE “Tito Tap” Tacuyan cashed out the white voucher that read: “$21,560” or roughly P1,293,600 in Philippine money from a casino in Queens on March 22 after hitting the “jackpot” in the Jinse Dao Dragon, a slot machine game known for broad appeal that offers a wide range of betting levels and bonus features.

“God is good,” Tacuyan, 68, of Libacao, Aklan in the Philippines, yelled as the machine loudly alarmed and flashed his winnings, attracting attention from nearby fellow casino habitués who immediately milled around to join his ecstasy.

He gave six of them $20 each as balato (tips). They cheered and tapped Tacuyan’s shoulders like a star baseball player who just hit a home run.

A delivery truck driver in Brooklyn and Queens, Tacuyan’s biggest casino haul was $2,300 (P138,000) lumped in two vouchers from 88 Fortune, another slot machine game, in December 2019.

“This (amount of $21,569) is my biggest (win), so far” confirmed the father of two ladies who have been decrying his casino addiction.

After a week, Tacuyan’s luck, however, nosedived; his instant fortune turned into ignominious misfortune. After winning the “jackpot” on March 22, he became penniless or “financially deficit” on March 29.

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“Naging one week millionaire na lang sia (he became a millionaire but only for one week),” reported his fellow Filipino casino player.

The casino world is rife with myths and superstitions, especially regarding the best time to play for optimal luck and winnings. These myths range from specific days to certain hours supposedly offering better odds.

Tacuyan went back to the same casino on March 23 hoping to romp off with another windfall. Alas, he instantly lost $1,400 in the same slot machine.

Tacuyan threw away another $2,200 on March 24. “He became unstoppable,” narrated his buddy.

Tacuyan’s losses racked up as the itch to duplicate the March 22 payouts persisted on March 25, 26, 27, 28 to no avail. And finally on March 29, exactly a week after the $21,560 bonanza, he was $800 poorer.

Tacuyan failed to repeat his fortune and ended up incurring debts and harrowing cash advances.

Tacuyan has been a regular casino player in the slot machines since transferring from Seattle in Washington, where he worked as cook in a Filipino restaurant, to Queens, New York 11 years ago.

A part time caregiver, Tacuyan admitted losing almost “a fortune” in the casino, an addiction that nearly ruined his relationship with his wife and two children.

“Ang estimate ko mga $30,000 na total ang pierde ko sa slot machine lang na since 2014 (I estimate that my total losses had reached $30,000 only in the slot machine since 2014),” Tacuyan admitted.

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Two years ago, after the pandemic, Tacuyan’s wife, a caregiver in Long Island City, and two children seized his credit and saving cards when they couldn’t stop him from regularly splurging money in the gambling facility. “They interfered in my happiness,” he complained.

Tacuyan said he never gave up on playing the Jinse Dao Dragon since July 2025 when he sensed the game had enough exciting bonuses to engage beginner and experienced players alike.

With the help of a friend, a fellow casino “addict”, Tacuyan said he managed to “fix” some of the game’s rough edges which he credited for helping make him collect the “jackpot.”

He said players who prefer eventful gameplay without long waits between features are likely to enjoy Jinse Dao Dragon’s medium volatility. “Let’s put it this way amigo: somehow, I managed to decode some of the game’s tricks since last year,” Tacuyan explained.

According to casino authorities, Jinse Dao Dragon’s most impressive features include:

Wheel bonus: Three yin yang symbols award up to 20 free spins or a standalone jackpot.

Four standalone jackpots: Players have the chance to win one of four jackpots, which scale according to the bet level.

Expanding Reels feature: Glowing orb symbols on the first reel randomly trigger a bonus spin with added reels and cash prizes.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)