People flock to casinos for various reasons. Some play for the thrill of the game. Others wish to socialize and mingle with friends. There are those bona fide casino players who are out to win and then there are those who just want to try their luck. The one factor that binds various casino players is the possibility of hitting or winning a life-changing-jackpot. There is this anticipatory, frenzied and frantic ambiance – all fingers crossed for that one lucky break.
All the components of a casino, from the exterior and interior designs that titillate the senses to the unadulterated oxygen pumped into the gaming areas, all contribute to a player’s remarkable experience. But, the reality is that only a very small percentage will go home with some winnings. An even greater reality is that among those who won, it seldom happens that one of them won a life-changing jackpot. And when one does, it is only proper and right that the casino pays up the winner. However, this was not the case at the Resorts World Casino in New York.
A woman casino player reportedly won £34 million playing slots at a casino in New York. The woman was overjoyed to have won such amount of money. Her joy was doused when the casino offered to give her a steak dinner instead of her winnings.
At the Resorts World Casino in New York, Katrina Bookman was playing slots when the ever exciting siren, indicating a hit, wailed. Bookman’s jackpot was a total of $42,949,672.76 or about £34 million. She even took a selfie of herself next to the machine as proof of her once-in-a-lifetime-jackpot! She was so excited of joining the strata of the very rich, all eager to live a life of luxury and ease.
All her dreams went kaput when the casino failed to acknowledge her winnings the following day. The casino management informed her that the jackpot screen shown was not legitimate but was just the result of grave system error. The casino management said her winnings actually amounted only to $2.25. Then to rub salt into the wound, Bookman was offered a steak dinner as consolation prize.
Dan Bank, a casino representative, told CNN that the jackpot prize displayed on the slot’s screen was due to a malfunction. He said this was later confirmed by the New York State Gaming Commission.
Bookman’s lawyer, Alan Ripken, said that if this was the case, the casino should at least pay Bookman the maximum amount of money the machine contained. This amount is about $6,500. Ripken said that it isn’t fair that the casino refuses to pay a winner whereas the house does not have any qualms when the machine takes money from players.
If the New York State Gaming Commission ruled that the slot machine malfunctioned, then settling for the steak dinner is the very least they could do.
