Beneath the towers of a medieval castle rising from California’s wine country, the ground shook as two armored knights on 2,000-pound horses thundered toward each other. Lances splintered on impact, cheers erupted from the stands, and lottery winners from across the U.S. waved banners for their “Houses” in a spectacle inspired by the HBO series GAME OF THRONES.
The unforgettable moment was part of THE SEVEN KINGDOMS EXPERIENCE, a once-in-a-lifetime winners’ event produced by Scientific Games in November, the global lottery company behind the industry’s highest performing licensed games and Linked Games events.
“That’s what makes events like THE SEVEN KINGDOMS EXPERIENCE so special. They connect the emotion of the brands with the excitement of play.”
Nearly 100 lottery players and their guests from nine U.S. lotteries—Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas—journeyed to Napa Valley for four unforgettable days of adventure, indulgence, and camaraderie. Together, they took home more than $1.69 million in prizes, earned through multiple rounds of brand-immersive games.
Inspired by one of the most-watched HBO television series of all time, the event followed Scientific Games’ July 2023 announcement of its exclusive agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences to bring the GAME OF THRONES Linked Game to lottery. Beginning in April 2024, participating lotteries launched themed instant and digital games, offering players a chance to win their way to Napa through digital second-chance drawings.
4 Days of Epic Experiences
The excited group of lottery players and their guests came together for a celebration of feasting, wine tasting, and friendly competition. Every aspect reflected the white-glove service and hospitality that have become hallmarks of Scientific Games’ Linked Games events.
“Our team wanted every detail—from the castle and the jousting to the wine tastings—to make players feel truly connected to the world of GAME OF THRONES,” said Jeanna King, Vice President of Creative Engagement & Events for Scientific Games. “The joy and excitement we saw from the winners made every moment worth it.”
Guests arrived in Napa to begin their journey, greeted by Emmy Award–winning game show host Todd Newton, who promised four days of “incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.” Players soon discovered which of the seven GAME OF THRONES themed “Houses” they would represent—Baratheon, Greyjoy, Lannister, Mormont, Stark, Targaryen, or Tyrell—and the adventure began.
The next day began at Markham Vineyards, where players learned about winemaking and sampled the famed Merlot. Afterward, they traveled to Sterling Vineyards, riding gondolas to a hilltop winery modeled after Mykonos’s white stucco houses, overlooking the valley, where they enjoyed a gourmet lunch paired with their signature wines.
Winners also selected from hands-on classes: chocolate truffle making, cheese making, or olive oil tasting, each led by Napa artisans, and a cooking class at the esteemed Culinary Institute of America at Copia.
Evenings unfolded in festivity—including a trip back in time on the Napa Valley Wine Train, where the call of a locomotive signaled a nighttime journey through the heart of wine country. Once all aboard, guests settled into restored Pullman cars, savoring fine food and wine as the train glided past moonlit vineyards.
“Getting the opportunity to do something like this—I’m still kind of in shock and disbelief,” shared Edna Bennett from Texas. “Everything has been so very well-orchestrated and organized. I’m just very grateful. And it’s just beginning? That’s even better!”
A Tournament for the Ages
The main event took place at Castello di Amorosa, a medieval Tuscan-style castle surrounded by vineyards. The first round of competition in THE SEVEN KINGDOMS EXPERIENCE, The Hand’s Tourney, was unlike anything ever staged for a lottery winners’ event. Beneath fluttering banners, bleachers lined a jousting run where the Knights of Valour, led by Shane Adams (known to fans as Sir Shanton), prepared to bring a centuries-old sport roaring back to life.
Each knight mounted 2,000-pound Clydesdales and Shire horses, dressed head to toe in 160 pounds of shining armor. When the trumpets sounded, the ground trembled as the horses galloped toward one another at nearly 25 miles per hour with lances aimed. The impact was thunderous—wood splintering; cheers echoing throughout the stands.
Seven Houses battled for glory in three nail-biting rounds of combat, with each pass revealing thousands of dollars in prizes for the teams cheering from the stands.
