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The Walking Dead is one of the AMC network’s longest-running and most successful television shows. Based on the cult-classic comic book series by writers Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, The Walking Dead has been running in almost continuous syndication for nearly 12 years.

Over the years, many popular stars have come and gone from the series, but one fan-favorite actor has been a consistent presence from the start — Norman Reedus as the rough and tumble Daryl Dixon. Reedus has become closely associated with The Walking Dead, which made it that much funnier when the actor won a chunk of change on a Walking Dead-themed slot game. 

Norman Reedus in front of a white background
Norman Reedus |Theo Wargo/Getty Images

‘The Walking Dead’ is one of AMC’s most successful shows

The Walking Dead premiered on AMC in 2010. Telling the story of a group of resourceful survivors who fight their way through a mysterious zombie apocalypse, The Walking Dead was unlike anything else on television at that time. Raw, gritty, and at times, intensely violent, the show quickly earned a diehard fan base who religiously tuned in every week for new episodes.

Over the years, The Walking Dead has undergone a lot of changes. Deviations from the storylines established in the comic books have angered fans, and the departures of longtime cast members have caused many fans to slam the show as not being faithful to its roots. Still, the show is going strong to this day and has launched a veritable merchandising empire, including everything from bar games and bobblehead toys to a hugely popular slot game and themed snacks. 

Norman Reedus plays Daryl Dixon on ‘The Walking Dead’

For fans of The Walking Dead, one character rises above all the others — Daryl Dixon, played by the popular character actor, Norman Reedus. The actor has been appearing on the show since the first season, quickly becoming one of the most dynamic and interesting characters in the show. Prior to his work in The Walking Dead, Reedus worked as a model and was probably best known for his role in the movie The Boondock Saints, opposite Sean Patrick Flanery.

Still, it is undoubtedly the character of Daryl that has made Reedus a star. He has been honored with numerous fan awards and honors over the years and is even set to reprise the role of Daryl in a spinoff series after The Walking Dead goes off the air in 2022. 

How did Norman Reedus win big on a ‘Walking Dead’ slot machine?

Norman Reedus hit a streak of good luck when he signed on to play the character of Daryl. In 2018, when he went to Las Vegas for the CES convention, he struck gold once again. According to Undead Walking, Reedus was hanging out at one of the casinos in town when he decided to try his hand at one of the Walking Dead slot machines. Not only did Reedus hit the jackpot on the first try, but he won over $800 on the Daryl Dixon character.

As Reedus later described to Jimmy Fallon, “I put in a dollar, I hit the button, I start recording it … (I won) a little over $850 … I thought I was being punked or something.” Reedus ended up sharing the phone footage of his win to social media, thrilling fans with the randomness of the win. The incident certainly proves that anything can happen in Vegas!

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