Imagine hitting the jackpot at a casino, only to be offered a steak dinner and a mere £1.85 ($2.25) instead of your life-changing winnings. That’s exactly what happened to Katrina Bookman in 2016 at Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, New York.
Katrina was playing a slot machine when the screen flashed an incredible jackpot amount of $42,949,672. Overwhelmed with excitement, she took a selfie with the machine, thinking her life was about to change forever. “I can’t even describe the feeling. It’s like my whole body just got numb,” she shared in an interview. Thoughts of how her family’s lives would transform raced through her mind.
However, when Katrina returned to claim her prize, she was met with disappointment. Casino staff informed her that the machine had malfunctioned and that the displayed winnings were not valid. The New York State Gaming Commission confirmed that all machines carry a disclaimer stating that any malfunction voids payouts. The casino quickly took the malfunctioning machine out of service.
As a gesture of goodwill, the casino offered her the original amount printed on the ticket—$2.25—along with a complimentary steak dinner. A spokesperson explained that machine malfunctions, while rare, can happen, and they apologized for the inconvenience. But Katrina wasn’t satisfied with the offers. “I should win the max,” she said, humorously suggesting that she should treat the casino employee to dinner instead.
Determined to fight for her winnings, Katrina sued Resorts World Casino and its partners, claiming they had been negligent. Her attorney argued that the situation was unfair, as players expect to be paid their winnings. However, the court ruled in favor of the casino, and Katrina received nothing more than what the malfunctioning machine had initially printed.
In the end, her dream of a jackpot turned into a tale of disappointment, highlighting the importance of understanding the risks associated with gambling.