After a dramatic series of clashes, including several sudden-death rounds, House Targaryen rose above the rest, defeating House Greyjoy and winning $1 million. The cash prizes won in this first round were divided among the members of each House based on their final standings, ensuring every participant shared in their House’s success. In total, more than $1.5 million was awarded—the largest payout ever at a jousting tournament.
Jay Shoemaker from Pennsylvania and his wife, Rose, were among the members of House Targaryen who were cheering and celebrating. “It’s a life-changing amount of money.” When asked what he was going to do with his share, he wisely answered, “Well, let my wife have some!”
Rulers’ Ransom and The Spoils of War
After the jousting tournament, all winners and their guests gathered in the castle’s grand hall. At its center stood the Iron Throne, where winners took turns posing like royalty.
“It was wonderful. I sat there (on the throne), put my arms up, and thought, this is me—this is where I need to be,” exclaimed Sheila Demers from Massachusetts.
During Rulers’ Ransom, the only individual round of the event, each House Ruler chose one of 15 Dragon Eggs. Concealed randomly inside each Dragon Egg was a prize fit for royalty, ranging from $7,000 to $77,000. Pennsylvania’s Sharonda Miller, ruler of House Tyrell, picked Dragon Egg number nine to win $17,000.
“I picked the number because September is my granddaughter’s birthday,” Miller said, revealing a picture of her two grandchildren printed on her T-shirt. “They’re my good-luck charms.”
Nearly 200 revelers then gathered in the royal dining room for a grand feast, anticipation building for the final round of the evening — The Spoils of War, a chance to spin the great wheel for a cash prize worth up to $6 million.
As the reigning champion, House Targaryen once again took center stage. Representing the House, Victor Quiroz of Texas stepped forward to spin for glory. On his first two turns, Quiroz narrowly missed the $1 million and $2 million wedges, each time landing on $25,000. His third spin added another $25,000, bringing House Targaryen’s total riches to $1.075 million. Just like in first round, The Hand’s Tourney, the winnings from The Spoils of War were split evenly among all House Targaryen members—ensuring that every teammate shared in the victory.
“I’m so thankful—for everyone and everything that made this possible,” said Quiroz as he held back tears of joy. “This experience…I never thought it would be like this. I’m so happy, and I feel truly blessed today.”
A Legendary Finish
The final day brought everyone to San Francisco for a city tour and a visit to Alcatraz, the former penitentiary that sits as an island fortress in the Bay. Among them was 93-year-old Navy veteran Mario Conti, another Massachusetts winner, celebrating the trip on Veterans Day. “We waited a long time for it,” he said with a grin. “It’s quite an experience—something I’ll always remember.”
The week’s spirit—connection, gratitude, and joy—embodied everything the event set out to achieve.
Powering the Future of Play
Since pioneering the first Linked Games event in 2007, Scientific Games has built its experiential prize games around the power of its licensed brands—transforming fan-favorite entertainment properties into celebratory, real-world adventures. Each white-glove experience delivers personalized service, unforgettable moments, and the kind of attention to detail that has become synonymous with Scientific Games’ winners’ events.
The company has produced more than 5,000 of these experiential prizes, representing a total combined retail value of over $6.6 billion to date. Across its broader licensed brand portfolio, more than 100 pop culture, entertainment, and sports properties generated $3.5 billion in U.S. lottery retail and digital sales in fiscal year 2025, underscoring the global strength of Scientific Games’ strategy to partner with top brands that drive lottery sales and player excitement worldwide.
“GAME OF THRONES is one of the most powerful entertainment properties of our time, and we knew it could deliver an unforgettable experience for players,” said Rogers. “Our vision with Linked Games is to go beyond traditional prizes—to create something immersive, emotional, and truly memorable. This event did exactly that.”
THE SEVEN KINGDOMS EXPERIENCE proved that when entertainment and innovation align, players don’t just win prizes—they live out dreams.
Melissa Wesley from Maryland reflected on her experience, “This has been remarkable. I know this will never happen again in my life. I never dreamed it would be this good.”