I sued casino after winning a $43m jackpot – I had proof of win but they refused to pay me & offered a free meal instead
A WOMAN’S dream turned into a nightmare after she believed she had won over $40million only to be offered $2.25 and a steak dinner.
Katrina Bookman from New York was playing slots at the Resort World Casino in Queens, when she was shown a winning ticket of $42.9million.
Despite the machine telling her she won, Bookman was allegedly escorted out of the casino and informed the following day that she could have $2.25 and a steak dinner.
When she went back to the casino the following day for an “official ruling” on her win, she asked: “What did I win?”
A person from the casino allegedly told her: “You didn’t win nothing.”
The casino claimed that the machine malfunctioned and so the win was void.
According to a lawsuit filed by Bookman against the Casino in 2017, The Sphinx Slot Machine had “bells, noises and lights” and a message flashed up telling her she won.
The excited player even snapped a selfie with the screen which read: “Printing cash ticket $42,949,672.76.”
Her lawyer Alan Ripka argued that his client was entitled to the amount displayed on the machine.
The lawsuit filed at the Queens County Supreme Court sought damages against the casino and two game machine companies for failing to keep the machine in running order.
The complaint alleged counts of common law negligence, breach of contract, and negligent misrepresentation, according to a report from Courthouse News.
Bookman who was raised in foster care, homeless as a teenager, and a single mom to four children, saw her life change overnight when she believed she won the money.
She told WABC: “I kept thinking about my family. The struggle I’ve been through, it’s hard to cope.”
As many people do, Katrina already knew what some of the money would go towards, including buying a barber shop for her aspiring son and giving a sum back to her community.
According to Bookman, the incident left her depressed, anxious, and embarrassed.
The machine was only supposed to pay out a maximum of $6,500, and so a spokesman for the casino argued that it was an “obvious malfunction.”
According to Ripka, the casino offered no explanation as to how the slot machine malfunctioned.
The New York State Gaming Commission said that the machine displays a disclaimer saying: “Malfunctions void all pays and plays”.
Speaking to CNN Money, the furious lawyer argued: “You can’t claim a machine is broken because you want it to be broken.
“Does that mean it wasn’t inspected? Does it mean it wasn’t maintained?
“And if so, does that mean that people that played there before [Bookman] had zero chance of winning?”
He added that the excuses given by the casino were “ridiculous.”
The New York State Gaming Commission said the slot machine was removed from the floor, fixed, and then returned.
When it became apparent that $43million in damages was unlikely, Ripka told WABC that he believes the casino should at least give Bookman the maximum payout of $6,500.
“The machine takes your money when you lose. It ought to pay it when you win,” he said.
The result of the lawsuit is not known but similar cases have previously shown that the law sided with the casino.
The U.S. Sun has contacted Alan Ripka and the Resort World Casino for an update.