casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

By JIM AVILA, BETH TRIBOLET, DONNA CHOI and SCOTT MICHELS
ABC News Law & Justice Unit
Oct. 25, 2007
For about an hour last August, Gary Hoffman was a very lucky man.

Hoffman was playing the nickel slot machines at the Sandia Resort and Casino on an Indian reservation in New Mexico when he appeared to hit the jackpot: the machine said he won nearly $1.6 million.

"I became ecstatic," he said.

But the ecstasy was short-lived. Hoffman says in a lawsuit filed earlier this year that Sandia refused to pay, claiming that the machine malfunctioned. Instead, he said, they gave him about $385 and a few free meals at the casino.

"I won money, fair and square, and I've been cheated out of my winnings," Hoffman told ABC News.

The casino says it's not responsible for what it describes as a computer error and says it offered Hoffman the maximum payout of $2,500 for that particular slot machine. But, a jury may never decide who is right. Lawyers told ABC News that gamblers like Hoffman may have little legal recourse against Native American casinos, which sometimes operate beyond the reach of U.S. courts.
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Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

this seems ridiculous. If the casino can show that the max payout on the machine is 2500, then that's all he should be entitled to.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

He's visited the casino more than 70 times already this year...... shows why AP will probably be fine.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

ermm my dad told me this story like 3 months ago. apparently this happens all the time? never play at indian casinos.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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this seems ridiculous. If the casino can show that the max payout on the machine is 2500, then that's all he should be entitled to.

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Exactly, that's all they need to do to prove a malfunction. If they can't, he's entitled to his money.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

This is why I play the Big-Six wheel.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

I'm pretty sure all the machines say that wins are voided if there is a malfunction which is the max payout is 2500, there clearly was.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

If he hit the jackpot clearly the machine malfunctioned

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Sounds like the big bad casino is screwing the patron, but really its not like this was a megabucks machine or anything like that. It was a stand alone nickel machine, where the biggest jackpot only paid $2500. He knew that. How can it all of a sudden spit out 1.6 mill. I myself would have immediately known it was a computer glitch.

Its like if i went to my bank account, and the prinout said i had a billion dollars, do i have the right to sue the bank for a billion dollars because of an error prinout, even though i knew full well there was far less in there, just like the player knew the machine cant possible payout more than 2500?

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

they should have given him $10,000. It's more than he deserves and it's good publicity. Giving him $400 is just a KITN

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

F**k over another couple million whitey slot junkies for the next 400+ years, throw in a few million deaths by contagious diseases, alcoholism, endemic poverty, widespread property and resource theft at the barrel of a gun and through innumerable broken contracts (treaties) and things should be "just about square."

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Seems like going to court is a decent angle shoot for this dude.
He's risking $2500 for a shot at $1.6 million.

Judging by the few details offered, it seems like the $2.5k is all he's entitled to, but more bad publicity or the fear of a jury trial might encourage the casino to settle out of court for a decent stack of chips.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Yeah, seems like it would benefit the casino to pay him more than the 2.5k, perhaps a smart decision to take it to court even knowing he's not really entitled to the full 1.6?

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Lawyers told ABC News that gamblers like Hoffman may have little legal recourse against Native American casinos, which sometimes operate beyond the reach of U.S. courts.

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I find this really interesting. Can anyone elaborate more on this?

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Well this makes me think though. If they can malfunction and tell you that you won 1000x more than you can possibly, how often do these machines magically malfunction and tell you taht you won less than you should have?

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

No chance he wins this case.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Only an idiot would believe that he won 1.6 million dollars on a [censored] nickel slot machine.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
Seems like going to court is a decent angle shoot for this dude.
He's risking $2500 for a shot at $1.6 million.

Judging by the few details offered, it seems like the $2.5k is all he's entitled to, but more bad publicity or the fear of a jury trial might encourage the casino to settle out of court for a decent stack of chips.

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Yeah, seems like it would benefit the casino to pay him more than the 2.5k, perhaps a smart decision to take it to court even knowing he's not really entitled to the full 1.6?

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My first thoughts also, my bet is it's settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Only an idiot would believe that he won 1.6 million dollars on a [censored] nickel slot machine.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21341111/

Orville Erickson hit a $2.98 million jackpot on a nickel slot machine Saturday at the Dakota Magic Casino near Hankinson. Slots manager Darrell Mireau said it was the largest jackpot in the casino's 11-year history.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Well this makes me think though. If they can malfunction and tell you that you won 1000x more than you can possibly, how often do these machines magically malfunction and tell you taht you won less than you should have?

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I can see it now. Sorry sir, the slot machine you are now playing has been doomswitched please pay the cashier when u leave

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Only an idiot would play a slot machine.

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FYP

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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F**k over another couple million whitey slot junkies for the next 400+ years, throw in a few million deaths by contagious diseases, alcoholism, endemic poverty, widespread property and resource theft at the barrel of a gun and through innumerable broken contracts (treaties) and things should be "just about square."

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Yes, whenever something bad is done to someone with similar skincolor as yourself by someone with a different skincolor it is ok for you to retaliate against anyone that have the same skincolor as the first offender. Pretty sweet deal.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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ermm my dad told me this story like 3 months ago. apparently this happens all the time? never play at indian casinos.

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Yes, good thing we have these overseas casinos, who are beyond reproach and we have a way to dispute problems legally.

Oh wait.....

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Only an idiot would play a slot machine.

