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A New York woman took home $2.25 and a steak supper after winning a $42 million jackpot at a casino.
A woman from New York believed her world had come crashing down when she won $42 million on a slot machine.
The casino, however, promptly crushed her hopes by refusing to pay out her winnings, claiming that they were the consequence of a technical glitch. The woman was offered a complimentary steak supper and $2.25 instead of the millions by the Resorts World Casino. Katrina Bookman went to court against the casino after coming close to winning the largest slot machine jackpot in American history.
At the Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, Queens, Katrina Bookman had an impromptu jackpot win in 2016. Although the sum appeared exorbitant, Bookman put her faith in the machine and anticipated a dramatic improvement in her life. She went so far as to snap a photo with the machine while it showed her $42,949,672 in winnings.
There are no words to express how I felt. Bookman described the sensation as “my whole body just got numb” while speaking with WABC (Abc7). She said she couldn’t stop worrying about her loved ones and the impact on their lives. When she tried to retrieve her award the following day from an employee, her victory quickly changed to disappointment.
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An employee at the casino informed her that the machine had broken down and that she had not won anything. In an interview with CNN, the New York State Gaming Commission verified the error. It went on to say that the casino’s machines all come with a notice that says any mechanical failure will render any winnings null and invalid. Therefore, Bookman had no claim to payment from the casino.
The slot machine was quickly removed from the casino floor for repair, according to Resorts World spokesman Dan Bank, who talked to the news site.
The casino did give her a free steak meal and the initial amount she had won—just $2.25.
The representative said that the initial amount on the machine-printed ticket was $2.25, therefore that’s what Bookman was offered. He went on to tell Bookman that machine faults are terrible but infrequent occurrences and apologized for them.
Both offers were turned down by Bookman. Ideally, I’d come out on top. In addition, she mentioned that she felt compelled to treat the casino employee to a steak meal during the interview.
The diligent pursuit of Bookman’s winnings
Claiming that her lawful earnings were plundered by Resorts World Casino’s “negligent” activities and lottery equipment, Bookman sued the casino. Alan Ripka, Bookman’s attorney, helped her pursue damages for the “mental anguish” she had endured.
Now that they’ve won, the house is reluctant to pay up. Ripka expressed her opinion to WABC (abc7) that the situation was unfair.
They went for the maximum payout of $6,500 that the Sphinx slot machine could give since Ripka knew that $42.9 million might not be possible in this scenario.
But there was no happy conclusion to Bookman’s narrative. A judge at the Queens County Supreme Court sided with the casino, according to Techopedia’s article. The odyssey for Bookman came to a close as her pleas were finally denied.
Juniper Calloway is a dedicated journalist with 3 years of experience in covering hard-hitting stories. Known for her commitment to delivering timely and accurate updates, she currently works with MikeandJon Podcast, where she focuses on reporting critical topics such as crime, local news, and national developments across the United States. Her ability to break down complex issues and keep audiences informed has established her as a trusted voice in journalism.
