Thrilling finale for inaugural Slots Royale tournament

The whir of spinning wheels and triumphant rings of jackpots echoed through the main casino floor at Time Square, as 60 Slots players furiously tapped away in thrilling three-minute heats to crown the winner of Sun International’s inaugural Slots tournament, Slots Royale.

The grand finale at Time Square was the culmination of 13 weeks of exciting playoffs at 11 Sun International casinos – GrandWest, Sibaya, Carnival City, Boardwalk, Time Square, Golden Valley, Windmill, Flamingo, Meropa, Wild Coast Sun, and Sun City. Out of the 1 200 players who signed up for a chance to win a share of R6.8 million in cash and rewards, only 60 would be chosen to travel to Time Square in Tshwane for the grand finale. 

With laser focus, Bloemfontein’s Tefo Lefalatsa tapped his way to Slots glory, winning the R1 million grand prize and the title of inaugural Slots Royale champion. The first runner-up received R500 000, while the third and fourth-placed players received R250 000 and R150 000.

“It was luck, prayer, and help from God. The almighty was always behind us,” Tefo says. “My wife, Selloane, and I have been praying since the start of the tournament. She encouraged me to keep playing and push – we made it as a team.”

Tefo qualified for the grand finale at Sun International’s Windmill Casino, racking up Slots points to make it to the top of the leaderboard.

“[The tournament] was a little tricky sometimes because he didn’t always win,” Selloane says, laughing. “But it was a great experience.”

“A big thank you to Sun International and Windmill Casino. Mangaung, we are bringing home the money!” Tefo added.

Slots Royale is the third groupwide tournament Sun International has hosted. It was preceded by Black Opal (Baccarat), and Black Pearl (American Roulette) held last year.

“A year ago, we decided to bring back the fun and glamour of our groupwide tournaments,” explains Sun International COO Graham Wood.

“Slots make up the bulk of our casino business, so it was fitting to develop a Slots tournament. Slots Royale has been an amazing success; the vibe and the excitement have been even better than our Tables tournament – it’s something we can build on.”

Centrally situated, Time Square was the ideal location to host the grand finale, says General Manager Ruben Gooranah. The property, which boasts one of the largest casino in Gauteng and the 17-floored The Maslow Time Square, will also host the grand finale of the upcoming Baccarat tournament, Black Opal, in July.

“We pride ourselves as one of the most technologically advanced casinos in the country. Also, when we throw a party, we throw it properly – you feel the vibe from the moment you walk into the property.”

As for how they will spend their R1 million windfall, the Lefalatsas say they still have to apply their minds. “We still have to think and plan about what to do with the money,” he laughs. “We just can’t drop everything and go to Mauritius!

“This was a great experience, and we want to thank Sun International, Time Square for hosting us, and especially Windmill Casino.”