Casino City’s Friday Five: iGaming records and the lottery edition

Michigan had a massive December as its iGaming figures set new records. In addition, we have a new lottery game set to make its debut and it could create many new millionaires. Also this week, we saw Cliff Castle Casino Hotel officially welcome its new smoke-free area and a pair of lucky jackpot winners.

Let’s begin with a win from Nevada:

5. $100,000 video poker win at Aquarius casino resort
An Arizona guest took home a major jackpot win after hitting a royal flush on a video poker machine at Aquarius Casino Resort, claiming $100,000 on 17 January.

Kevin, a True Rewards member from Arizona, won big with a $25 bet on a Game King video poker machine, drawing a diamond royal flush.

4. Seminole Classic Casino pays out massive slot win
A lucky player won a $157,744 jackpot on 15 January at Seminole Classic Casino in Florida while playing a Dragon Link Golden Century slot machine.

The lucky player wagered $2.20 on a $0.05 denomination to land the winning combination.

3. Cliff Castle Casino opens smoke-friendly gaming parlor
This week, Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Arizona officially unveiled its Smoke-Friendly Gaming Parlor with a ribbon cutting and media walkthrough.

Spanning 5,345 square feet, the space features over 140 new slot machines, the latest electronic table games, and a dedicated luxury bar with in-bar gaming, including the newest bar-top games.

A ventilation system allows guests to enjoy smoking in a modern, comfortable environment without compromising air quality.

2. National lottery game Millionaire for Life debuts next month
A new national draw game, Millionaire for Life, will launch next month, giving lottery players in 31 jurisdictions the chance to play every day. Daily drawings begin Sunday, 22 February 2026, at 10:15 p.m. CT.

Millionaire for Life will offer a grand prize of $1 million a year for life and a second-tier prize of $100,000 a year for life. Both the grand prize and second-tier prize will be awarded as annuities, with a 20-year guaranteed payout. Players will also have the option to choose a one-time cash payout for the top two prize levels.

Millionaire for Life was designed to produce daily winners, with overall prize odds of 1 in 8.46 and grand prize odds of 1 in 22.9 million.

The new Millionaire for Life lottery game is set to come to more than two dozen states across the country. Here's what to know. https://t.co/1P5AXWG4WR

— PNJ (@pnj) January 17, 2026

1. Michigan iGaming sets record in December
Michigan commercial and tribal operators reported a combined $399.8 million total internet gaming gross receipts and gross sports betting receipts in December. Gross receipts increased 19.1% compared to November.

The main focus was online gambling. December iGaming gross receipts totaled $315.8 million, the highest to date. The previous high was $278.5 million recorded in October 2025.

However, December gross sports betting receipts totaled $84.0 million, which is a decrease from the $87.3 million recorded in November.