casino refuses to pay out million dollar jackpot

[TheAmazingJape]

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

[jcmoussa]

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.

[PartyGirlUK]

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

[btmagnetw]

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

[Scansion]

[ QUOTE ]
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.

[/ QUOTE ]

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

[MasterShakeJr]

This is why I play the Big-Six wheel.

[mrjetguy]

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.

[inyourface]

If he hit the jackpot clearly the machine malfunctioned

[PokerPaul]

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?

[scpi10]

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