Winning a life-changing sum at a casino should be a dream come true. But for some lucky gamblers, hitting the jackpot was just the beginning of a bigger mystery. Here are real cases of people who won big—only to vanish without a trace.

1. The Man Who Won $39 Million and Never Collected It

In 2015, an anonymous man hit the biggest slot machine jackpot in New York history—$39 million at Resorts World Casino. However, instead of celebrating, he quietly left the casino. Days later, the casino claimed it was a machine malfunction and refused to pay out. Strangely, the winner never returned to fight for his winnings. Was he threatened? Did he suspect foul play? No one knows, as he was never seen again.

2. The Australian Gambler Who Cashed Out and Vanished

In 2017, an Australian businessman won over $10 million playing baccarat in Macau. Instead of celebrating, he immediately checked out of his hotel, withdrew his winnings, and vanished. Even his business associates couldn’t contact him. Speculation arose that he might have had ties to organized crime—or simply feared for his safety.

3. The Las Vegas Winner Who Left Without a Trace

In 1992, a tourist from Chicago won $1.5 million at the Mirage Casino in Las Vegas. Witnesses saw him cash out his winnings, but he never boarded his flight home. His family filed a missing person report, but no body, no crime scene, and no explanation ever surfaced. Some believe he was robbed and murdered, while others think he staged his disappearance to start a new life.

4. The Mysterious Disappearance of “The Ghost Gambler”

In the early 2000s, an unnamed gambler in Atlantic City developed a reputation for winning big at blackjack and leaving town immediately. One night, after reportedly winning around $5 million, he left his hotel room—and was never seen again. Casino security footage showed him walking out alone, but no records of him ever leaving the city exist.

5. The Lottery Winner Who Fled the Country

While not a casino story, it’s worth mentioning Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr., who won $315 million in a U.S. lottery in 2002. His life turned into a nightmare—he was robbed multiple times, faced lawsuits, and lost everything. By 2016, he had disappeared from public life, reportedly fleeing to avoid more financial trouble.