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Big Shot

Drop Tower at The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower, Las Vegas, Nevada. Opened 1996.

By Theme Park Spot · Last reviewed November 10, 2026

Height
160 ft
Drop
n/a
Top speed
45 mph
Length
n/a
Inversions
n/a
Ride time
35 s
Designer
S&S Worldwide

Big Shot is a Space Shot tower ride at the top of The STRAT tower in Las Vegas. It opened with the resort, then called the Stratosphere, in 1996, and was built by S&S Worldwide to a design by Stan Checketts.

The ride sits on the tower's mast. Sixteen riders are seated around the mast on the 921-foot platform and launched 160 feet up to 1,081 feet above the ground at 45 mph, then dropped back down. The ride is pneumatically powered and lasts about 35 seconds.

When it opened, Big Shot was the highest thrill ride in the world, a title it held until the Sky Drop opened on the Canton Tower in China. It operates alongside SkyJump and X-Scream on the tower.

Sources

  • thestrat.com/attractions/thrill-rides (Official thrill rides page (checked 2026-11-10): lists Big Shot (launches riders 160 feet at 45 mph from the 921-foot platform up the mast to 1,081 feet), X-Scream ('X-Scream is currently closed'; 866 feet high, riders propelled head first 27 feet over the edge) and SkyJump; Insanity is not listed; address 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S, Las Vegas, NV 89104.)
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Shot_(ride) (Opened April 1996; S&S Worldwide Space Shot, designed by Stan Checketts; pneumatically powered; 160 ft tower; rises from a 921 ft deck to 1,081 ft; 45 mph; 4 g; duration 0:35; highest thrill ride until the Canton Tower Sky Drop; operating.)
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strat (Wikipedia: formerly the Stratosphere; opened April 30, 1996; renamed The Strat January 22, 2020; 2000 South Las Vegas Boulevard; Golden Entertainment owner since October 2017, Vici Properties bought the real estate in 2026 and leased it back; High Roller 1996-2005; Big Shot 1996; X-Scream 2003; Insanity 2005 (infobox 2005-2023); SkyJump 2010.)

Numbers are from the ride's manufacturer and park where published; "n/a" means we have not confirmed that number yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.