Man wins 166 million dollars at slots. Casino says not so fast....

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
0
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/04/crimesider/entry5523311.shtml

Casino Denies Man Jackpot: Hey Bill Seebeck, Give Us Our $166M Back

TAMPA (CBS) Florida gambler Bill Seebeck was sure he'd hit the jackpot -- literally. He says the slot machine he was playing flashed a winning sum of more than $166 million. Seebeck told CBS affiliate WFTV "I was screaming, I was like up and around screaming."

But the casino says Seebeck's good fortune was a mistake -- a machine malfunction -- and is refusing to pay.

Can you say "call my lawyer?"

Seebeck, a Daytona Beach, Fla., resident, says he'd been gambling at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, playing for a half hour on the Bally Ultimate Party Spin Slot machine. At $4 a game he'd dropped about eighty bucks before the lights started flashing and bells started ringing. The display flashed an unbelievable winning number: $166,666,666.65.

Casino managers immediately came over and roped off the machine. Seebeck spent the next hour planning what to do with his winnings, but the casino had other plans.

Seebeck was told that the Ultimate Party Spin machine had spun out of control, and he would not be getting his big payday. Seebeck says it was the ultimate buzz kill, saying "I feel let down and ripped off."

The casino asked him to agree in writing that the machine had malfunctioned, and that he was not entitled to the payout. Seebeck -- surprise -- refused to sign, and instead is looking for a lawyer. "They make you think you won and they make everyone around you think you won and then... an hour after it they're saying... we have to investigate this and it's probably a malfunction," Seebeck told WFTV.

Casino spokesman Gary Bitner said the casino is confident there was a malfunction because that particular slot machine's top prize is a mere $99,000.

So will Seebeck at least be getting that much? The casino says it's their policy that a malfunction means no payout whatsoever, even though they still have no idea HOW exactly the machine malfunctioned.

See you in court?




If the machine was labeled Jackpot 99 thousand I think he should be paid that.
 

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,800
45
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Give him double of what the machine pays and then tell him, "Sorry, it was a bug in the machine. Look at the fucking name of the game. Jackpot 99 thousand, not Jackpot 166 million, 666 thousands, 666 dollars, and 65 cents. We'll give you double. You still win."
 

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
6,175
3
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If the casino is smart, they would offer him the $99,000. If the guy is smart, he will decline it and take them to court.
 

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
12,042
4
81
If the casino is smart, they would offer him the $99,000. If the guy is smart, he will decline it and take them to court.

If he was smart he'd keep the 99k and not be greedy..like others said, the casino would probably out lawyer him.
 

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,800
45
91
If the casino is smart, they would offer him the $99,000. If the guy is smart, he will decline it and take them to court.

There is no way the guy is going to get all that money. They'll probably come to some kind of settlement that is more than the 99k or whatever.
 

Pepsi90919

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,162
1
81
The machines clearly state MALFUNCTION VOIDS ALL PAYS AND PLAYS. He should take what he can get and run.
 

I Saw OJ

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
4,923
2
76
Pretty typical. Casinos reserve the right to refuse a jackpot in a case where they feel there was a machine malfunction.
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
81
Isn't the top payout usually listed on the machine? Should have been pretty obvious that $167 million is a malfunction. I'm sure the guy feels entitled to this payment, though, and will fight it tooth and nail.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,450
126
Pretty typical. Casinos reserve the right to refuse a jackpot in a case where they feel there was a machine malfunction.

True... but if the casino is smart, they'll give him a few thousand dollars just to shut him up. Not giving him anything would give the casino tons of bad publicity.
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
69,868
13,428
126
www.anyf.ca
This is a good example of the crappy justice system. The big company will always win.

From an ethical point of view the casino should give him at least the main prize, or maybe even double it and on top of that should give him some free tokens.

But they can pretty much do what they want as they have more legal power. I'm sure casinos have pretty powerful lawyers.
 

bctbct

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2005
4,868
1
0
He should forget the lawyer and just sit out front in a lawn chair with a sign that says the casino doesnt pay jackpots.

Casino will pay him the 99k without the lawyer fees.
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
81
The max payout of $99k would be a fair compromise IMO. He doesn't deserve a penny more, though.
 

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
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When the machine malfunctions by NOT paying out the jackpot, does the casino go up to the guy playing and say, our bad, you won the jackpot?
 

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
6,175
3
0
How strictly audited are these machines? I imagine they would be pretty carefully tracked.