If you’ve ever bought a dollar in a slot machine and wondered, “Does anyone really win?” — here’s your answer.
Players at the four Four Winds Casinos walked away with a staggering $296 million in jackpots during 2025, according to figures released this week by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, which owns and operates the casinos. That total includes thousands of payouts large and small — and a surprising number of truly big wins.
Across all Four Winds locations, there were:
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18 jackpots topping $95,000
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14 jackpots over $100,000
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Five jackpots exceeding $200,000
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Two jackpots of $300,000 or more
Many of the biggest winners were from Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana — including several from Berrien County communities.
New Buffalo & South Bend Lead the Way
The largest share of jackpot money was won at Four Winds New Buffalo, where players collected more than $117 million from nearly 50,000 jackpots in 2025. Among the standout wins:
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$296,997 on a Blackjack Bonus Spin Xtreme game by a guest from Bridgman
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$150,000 on Mississippi Stud by a player from Wisconsin
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Several six-figure slot jackpots won by visitors from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and beyond
At Four Winds South Bend, the totals were even higher — nearly $145 million paid out across almost 58,000 jackpots. Highlights included:
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A $389,614 Poker Room “bad beat” jackpot won by a South Bend player
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A $297,893 progressive slot jackpot
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Multiple six-figure wins by players from Elkhart, Middlebury, and South Bend
Smaller Casinos, Still Big Money
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Four Winds Hartford paid out more than $22 million
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Four Winds Dowagiac paid out nearly $13 million
Those two locations combined for more than 14,000 jackpots during the year — proof that big wins aren’t limited to the resort-style casinos.
Online players also got into the act, with two jackpots topping $275,000 and $300,000 won by players in the Detroit metro area.
Why It Matters Locally
While MoodyOnTheMarket doesn’t typically track casino wins, Four Winds is one of Berrien County’s largest employers, ranking among the county’s top five. The casinos draw visitors from across the Midwest, helping fuel hotel stays, restaurant traffic, and tourism spending throughout Southwest Michigan.
And for readers who occasionally scratch off a lottery ticket or put a few dollars into a slot machine? The numbers offer a simple takeaway: yes, people really do win — sometimes very big.
Whether luck strikes or not, the scale of winnings in 2025 underscores just how large a presence Four Winds Casinos continue to have in the regional economy.
