West Michigan Man Turns A Penny Into Half A Million Dollars

BATTLE CREEK (WWJ) - A push of a button was all it took for a former Campbell's Soup employee to turn 1 cent into more than a half-million dollars.

James S., a retiree and longtime resident of Marshall, Mich., was at the FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek Tuesday night when he decided to try his luck on "The Blob" penny slot. Moments later, lights were flashing and buzzers were alarming -- James hit the $507,728 jackpot.

James, who couldn't believe he hit the big bucks, shared his excitement with his wife, Sherry. The lucky couple is now planning to use their windfall on home improvements while also helping their local church and family members.

CEO Brian Decorah said this was one of the casino's largest jackpots of the year.

FireKeepers Casino Hotel is located just off I-94 in Battle Creek.