WWW Slot machine

Kim McNamara has big plans including new cars and a trip to Hawaii, but maybe his first step should be hiring an assistant.

The soon to be retired Chrysler worker found himself $1-million richer after playing a $1 slot machine at Caesars Windsor. But McNamara and his wife have barely had time to enjoy it because of all the phone calls.

“We’ve got 50, 000 calls every five minutes, ” said McNamara, who has worked at the Windsor Assembly Plant for 38 years. “All the family. Lou-Anne has a big family, I have a family, they all called. Then I’ve got quite a few friends at Chrysler and I play in a euchre league. All those people started calling. I couldn’t believe it.”

McNamara, 57, hit it big Monday while playing Cash Spin Jackpot. The game is part of the provincewide Mighty Millionaire progressive jackpot, which connects 24 Ontario gaming facilities.

The spectacular day began in a very unspectacular way.

“It was a snow day, so we shovelled the driveway, ” said McNamara.

Then he and his wife Lou-Anne Pointer, both Caesars regulars, headed to the casino to take advantage of a gas card giveaway.

After getting their gas cards they hit the slots. McNamara started with the 50-cent machines. He won $175 before switching to the $1 slot machines.

“I got a couple spins and a lady came and said ‘I hope you win the million, ’” said McNamara.

He said someone else won it last week up north, so he assumed it wouldn’t be his day.

He played for about 10 minutes before deciding to make one last spin before calling it quits for the day.

“I said I’m just gonna play this and then go home, ” said McNamara. “My next spin, I won the jackpot.”

At first, he didn’t realize what was happening.

“I thought I had to spin again for the million, ” said McNamara.

But then lights started flashing on the machine. A crowd started to gather. “Once the people started coming from Caesars, like the executives and all that, then I’m like ‘Oh my God I just won, ’” said McNamara. “I just couldn’t believe it. It was really surreal.”

McNamara struck it rich at 4:01 p.m. with $1, 011, 027. He said he already spent the $11, 027.

“I went in and handed out some money to people that work there that we always see, ” said McNamara.

Now he plans to step up his retirement timeline. He’ll be out the door March 1.

“I am definitely retiring, ” said McNamara. “I was planning to retire in December anyways, but this sort of made it a little closer.”

Other plans include fixing up the house and upgrading from his 2005 minivan. Ever the faithful Chrysler employee, he’s considering a Jeep.

“Then the wife will probably need a new car, ” said McNamara. “Then we got two daughters; we thought we’d help them out a little bit.”