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A German man who previously found himself in prison due to his gambling addiction is aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of sports betting at soccer matches.
Thomas Melchior has quickly become a social media star, as people are intrigued and enjoy his way of gaining attention to turn the subject onto the more serious matter.
The man can be seen appearing outside many different soccer games in Germany, wearing the jersey of the home team’s rival. He also holds a sign saying ‘lost a bet.’
Once people begin to notice him standing outside the grounds, he then turns the conversation to speak about sports betting. In some videos, the opposing fans can be seen getting visibly angry at him wearing the rival’s jersey.
Man holds ‘Lost a bet’ sign at soccer games to raise awareness
In a video posted on September 17, Melchior posted his content alongside the caption (which has been translated into English): “€800,000 betting debt, 40 months in prison. The quotation was high – the price paid was even higher! I call sports betting the fight!”
Speaking to the Associated Press, he told them: “Yes, it’s dangerous. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone.”
The bold moves come after he was sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2019 for fraud and theft offenses against strangers and people he knew. He was a former bank teller and is now trying to right his wrongs. Since starting his campaign to raise awareness, his videos have been seen millions of times, with one video alone racking up 2.8 million views.
“When the handcuffs clicked, it was the first moment I felt free again since my first bet. That’s when I felt I had survived gambling addiction,” Melchior said. “In that moment, I decided I would try to repair all the damage. And I wanted to get out of prison with the best possible conditions so I could inform and warn people about gambling addiction. That’s why I’m here today.”
Featured Image: Screenshot via Instagram post
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Two major jackpots have been won in a seven-day span, with more than $1.1 million having been awarded between two people in the same state.
The first win came on September 18 from a $15 bet, with a record-setting $603,667.06 jackpot being won, which broke the previous online jackpot record for Caesars’ platforms of $588,288.17.
Then, just a few days later, on September 24, an Oscar C. of Michigan claimed a second jackpot worth $527,710.07 from a $0.60 bet on IGT PlayDigital’s Cash Eruption MegaJackpots. His reaction was, “Everything is possible for one who believes,” and he shared that he plans to use his winnings to take care of his mother, who has done so much for him.
“This incredible back-to-back win showcases the excitement and potential of our online casino offerings,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President & Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.
“Awarding more than $1 million in jackpots in just one week is a testament to the momentum behind Caesars Palace Online Casino and the unforgettable experiences we’re delivering to our players.”
“IGT PlayDigital is thrilled to bring the excitement of back-to-back mega-sized jackpot wins to Caesars’ online casino players in Michigan,” said Gil Rotem, IGT CEO, Digital.
“IGT PlayDigital offers one of the industry’s most robust jackpot game libraries, and it’s wins like these that propel the popularity of our Megajackpots game portfolio and the Cash Eruption game family.”
What are the biggest casino jackpots ever won?
According to an online report, the largest lottery jackpot in history was won in October 2023 by a person in California, who chose to remain anonymous, who won $1.765 billion. They opted for the lump-sum payment of $774.1 million.
As for slot machines in a casino, the largest payout ever won is $39,713,982.25 which was by a 25-year-old software engineer from Los Angeles who put in $100 in the Megabucks slot machine at the Excalibur Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas in March of 2003.
The largest jackpot payout in an online slot machine game, according to the Guinness World Records, was $20,062,600 and was won by a UK-based man called Jon Heywood.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
The post Over $1.1 million won in two jackpots within a week, in the same state appeared first on ReadWrite.