Slot Machines in Las Vegas

Walter and Linda Misco may get to keep the Lion's Share machine, which is being retired from the MGM Grand. Photograph: Ron English/News 3

Walter and Linda Misco from New Hampshire had been playing the Lion's Share machine for just five minutes when they watched the three green emblems line up horizontally on the jackpot pay line on Friday night, the MGM Grand casino said in a statement.

"We've waited over 20 years for this! Our famous Lion's Share Finally Hit for $2.4 million, " the casino said.

The machine had attracted queues of punters for two decades due to its mouthwatering jackpot, which accumulated over 20 years of parsimony. The Lion's Share was the most popular slot of 1, 900 at the MGM Grand, and was played almost once every five seconds each day.

— MGM Grand Hotel (@MGMGrand)

Lucky winner hits $2.4 million jackpot on legendary “LION’S SHARE” slot machine. #Winning

"This game probably gets played about five times more than our average game on the casino floor. Our staff gets asked every single day, multiple times, where this game is, from people who haven't played it before, " Justin Andrews of MGM Grand said.

The machine has become so renowned that it has its own Twitter account, @mgmlionsshare, and its popularity was further fuelled by a Wall Street Journal piece earlier this year highlighting its formidable bounty.

According to Nevada law, slot machines are required to pay out 75% of the money that goes into them. Now it has relinquished its jackpot, the $1-a-go machine – the only game left from an entire network of slots installed in the early 1990s – will be retired.