US woman sues casino that 'offered dinner instead of $43m jackpot'

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I think this was caused by an apparent programming error and/or hardware fault/glitch. Because 32 bits are commonly used in programs these days, and 2^32 = 4,294,967,296
Which is suspiciously similar to her apparent "winnings" of "$42,949,672.76". (See picture below).

E.g. A communications error (hardware glitch), or unset memory location or bug or something, set the variable to all hex $FF's, or similar.

On the one hand I think she is trying it on, wanting $43 million, from a (presumably) low payout gaming machine.
But on the other, I think she should have had more compensation, such as $1,000 or something.

Really, they should have fixed the machine/bug/fault(s) and not really had this problem in the first place.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40300062

A US woman is suing a casino that told her the slot machine displaying a $43m (£34m) jackpot was faulty and offered a steak dinner instead, reports say.

Katrina Bookman took a selfie showing the machine saying "printing cash ticket $42,949,672.76" at the Resorts World Casino in New York last August.

But she was escorted out and was told the next day she could have only $2.25 (£1.76).

Her lawyer, Alan Ripka, says she is entitled to the full amount displayed.

The lawsuit filed at the Queens County Supreme Court said the Sphinx slot machine's "bells, noises and lights" as well as the message on the screen told Ms Bookman she had won the jackpot, Courthouse News reported.

The subsequent disappointment left Ms Bookman anxious and depressed, the report said.

She is seeking damages from the casino for failing to maintain the slot machine as well as two companies that make and operate games machine, reports said.

A Resorts World spokesman said at the time that the machine had suffered an "obvious malfunction".

The New York State Gaming Commission said the machine had been displaying a disclaimer that said "malfunctions void all pays and plays".

But Mr Ripka told US media at the time that the casino had not responded to requests for an explanation about how the slot machine malfunctioned.

In 2011 the Iowa Supreme Court denied an 87-year old grandmother a payout of $42m after a Miss Kitty slot machine showed a message saying she had won a bonus of that amount.

The casino said it had been a malfunction and offered her $1.85 based on the symbols the machine was displaying at the time.

 

[dainthomas]

There was a casino is Washington that did the same thing. Except that was at least one of those linked machines where the payout could have been millions. Once again they offered a dinner or a room or something. They're all scammers.

 

[brycejones]

She will lose because the max payout posted on the machine was like $6500. In cases like this where the machine is at fault and the payout exceeds the machine max I believe the casino should be required to pay the machine max. That would force the casinos and game manufacturers to have some skin in the game to prevent these issues from occurring in the first place.

 

[UNCjigga]

Meh, I think the machine is clearly in an error mode--and the max payout for that machine was something like $15K which was clearly written on the machine. I don't know why slot machines tend to error out with an amount of $43M...what line of code caused that?

Still, you'd think the casino would offer the actual max payout amount and not just a steak dinner. But then again, their job is to take your money, not give it back.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I don't know why slot machines tend to error out with an amount of $43M...what line of code caused that?.

Because program variables are often 32 bits in size, these days, and can easily be set to all zeros or all ones, when things go wrong.

Hence the $43M = 2 power of 32 (bits) -1 when it is all ones, 11111..thirty two times.

Or in C/C++ code, an unsigned int, which has NOT been given a value, or similar bugs/hardware mistakes.

E.g. (NOT proper C code, just a quick extract)
unsigned int payout;

prayout = 2; // they have won a couple of dollars {INTENTIONAL mistake, mistaken variable name, so real variable will have an unassigned value, which can be $FFFFFFFF.

printf....."You have won" ........ payout.

==>>prints "You have won $43 Million".

 

[Sunburn74]

Pay the max. I don't think she should be entitled to the millions however.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

Pay the max. I don't think she should be entitled to the millions however.

Pay the max (or maybe some sub-multiple of it, like half or a third), does have a ring of fairness to it.

Presumably the machine had the MAXIMUM payout, written clearly on or near the machine, in big easy to read, writing. Making it fairly fair as a max payout limit, in this case.

 

[Sunburn74]

The casino is responsible to maintain its machines. People aren't entitled to refunds if they erroneously throw the dice or play the wrong card or etc. Casino's shouldn't be entitled to refunds if their machines are poorly maintained and pay out too frequently.

 

[buckshot24]

The casino is responsible to maintain its machines. People aren't entitled to refunds if they erroneously throw the dice or play the wrong card or etc. Casino's shouldn't be entitled to refunds if their machines are poorly maintained and pay out too frequently.

All the rules are stacked against the gambler, house always wins.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

All the rules are stacked against the gambler, house always wins.

No it's completely fair.

If it comes up Red, YOU lose, and if comes up Black, They (The Casino) wins, so totally fair.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I'd argue that they could not pay the 43M jackpot, as long as they also agree to repay everyone who's used that slot machine, since it was clearly faulty.

Would probably be good to have the entire casino's equipment audited as well, to ensure nothing else is faulty. Anything else found to be errant should be replaced, and anyone who spent money in those machines should be repayed as well.

 

[outriding]

I think the payout of the full amount is in order. They should be maintaining the slots better.

There are some rules on payout and if they are messing up there are probably are not following "theoretical payout percentage" or RTP, "return to player".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slot_machine#Payout_percentage

 

[Jhhnn]

She should get the max payout posted on the machine. Otherwise, the casino will pay more to their lawyers than to her before it's all over with.

