Mis-"Fortune"

[TailgateNut]

I would own part of that casino!




Casino calls Thornton woman's $42M jackpot a mistake
By Andy Vuong
The Denver Post

Posted: 03/31/2010 05:37:20 PM MDT
Updated: 03/31/2010 11:36:00 PM MDT


An apparent $42.9 million slot-machine jackpot at a Central City casino may pay out little more than a night's hotel stay and breakfast.

Thornton resident Louise Chavez thought she had hit it big on a penny slot at Fortune Valley Hotel & Casino on Friday night, only to be told that the whopping jackpot displayed on her machine was an error. Casino and regulatory officials say the machine malfunctioned and that the top progressive payout displayed on the game was $251,000.

Chavez, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday, told television station KDVR-Channel 31 that Fortune Valley gave her a room at the hotel, breakfast and $23 — the amount of money she said she put into the game.

Clearly not satisfied, Chavez is making the rounds on television this week, claiming she was cheated.

"Whatever that machine said, I should get it," she said.

Similar slot-machine malfunctions have led to lawsuits as gamblers try to claim their supposed winnings.

"The suits tend to not be very successful because the machines have warnings on them that say malfunctions void play," said gambling-law expert I. Nelson Rose.

There have been instances, however, where casinos settle out of court, coughing up some money to stop the bad press. Rose said that could happen in this case if the negative publicity continues.

"If it looks like they're going to lose the case, either in the court or the court of public opinion, then a casino will settle," Rose said.

In 1998, gambling giant Harrah's agreed to pay a $330,192 jackpot on a machine at an Arizona casino that malfunctioned, Rose said.

In 2008, a slot machine in Colorado told a gambler that she had won $164 million when the correct prize was $6.60, said Colorado Division of Gaming spokesman Don Burmania. A lawsuit filed by the gambler was settled out of court.

But getting anything from Fortune Valley could be difficult because its parent company, Centaur, is bankrupt and has put the casino up for sale.

Fortune Valley said in a prepared statement that it has turned the matter over to regulators, who say a glitch in the slot machine's software caused the error. The investigation is expected to take one to two months to complete, Burmania said.

"The forensic investigation, in part, is being conducted to determine how much she would have won had the machine not malfunctioned," Burmania said. He said neither the casino nor the manufacturer of the slot machine, WMS Gaming, faces sanctions for the error.



Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14795166?source=pop#ixzz0jrhRRzP5

[Irish Stout]

Hope this lady has a good lawyer.

[Doggcow]

Hope this lady has a good lawyer.

I hope not. I'd like to see big business win this one. She's probably made more off of the mistake than she would have anyway(if it didn't malfunction, which there are warnings about), and sounds like a total b**** :P

[TailgateNut]

I hope not. I'd like to see big business win this one. She's probably made more off of the mistake than she would have anyway(if it didn't malfunction, which there are warnings about), and sounds like a total b**** :P

I think they should have come up with a better consolation prize than $23 and a nights stay.

[Doggcow]

I think they should have come up with a better consolation prize than $23 and a nights stay.

Maybe, but I bet she was snippity about it and after spewing on the staff for a few hours, I assume they were less than amused and willing to help. What do you think?

[TailgateNut]

Maybe, but I bet she was snippity about it and after spewing on the staff for a few hours, I assume they were less than amused and willing to help. What do you think?

I'd be "snippity" too if the damn machine finally paid out and the casino made up some lame ass excuse.

[missingnumber7]

She played $23 on penny slots.

[NYBronco]

Hmmm...if the slot machines malfunction in favor of the casino's do they come forward and return the ill gotten gains? More than likely not.

I hope she has a good lawyer and gets a decent return on the "malfunction".

[That One Guy]

She played $23 on penny slots.

When I go to the casino, the ones I play allow you up to like 50 lines and you can play multiple coins per line. You can also usually make the machine count in 2 cent increments. It's very easy and reasonable to play a couple bucks per spin on a penny slot. $23 is nothing.

[oubronco]

Sue the bajeebus outta them pricks

[bfoflcommish]

if casinos keep getting away with this, whats to keep ALL casinos from paying out by claiming malfunction! she should at least get top pay for that machine.

[Irish Stout]

I hope not. I'd like to see big business win this one. She's probably made more off of the mistake than she would have anyway(if it didn't malfunction, which there are warnings about), and sounds like a total b**** :P

regardless of whether she is or is not a biatch, I am sure that most anyone else who is sitting in front of a slot machine that then tells you you're a multi-millionaire, only to be told you are not, is not going to be very happy. I actually think the legal argument would be extremely tough to win on such a case for the gambler... there just isn't any legal ground for awarding somebody damages on an incorrect assumption.