Image: Wikimedia Commons
Ouch. The Miami New Times has more on the casino that denied the man the winnings stated on the machine:
On Sunday, a gambler at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa was playing a $4 slot machine when its bells started ringing and an enormous figure began flashing on its jackpot screen: $166,666,666.65. Bill Seebeck thought he was set for life.
Alas, ’twas not to be. After investigating the win, casino officials told him that the machine had malfunctioned and he wouldn’t be receiving a cent. The maximum jackpot on the machine is a relatively paltry $90,000- and the gambler wouldn’t get that payout either. They even attempted to coerce Seebeck into agreeing to that in writing, but he refused.
Update: We just received a statement from Seminole Hard Rock with the news that they’ve reached a “good faith” settlement, for an undisclosed amount, with Seebeck. Something about the way this is worded tells us the gambler remains a non-millionaire- although he might have a couple of thousand bucks to whittle away on more slots:
“The Seminole Hard Rock Casino Tampa has made an offer to William Seebeck, and he has accepted, recognizing that the slot machine he was playing on Sunday malfunctioned, in what can be best described to the layman as a “computer glitch.” The maximum payout on the Ultimate Party Spin machine played by Seebeck is $99,000, although his bet of $1.50 at the time of the malfunction could have generated a maximum payout of only $2,500, with the right combination. Determination of a malfunction was made by representatives of the machine’s manufacturer and software provider, according to established gaming industry standards, with confirmation from an independent third-party laboratory analysis. The casino has opted to settle this matter for an undisclosed amount as a good faith gesture, and we look forward to welcoming Mr. Seebeck on future visits.”
to hell with that he should got lawyer.. give me my money
Wrong thomas…..every slot machine says clearly on the front of the machine–MALFUNCTIONS VOID ALL PLAYS. He’s lucky they paid him something!
The same casino denied another jackpot in 2006:
http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article/man-denied-jackpot-160945
Holy crap, you better believe I’d be marching in with some lawyers if they tried to pull that crap on me. What, then, constitutes as a ‘malfunction”? When does it become obvious? Can the casino simply deny someone an actual, real jackpot by citing it was a ‘malfunction’?
I say if it’s a malfunction, they should pay anyway. Casinos make enough money, and it should be a good faith action. You can’t get someone’s hopes up like that and then take it away.
bullshit pay the man his money, casinos make too much money to not pay him. get your mf money, all of it
2nd why would he have to sign something and agree that the machine malfunctioned get a lawyer too
If the machine says that maximum payout for a $1.50 bet is $2,500, then that is all he could possible be entitled too. Yes, it sucks that it showed $166 Million, but he knows that the machine does not pay that much.
The casino should pay the $2,500 and Mr. Seebek should be happy for that.
I’ll be making sure to avoid that casino then!
he didn’t get a lawyer because he knew the machine malfunctioned.he’d be lucky if he got a comp.
I work in a gameroom and it is hard to tell someone that the machine malfuntioned and they r not getting paid. They r machines and it does happen so he is lucky he got anything. They could have screwed him and do u really think it would hurt their business? I think not!!!!!!