 

[UNCjigga]

Because program variables are often 32 bits in size, these days, and can easily be set to all zeros or all ones, when things go wrong.

Hence the $43M = 2 power of 32 (bits) -1 when it is all ones, 11111..thirty two times.

Or in C/C++ code, an unsigned int, which has NOT been given a value, or similar bugs/hardware mistakes.

E.g. (NOT proper C code, just a quick extract)
unsigned int payout;

prayout = 2; // they have won a couple of dollars {INTENTIONAL mistake, mistaken variable name, so real variable will have an unassigned value, which can be $FFFFFFFF.

printf....."You have won" ........ payout.

==>>prints "You have won $43 Million".

This...THIS is why I love this forum! You guys rock!

 

[BurnItDwn]

I dislike gambling, but I feel that casinos should not be allowed to operate in a guaranteed profit mode. They provide no "value added" to anything and are just blood suckling leeches. I think the casino should be requireed to pay out the 43 million.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I dislike gambling, but I feel that casinos should not be allowed to operate in a guaranteed profit mode. They provide no "value added" to anything and are just blood suckling leeches. I think the casino should be requireed to pay out the 43 million.

Although I understand your sentiment/thoughts. The problem/danger with actually paying out $43 Million, is that less than 100% honest people in society would hear about it. They could then apply for a job at the Casino, writing the gaming machines software and/or mess with the machine after hours.
So that (because of a malfunction/bug, they intentionally placed inside the machine), they will win $43 Million, when their friend/relative/accomplice plays it and presses the secret combination of key-presses or similar, activates the secret bug. Hence they win $43 Million, and can retire in great luxury for the rest of their lives.

Whereas if the gaming machine, has a maximum limit (e.g. $1,000). It is not worth the hassle/nuisance/time involved in getting their own programmer into the Casino and/or breaking in, just to make $1,000 (although some would break in for $1,000 profit, I agree).

 

[sdifox]

I dislike gambling, but I feel that casinos should not be allowed to operate in a guaranteed profit mode. They provide no "value added" to anything and are just blood suckling leeches. I think the casino should be requireed to pay out the 43 million.

no one is holding up a gun to your head to force you to gamble though.

and the max payout of the machine is not 43M so it is clearly a mistake, though I think they should still pay whatever the max the machine can spit out.

 

[Zorba]

Every slot machine I've ever played has a posted note that says "malfunction voids all plays and pays."

 

[buckshot24]

Every slot machine I've ever played has a posted note that says "malfunction voids all plays and pays."

Case closed.

 

[shortylickens]

There was a casino is Washington that did the same thing. Except that was at least one of those linked machines where the payout could have been millions. Once again they offered a dinner or a room or something. They're all scammers.

The casinos are scammers or the customers are scammers?

 

[Thump553]

Every slot machine I've ever played has a posted note that says "malfunction voids all plays and pays."

Does that mean the casino refunds all the money put into the so-called defective machine? I highly doubt it. The casino is responsible for the operation of the machine, they should be required to pay at least the maximum stated on the machine. Otherwise it is in the casino's best interest NOT to fix their defective machines.

 

[disappoint]

Because program variables are often 32 bits in size, these days, and can easily be set to all zeros or all ones, when things go wrong.

Hence the $43M = 2 power of 32 (bits) -1 when it is all ones, 11111..thirty two times.

Or in C/C++ code, an unsigned int, which has NOT been given a value, or similar bugs/hardware mistakes.

E.g. (NOT proper C code, just a quick extract)
unsigned int payout;

prayout = 2; // they have won a couple of dollars {INTENTIONAL mistake, mistaken variable name, so real variable will have an unassigned value, which can be $FFFFFFFF.

printf....."You have won" ........ payout.

==>>prints "You have won $43 Million".

2^32 is not 43 million though. It's 4,294,957,296 or 4.3 billion. If it's programmed to error check that the jackpot shouldn't be in the billions then why isn't it checking that it shouldn't be in the millions if the max payout is in the thousands as some have said?

 

[NostaSeronx]

2^32 is not 43 million though. It's 4,294,957,296 or 4.3 billion. If it's programmed to error check that the jackpot shouldn't be in the billions then why isn't it checking that it shouldn't be in the millions if the max payout is in the thousands as some have said?

4294957296 -> 42949572.96 => Rounding 43000000.00

It's probably an AMD Geode.

 

[disappoint]

4294957296 -> 42949572.96 => Rounding 43000000.00

It's probably an AMD Geode.

Yeah after I posted that it occurred to me that it's probably stored in cents instead of dollars.

 

[flexy]

I don't like that such machines malfunction, since we're dealing with something here where money is changing hands which means that the casino, in theory, should have a responsibility that such malfunctions doesn't even come about. (But obviously, this is unrealistic to expect, we all know that machines and computers CAN and do malfunction.)

Yet it seems to me that a simply disclaimer that malfunctions void anything is too much in the casino's favour and that they "get away with it" too lightly with such a disclaimer. Why, in the first place, did the machine even notify the player that she won, and how is decided which winnings are from a malfunction and which are not? In other words: get your effing machines working properly or SHUT THEM DOWN and don't use them to rake in profit if they malfunction.

HOWEVER, I don't of course think that the women has a right to this amount, in particular if the machine should clearly state the maximum payout. When the machine clearly states that the max. payout is, say, $15k, this doesn't really leave much room for interpretation, let alone for a law suit that exceeds the stated amount. I also think the woman should get the max. machine payout as stated on the machine.