Tropicana Evansville Casino | 1,500+ Slots, Table Games & Waterfront Dining

I was just killing time on a Tuesday afternoon, fed up with being stuck at home during spring break. My kid was at school, and I thought, why not drive over to Tropicana for a couple hours? I sat down at this progressive slot machine around 2 PM and honestly wasn't expecting much—I usually budget maybe fifty bucks. Then boom, the bells start going crazy. I just froze for like ten seconds, my heart pounding so hard. My hands were shaking when I called over the attendant to confirm it was real. I'm finally getting the roof fixed on my house and putting the rest aside for my daughter's collage fund.

I was at the blackjack table with my buddy Jeff, and we were both pretty much breaking even after about an hour. I'd just ordered my third drink and was feeling looser, taking bigger bets. The dealer kept busting, and I kept winning hand after hand—it was insane. By the time I hit that last big win, I literally stood up and yelled, which I'm not usually the type to do. Jeff was laughing and slapping me on the back. I'm paying off my truck loan and taking my wife on the Hawaii trip we've been talking about for five years.

I'd been playing in tournaments up and down the Mississippi River for about eight years, always placing but never winning the big one. This time I drove to Evansville specifically for their tournament—I felt different that day, like it was finally going to happen. I made it to heads-up play against this younger guy and just stayed patient, folding the bad hands and pouncing on his mistakes. When he finally went all-in with weak cards, I called with pocket queens. The river card hit just right. I actualy cried a little bit when they announced my name. Now I can finally retire from driving trucks and play poker full-time.

I was there with my sister for her birthday, and we were just having fun with small bets. She kept saying I should trust my gut on which number to pick. I'd been thinking about my mom all day—her birthday would've been that week—and somehow I just felt drawn to 17, which was her lucky number. I put down fifty bucks and hit it twice in a row. My sister started screaming and crying, saying Mom was looking out for me. I'm using most of it to start the scholarship fund we always talked about in her name.

I was on a work trip and had an extra evening before my flight back to Missouri. The hotel clerk mentioned Tropicana, so I figured why not spend a couple hours there. I walked onto the floor not expecting much, grabbed a seat at Buffalo Gold, and just started spinning. After about twenty minutes, I triggered the bonus round and the symbols just lined up perfectly. The machine was going crazy with sounds and lights. I wasn't even sure how much I'd won until the screen showed the final total. It's going toward paying down medical debt from my wife's surgery last year.

I've always liked Three Card Poker because the games move quick and the rules are simple. I was playing pretty conservatively, making small bets on a Friday night after work. The table was lively—there was this older couple celebrating their anniversary, and everyone was joking around. I got dealt three nines and decided to push my luck with a bigger bet on the ante-raise. The dealer busted, and I won the hand along with the bonus. Everyone at the table cheered like we were all in it together. I'm putting this toward my son's orthodontia and treating myself to a new truck.