TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Duane Kelloway, a Spring Hill resident and hospital nurse who treats COVID patients, won a $112,245 2022 BMW X7 M50i as part of a celebration of $1 billion in jackpots paid out so far in 2021 by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
Image: (L to R) Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Promotions Manager JP Taylor, OR Nurse Duane Kelloway and NFL HOF Linebacker Derrick Brooks celebrate Duane’s Jackpot on Saturday August 28, 2021. Kelloway’s jackpot pushed the casino’s jackpot payouts to over $1Billion in one year, the first time ever in Seminole Gaming history.
Kelloway, 50, was playing a Double Hit progressive slot machine by Ainsworth Gaming with a $3 bet. He won $2,450 on the machine, which pushed the casino's total slots payout for 2021 to over $1 billion. The win earned Kelloway the new BMW in recognition of surpassing the slot payout milestone.
"I thought I was going to pass out," said Kelloway. "To be so lucky to be here at the right time and the right place and at the right machine."
Kelloway is an Operating Room nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lutz and said he has been treating COVID patients for weeks. He and his wife, Kelley, who is also a nurse, visited the Seminole Hard Rock Casino Saturday for a brief escape. They drove to the casino in a 2013 Ford Taurus with nearly 200,000 miles.
"I was going to come down Friday," said Kelloway, who added that his wife talked him into visiting the casino on Saturday instead.
In celebration of the milestone, NFL Hall of Fame Linebacker Derrick Brooks surprised the lucky guest. Seminole Hard Rock Tampa has awarded 360,000 jackpots to more than 43,000 individuals thus far in 2021, which equates to nearly a jackpot paid per minute.
"Clearly, it's an exciting time for this property and Seminole Gaming," said Steve Bonner, President of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. "We are fortunate to be in the position to create so many jackpot winners and look forward to celebrating this milestone with another major announcement later this year."
As part of the celebration, all 1,130 slot players who had their Seminole Wild Card properly inserted into a machine within 15 minutes of the milestone announcement each won $100 Bonus Free Play.
About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is one of the largest and most successful casinos in the world offering award-winning gaming, hospitality, and entertainment. The casino features nearly 5,000 of the hottest slot machines, 179 table games and a state-of-the-art Poker Room featuring 46 tables. Additionally, the property offers a smoke-free Mezzanine Level Casino. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and the property proudly offers ten restaurants, including the upscale dining venues Council Oak Steaks & Seafood and The Rez Grill, as well as the new elegant Italian restaurant, Cipresso. Recent openings include a new hotel tower, an elevated arrival experience, the Hard Rock Event Center and Rock Spa® & Salon. The resort is located off I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
About Hard Rock®:
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in 68 countries spanning 241 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. In 2021, Hard Rock was awarded the Top Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment Industry by Forbes, designated as a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal and named the top performing hotel brand in J.D. Power's North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study for the third consecutive year. In 2020, Hard Rock was honored as one of Forbes Magazine's Best Employers for Diversity and a Top Employer for Women. Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos also received first place ranking in the 2020 Casino Gaming Executive Satisfaction Survey conducted by Bristol Associates Inc. and Spectrum Gaming Group. Hard Rock destinations are located in international gateway cities, including its two most successful flagship properties in Florida and home to the world's first Guitar Hotel® in South Florida, Global Gaming's 2020 Property of the Year. The brand is owned by HRI parent entity The Seminole Tribe of Florida. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
