Featured Image Credit: ABC 7
Topics: Money, US News, Food And Drink
Bec Oakes
Imagine bagging a whopping $43 million (£33 million) jackpot, just to be offered a steak dinner instead of your winnings.
That's exactly what happened to Katrina Bookman back in 2017.
Bookman was playing the slots at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York, when she won what would have been the largest slot machine jackpot in US history - $42,949,672.
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She excitedly snapped a selfie with the screen, believing her life had changed forever.
But, when Bookman went back to the casino the following day for an 'official ruling' on how much cash she'd be walking away with, they told her: "You didn't win nothing."
It turns out the slot machine she'd been playing on had malfunctioned, and her actual winnings totalled a rather measley $2.25 (£1.77).
The machine had a disclaimer stating 'malfunctions void all pays and plays,' and as a result, the casino was only required to pay the $2.35 she'd had actually won.
As a gesture of good will, Resorts World offered her a steak dinner on the house alongside the change — a sad consolation prize in comparison to the life changing sum she thought she'd be walking away with.
Following the mishap, Resorts World spokesperson Dan Bank told CNN: "Upon being notified of the situation, casino personnel were able to determine that the figure displayed on the penny slot was the result of an obvious malfunction – a fact later confirmed by the New York State Gaming Commission.
"After explaining the circumstances to Ms. Bookman, we offered to pay her the correct amount that was shown on the printed ticket. Machine malfunctions are rare, and we would like to extend our apologies to Ms. Bookman for any inconvenience this may have caused."
A year later, Bookman filed a lawsuit against the casino with the help of her lawyer, Alan Ripka, alleging that Resorts World Casino was 'negligent' and didn't properly maintain their lottery equipment.
It also claimed that Bookman suffered 'mental anguish' as a result of the incident.
Ripka called the casino's excuses 'ridiculous' and told CNN at the time: "You can't claim a machine is broken because you want it to be broken. Does that mean it wasn't inspected? Does it mean it wasn't maintained?"
"And if so, does that mean that people that played there before [Bookman] had zero chance of winning?"
The case was ultimately settled out of court.