One push of the button sent a local man over the rainbow Tuesday thanks to a “Wizard of Oz” progressive penny slot machine at Wildhorse Resort & Casino.

Playing the themed machine, Pendleton resident Matt Doherty won $674,096 — the biggest payout of its kind in almost five years.

David Rohn, Wildhorse director of slot operations, said the odds of winning that type of jackpot are akin to winning the lottery.

According to Rohn, the Wizard of Oz penny machine is considered a “wide area progressive” machine, meaning its continually mounting jackpot is not only drawn from players at Wildhorse, but from other casinos across the country.

Considering the thousands of people who come through Wildhorse every day and the millions more who patronize the other casinos, the odds of hitting the progressive jackpot are pretty small.

In its 20 years of existence, Wildhorse wide area progressive machines have produced only 17 winners, the last being a La Grande man who won $2.29 million on March 23, 2010, almost five years to the day before Doherty won his own jackpot.

When someone wins such a gigantic pot, taking home the money isn’t as easy as stuffing the cash in a suitcase and walking out.

Rohn said the manufacturer of the slot machine, which supplies the payout instead of the casino, sends a team to verify the winnings.

Although verification can take up to 24 hours, Rohn said it only took about six hours for the team to confirm Doherty’s jackpot.

Doherty declined to comment for this story.

Even after confirmation, progressive jackpot winners don’t immediately receive the money.

Winners receive 5 percent up front — approximately $33,705 for Doherty — and are eventually sent a letter with the option to either receive the rest of the money in a long-term annuity or a smaller lump sum, minus taxes.

“No one expects to win,” Rohn said. “They play for fun and when they win it comes as a surprise.”

Being one of the largest tourist draws in Eastern Oregon means many slots winners come from outside the Pendleton area.

But for Doherty, there’s no place like home.

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Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836.