Denny Hamlin’s weekend in Las Vegas began with slot machines, not speedways. Before Sunday’s Pennzoil 400, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver hit three casino jackpots totaling $330,000, and fans couldn’t decide whether to cheer or rage.
Hamlin’s hot streak started on Friday, March 14, with a $126,150 win, followed by $85,825 the next day and another $65,300 just minutes later. As the No. 11 Toyota sat in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway garage, social media erupted over his gambling fortune and whether it would translate to the track.
Denny Hamlin’s $330K Casino Haul Ignites Fan Fury
Hamlin’s slots win tweet, which he captioned, “Show goes on,” ignited fans who weren’t as forgiving.
Im embarrassed at this point. pic.twitter.com/ja6mBSpLFq
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) March 16, 2025
“I hate you,” replied one user on X, perhaps wishing they had won the jackpot instead.
Others joked about his luck: “Don’t use up all you’re luck before the race 😆.”
Another fan quipped, “Definitely not having you in my DraftKings lineup tomorrow if you’re up this late.”
The 44-year-old’s gambling history added fuel to the fire. In 2022, he won $50,000 on a Phoenix Powerball ticket. He even pocketed $300,000 in a blackjack tournament. But this weekend’s windfall, $330,000 in two days, struck a nerve.
“The house is NOT ever let back into casino after this weekend 🙏😭,” one user wrote, mocking Hamlin’s streak with a meme captioned, “YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO FINANCIAL COMPENSATION.”
lmao the house is NOT ever let back into casino after this weekend 🙏😭 pic.twitter.com/Dqe1JaUUS4
— DennyDeliversYT 📦 (@DennyDelivers2) March 16, 2025
Besides the fans joking about his wins and envying him, some are concerned, as one fan replied, “ Denny you going to be sober enough for the race tomorrow?”
“Aint no way in hell I’d make it to the track in the morning lmao,” another replied.
Can Hamlin’s Luck Translate to Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
Hamlin’s casino success contrasts sharply with his NASCAR challenges. The three-time Daytona 500 winner sits seventh in points but hasn’t won since Dover in 2024. At Phoenix, he lost to teammate Christopher Bell by 0.049 seconds, a defeat that drew an expletive-laden radio rant.
Sponsorship woes add pressure. FedEx ended its 19-year partnership with Hamlin in 2024, leaving National Debt Relief and ampm to patch funding gaps.
“It is tough out there. Sponsorship is hard to come by, and certainly, while it is such an important time in our sport to recognize that sponsorship dollars are not flowing like they used to for sure,” Hamlin admitted in February. Yet his $65 million net worth, per Celebrity Net Worth, bolstered by 23XI Racing co-ownership, fuels perceptions of a divide.
Amid all these laughs and concerns, some of the fans remain hopeful, “ Wow, luck has definitely been with you the past few days, now when you win today’s race, the win will be the cherry on top of the cake,” one replied on X.
Wow, luck has definitely been with you the past few days, now when you win today's race, the win will be the cherry on top of the cake.
— Vidal (@Vidal71877907) March 16, 2025
As Hamlin lined up 15th for Sunday’s race, fans wondered: Did he burn his best luck in the casino? His track record at Las Vegas offers hope, with four top-10 finishes since 2021. But in NASCAR, fortunes change faster than a slot machine’s spin. For Hamlin, the real jackpot remains a trip to Victory Lane. And in Vegas, the house always wins, eventually.