September 10, 2025
A Detroit man calls his mom to let her know they are leaving the hood after he won a casino jackpot.
After winning FireKeepers Casino’s largest-ever jackpot, Detroit resident Anthony W. Jr. made a tear-filled call to his mother to tell her about his life-changing win.
Anthony struck gold with the second-biggest win in casino history, $1,376,465.30. After hitting the jackpot on the Blackjack Triple Diamond Progressive machine, he made a call to let his mother know. The moment was captured on video. Anthony was seen pacing the casino floor, waving his hands around frantically, while speaking to his mother.
“Momma, we are out of the hood!” he told her, his voice full of emotion. “We’re leaving tomorrow.”
Onlookers witnessed his joy, and the phone call went viral. For Anthony, the jackpot offered a way out of longstanding economic hardship.
Anthony is not the only person celebrating a major gambling win. Two, currently unnamed, people recently won the $1.787 billion Powerball jackpot, according to Powerball. The win was reportedly the largest in U.S. lottery history. One ticket was sold at a convenience store in Fredericksburg, Texas, while the other was purchased at a gas station in suburban St. Louis County, Missouri. The winners now face a choice: take an annuity totaling $893.5 million or $410.3 million immediate payment. Both amounts before taxes. Their victory ended a record-breaking drought of 41 drawings without a jackpot winner, according to AP News.
While individuals won big, states all over the U.S. were able to gain from the exorbitant proceeds from all ticket sales, which contribute to schools and state services. In addition to the jackpot winners, 18 states each saw at least one player win.
As winners prepare to claim their prizes, fortunately under anonymity protections, they’re encouraged to secure their tickets, sign them, and seek financial and legal guidance.
While Anthony does not have the benefit of anonymity, he does have the benefit of a large win.
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