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FYP

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Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
F**k over another couple million whitey slot junkies for the next 400+ years, throw in a few million deaths by contagious diseases, alcoholism, endemic poverty, widespread property and resource theft at the barrel of a gun and through innumerable broken contracts (treaties) and things should be "just about square."

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, whenever something bad is done to someone with similar skincolor as yourself by someone with a different skincolor it is ok for you to retaliate against anyone that have the same skincolor as the first offender. Pretty sweet deal.

[/ QUOTE ]

No statute of limitations on this either. Which is nice.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

More Tomfoolery: http://www.bjrnet.com/member/gatl/index.cgi?read=4

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
F**k over another couple million whitey slot junkies for the next 400+ years, throw in a few million deaths by contagious diseases, alcoholism, endemic poverty, widespread property and resource theft at the barrel of a gun and through innumerable broken contracts (treaties) and things should be "just about square."

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[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

I find this really interesting. Can anyone elaborate more on this?

States don't generally have jurisdiction over Indian reservations or their businesses as the tribe is a sovereign entity. In order to pursue a claim against the tribe, an action would probably have to be brought in tribal court and may be subject to sovereign immunity.

Depending on the tribe, whether there are state compacts, whether tribe has adopted a tort claims act, etc., etc., there may be recourse in federal court but I wouldn't hold my breath

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
F**k over another couple million whitey slot junkies for the next 400+ years, throw in a few million deaths by contagious diseases, alcoholism, endemic poverty, widespread property and resource theft at the barrel of a gun and through innumerable broken contracts (treaties) and things should be "just about square."

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Is it our fault you are weak and have crappy weapons?

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
F**k over another couple million whitey slot junkies for the next 400+ years, throw in a few million deaths by contagious diseases, alcoholism, endemic poverty, widespread property and resource theft at the barrel of a gun and through innumerable broken contracts (treaties) and things should be "just about square."

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it our fault you are weak and have crappy weapons?

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bahahaha POTY right there

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Lawyers told ABC News that gamblers like Hoffman may have little legal recourse against Native American casinos, which sometimes operate beyond the reach of U.S. courts.

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I find this really interesting. Can anyone elaborate more on this?

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Indian territory/reservation is sovereign ground. You can't sue Indians for tort or contract damages in state or federal court for injuries that occurred on sovereign Indian land.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Indians only have clipped sovereignty over their lands.

Otherwise, we'd see lots of reservations transformed into Little Amsterdams.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

Man, that must have been a lot of nickels that came out of the machine. It's too bad he couldn't haul them away before they found out it was a malfunction.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
Seems like going to court is a decent angle shoot for this dude.
He's risking $2500 for a shot at $1.6 million.

Judging by the few details offered, it seems like the $2.5k is all he's entitled to, but more bad publicity or the fear of a jury trial might encourage the casino to settle out of court for a decent stack of chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
By JIM AVILA, BETH TRIBOLET, DONNA CHOI and SCOTT MICHELS
ABC News Law & Justice Unit
Oct. 25, 2007
For about an hour last August, Gary Hoffman was a very lucky man.

Hoffman was playing the nickel slot machines at the Sandia Resort and Casino on an Indian reservation in New Mexico when he appeared to hit the jackpot: the machine said he won nearly $1.6 million.

"I became ecstatic," he said.

But the ecstasy was short-lived. Hoffman says in a lawsuit filed earlier this year that Sandia refused to pay, claiming that the machine malfunctioned. Instead, he said, they gave him about $385 and a few free meals at the casino.

"I won money, fair and square, and I've been cheated out of my winnings," Hoffman told ABC News.

The casino says it's not responsible for what it describes as a computer error and says it offered Hoffman the maximum payout of $2,500 for that particular slot machine. But, a jury may never decide who is right. Lawyers told ABC News that gamblers like Hoffman may have little legal recourse against Native American casinos, which sometimes operate beyond the reach of U.S. courts.
link

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Jeremy Kleiman, the vice chairman of the commercial gaming subcommittee of the American Bar Association, said that courts normally look at the player's expectations when deciding disputes about gambling.

"The information seemed to indicate this was a stand alone slot machine with a maximum payout of $2,500," he said. "So when you sit down your expectation is to win no more than $2,500. This is not a fraud situation where a carrot was fraudulently dangled in front of a customer's face."

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

[ QUOTE ]
Well this makes me think though. If they can malfunction and tell you that you won 1000x more than you can possibly, how often do these machines magically malfunction and tell you taht you won less than you should have?

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

This happens on one of those Travel Channel Vegas shows. Woman wins a jackpot (not huge), but machine is shown to be busted. Gambling commission investigates, verifies, and woman doesn't get jackpot.

Probably happens all the time, this is just getting news because of how much it is, and the "the Indians are going to screw me" aspect.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

.00024 cents on the dollar? Plus some free eats? What's he bitching about?

Something similar happened at the Ak Chin, an Indian/Harrahs casino. The press got so bad Harrah's paid the full amount. the indians didn't contribute a cent.
http://doney.net/aroundaz/ak_chin.htm

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

i BET some programmer is having a good laugh about all this.

Re: casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot
 

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Indians only have clipped sovereignty over their lands.

Otherwise, we'd see lots of reservations transformed into Little Amsterdams.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is correct, the reason they can have casinos stems from a lawsuit involving the fact that states have lotteries and other forms of legalized gambling, such as charity groups running casino nights, etc.