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Read Full BioA gambler in Florida won $2,190,214.13 from a $50 bet at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, playing on the Dragon Link slot machine that is at the center of a legal dispute between gaming companies Aristocrat and Light & Wonder.
A press release from the Seminole Tribe noted that this marks the second time the game has paid out in excess of $1.5 million since January 2025.
The jackpot has now been reset to $1 million and is now linked across all 32 $1 Million Dragon Link progressive slot machines at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.
“It’s always remarkable when a jackpot of this magnitude is hit. Congratulations to the lucky winner!” said Joseph Wagner, Vice President & Assistant General Manager of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. “Dragon Link continues to deliver unforgettable moments for our guests, and this win is a perfect example.”
Dragon Link Attracts Interest From Bettors & Rival Companies
Dragon Link is produced by Aristocrat and launched at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa in July 2021. The tribe noted that it ranks among the most popular choices in the high-limit slot category, with a minimum bet of $25 and a maximum stake of $2,500.
Kurt Gissane, Chief Revenue Officer for Aristocrat Gaming, commented, “What an extraordinary moment for the player, Dragon Link and Aristocrat Gaming. Our partnership with Seminole Hard Rock Tampa continues to drive exciting wins like this – It’s thrilling to celebrate this milestone with them.”
In addition to attracting bettors seeking a life-changing payout, the game is the subject of a legal dispute between Aristocrat and its rival gaming company, Light & Wonder (L&W).
In 2024, Aristocrat filed a lawsuit against L&W, alleging that its slot game Dragon Train used math algorithms stolen from Dragon Link. Game designer Emma Charles is accused of sharing the “secret math” with L&W after switching to the company from Aristocrat in 2021.
In the ongoing court battle, a judge ruled last month that L&W must turn over the mathematical models tied to certain “hold and spin” games released since 2021. This marks a small victory for Aristocrat after a judge previously denied the company access to those materials. A full trial is likely to commence sometime in 2026, unless the companies settle earlier.
Seminole Tribe Expands Slots Under Guise of Sports Betting
The carefully calculated math behind slots makes them a big earner for casinos. In Florida, however, they are limited to brick-and-mortar sites under the state’s gaming laws.
The Seminole Tribe has been able to find loopholes that have allowed it to expand into online betting despite no formal approvals of online sports betting or gaming. In 2021, it signed a pact with Gov. Ron DeSantis that allowed its online platform Hard Rock Bet to offer mobile sports betting.
It argues that online bets are placed on tribal lands, as that is where the servers are located. This interpretation has been subject to legal challenges; however, the tribe continues to offer online sports betting.
Last week, it expanded its offerings to include games based on past racing results that mimic slots in their appearance. Under the 2021 compact, the tribe is permitted to offer online wagering on current and past sporting events.
The new “Games powered by Motor Races” utilizes past racing events to determine the outcomes, rather than the random number generator software typically employed in slot games. This allows the games to be classified as sports bets, rather than slot games.
At its brick-and-mortar site in Tampa, the Seminole Tribe highlighted that it has paid out more than 778,020 jackpots totaling over $2.34 billion in slot winnings in 2025.
