US3 min(s) read
In 2016, a woman sued a casino after being offered a steak dinner in place of the $43,000,000 jackpot she won.
Katrina Bookman, a New York native, was playing the Sphinx slot machine at Resorts World Casino in Queens when the screen suddenly flashed what appeared to be a life-changing win: almost $43 million.
Bookman took a selfie with the machine to capture the moment, the screen clearly displaying: "printing cash ticket $42,949,672.76."
But according to Bookman, the dream quickly unraveled. She claims she was escorted from the casino that same day and told to return the next day for an “official ruling”.
When she asked casino staff: “What did I win?”, she was allegedly told: “You didn’t win nothing.”
Instead of the nearly $43 million she believed she'd won, the casino offered Bookman $2.25 and a steak dinner, claiming the machine - which had a maximum jackpot amount of $6,500 - had malfunctioned.
Raised in foster care, homeless as a teen, and a single mother of four, she had hoped the windfall could change her family's life.
Speaking to WABC, she said: “I kept thinking about my family. The struggle I’ve been through, it’s hard to cope.”
She had already envisioned using the winnings to open a barbershop for her son and give back to her community. Instead, she says the experience left her depressed, anxious, and embarrassed.
So, Bookman decided to sue the casino, and two years later her negligence claim was rejected.
Her lawsuit, filed at the Queens County Supreme Court, targeted Resorts World Casino and two gaming companies responsible for the machine’s manufacturing and operation.
The casino, however, insists it was an “obvious malfunction.”
A spokesperson said that the Sphinx slot machine wasn’t supposed to pay out more than $6,500. The New York State Gaming Commission backed the casino, pointing out that the machine includes a disclaimer: “Malfunctions void all pays and plays.”
Bookman’s attorney, Alan Ripka, said his client was entitled to the full amount shown.
He argued: “The machine takes your money when you lose. It ought to pay it when you win.”
Even as the machine was reportedly removed, repaired, and returned to the casino floor, Ripka insisted that Bookman should at least receive the game’s maximum possible payout of $6,500 if the full amount isn’t awarded.
According to Casino.org, Bookman's case was delayed due to the Covid pandemic before a judge at the Queens County Supreme Court ended up ruling in favor of the defendants, stating that the machine had in fact malfunctioned and did display the warning message.
