Movie Monday: The famous Zoltar machine from “Big”

Do you remember the famous Zoltar fortune-telling machine from the 1988 movie, Big, starring Tom Hanks?

Well, apparently there was a 56-year-old guy in Michigan who got some lotto numbers from a Zoltar machine and has been playing those same numbers for the last 30 years. And he finally just won!

Stephen Huesgen got the numbers in Las Vegas. He told People, “About 30 years ago, I was in Las Vegas and got a fortune from a Zoltar machine,” he said. “On my fortune, there was a set of lucky numbers, so I have been playing those numbers on lottery games ever since.”

On the morning after the April 22nd Powerball drawing, Huesgen received an email from the lottery that took him by surprise. He’d won a $1 million prize. “I yelled to my wife: ‘Is this real?’ I don’t think this is going to fully hit me until I cash the check!” Huesgen added.

The power of Zoltar lives on! But do these machines still exist? I saw one story that says they are no longer around.

I knew I had seen one in the last decade or two somewhere, so I started digging back through old photos and sure enough…..

There I am coming around the corner and being so excited to see a Zoltar machine in real life!

I know this was taken in the Wisconsin Dells but I don’t know in which restaurant or attraction or game room…..

Mama Linda even was excited to see ‘ol Zoltar but now she can’t remember how long ago it was (she thinks maybe 15 years ago?) or where in the Dells we were.

So I need your help! Anyone recognize where these photos were taken in the Wisconsin Dells? And is the Zoltar machine still there?

Please let me know! Email anytime: Laura.McKenna@civicmedia.us
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