$43 Million Jackpot Win Voided As Casino Claims Malfunction

In 2016, a woman named Katrina Bookman thought she had won the 43 million-dollar jackpot at a New York casino on a slot machine. Her life was changed forever....until it wasn't. The casino claimed "malfunction" and voided the winnings. Is this fair game?

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Betting Debate: Should Casinos Be Able to Claim Malfunction?

It's a dream that every gambler on Earth has had at least once in their life - a simple trip to the casino turns into a life-changing moment of luck. A slot machine pull that results in an 8-figure payday.

That's what happened to a woman named Katrina Bookman. In August 2016, Bookman arrived to Resorts World Casino in New York, and sat down at the Sphinx wild slot machine. Moments later, the machine told her she has won the nearly $43 million jackpot. But her story was far from over...

When Bookman went to cash out her ticket, the management team at the casino told her the jackpot was a malfunction, and that her winnings were voided. But as a consolation prize, they had something in mind.

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$43 Million or $2.25 and a Steak Dinner?

The management team at the casino offered Bookman $2.25, which she had actually won on the spin, and an additional steak dinner.

While she may have loved that offer heading into the night, that reward is a far cry from the life-changing $43 Million she thought she had been the lucky recipient of just moments before.

Bookman eventually turned down the offer, and quickly hired a lawyer to sue the casino. When the attorney asked for additional information on why the prize wasn't paid out, the casino refused to comment and could not give specific details on what caused the "malfunction".

The New York State Gaming Commission confirmed the malfunction, stating that a $43 Million jackpot would break the American slot record, and that Bookman should have been aware that progressive jackpot games aren't capable of paying out such a large sum.

Bookman and her legal team argued that at least $6500, the maximum payout on the slot machine, should be awarded due to malfunction. As of 2023, there has been no known settlement between Bookman and the casino, and the steak dinner is the only offer that has been delivered.

Disturbingly, this is not the first time such a travesty has occurred. In 2020, a woman named Maribel Sanchez thought she had won the $8.5 million-dollar jackpot at an Oklahoma casino slot machine. Her life was changed forever....until it wasn't. The casino claimed also "malfunction" and voided the winnings.

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Let us know what you think!

Most of us dream of a moment like this, but stories of malfunction make you really wonder if slot machines are worth the trouble...

What do you think, should casinos be allowed to "void" wins due to malfunction without providing detailed proof?

Should casinos be able to claim "malfunction" and void payouts on jackpot-winning spins? Or is this a crime against bettors everywhere? Let us know what you think on Twitter.