Big Lebowski, meet Big Johnson: Denver bowler strikes it rich at Reno airport

Denver's John W. Johnson is a bowler -- one serious enough to have flown with his wife to Reno to participate in this past weekend's U.S. Bowling Congress open championship. And while he's not among the winners at the event listed on the Bowl.com website, he hardly wound up in...

By Michael Roberts

February 22, 2010

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Denver's John W. Johnson is a bowler -- one serious enough to have flown with his wife to Reno to participate in this past weekend's U.S. Bowling Congress open championship. And while he's not among the winners at the event listed on the Bowl.com website, he hardly wound up in the gutter.

According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, Johnson put $20 into a slot machine at the Reno airport -- and promptly won a $10,422,754.08 Megabucks MegaJackpot.

So the rest of you wannabe Big Lebowskis can take your trophies and shove 'em. Big Johnson's the one who scored the real strike.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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