Excerpt from Jackpot Junkie by Tara Lee O’Brien

“I’ve never seen anyone cry from a jackpot,” someone says.
‘Can I take a picture?” another voice says.
“Ms. O’Brien, do you need a quiet place?”
I look up from my hands. The high limit boss is beside me, and a small crowd is gathering behind me.  “Can you believe it? Today’s my birthday!”
“Happy Birthday Ms. O’Brien! I gotta say, I’ve been here since the high limit room opened, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen this machine hit this jackpot…”
I struggle to register the enormity of my luck. “Thank you,” I say, trembling, “I think I need to use the bathroom,” and I get up.
In the ladies’ room, I try to compose myself. This is crazy- I’ve imagined winning this big for almost thirty years, and now it’s actually happened!
When I come out, the technician is back, but this time he has another tech with him. “You know the odds are 2.7 million to one on hitting the top jackpot?” he asks.
I can’t answer. I just shake my head no.
The high limit room boss comes over with Gloria, an attendant who’s worked at the casino a long time. “How would you like that Ms. O’Brien?”
Generosity brings good luck.  “I need straps of cash,” I say laughing, “for yourselves. Can you take a photo of me in front of the machine please?” I ask, and hand him my phone.
I text my husband the new photos of me with an ecstatic smile next to the 777 jackpot, and I scroll through my phone’s pictures of the morning’s jackpot photos. This is absolutely incredible…
The high limit room boss tells me it’ll take a little more time, the ceiling cameras have to roll back the film.

My husband shows up, a bit out of breath, he must have rushed here. He gapes at the 777’s jackpot on my machine. “What a birthday present!” he says and gives me a hug.

A procession line of twelve employees enters the room, with Gloria carrying a piece of cake in a plastic tray. They’re singing, “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you…”
“One needs to be lucky in life!” my grandmother and mother said.
And defy the odds, again and again.