CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. — MaryAnn and Jim McMahon thought their money troubles were over when they hit an $11 million jackpot at a Cripple Creek, Colorado, casino Tuesday. It turns out they were wrong.
The Wildwood Casino blamed a slot machine malfunction for the $11 million jackpot.
The machine was turned over to the Colorado Gaming Division for inspection.
A spokesperson says their initial investigation shows the McMahon's didn't really win the $11 million prize on June 1.
Gaming spokesperson Don Burmania said the machine failed to "reset" after the McMahon's won the $1627.82 prize.
"They actually won $1627.82," said Burmania, "The $11 million was what we call a 'reset value." It's what the jackpot would have been after the prize was claimed."
It's the second time in three months a Colorado slot machine has made a multi-million dollar mistake. In March, a machine malfunction was blamed for a $42 million dollar jackpot.
"These things rarely occur, but when it rains it pours," Burmania said.
Still, the McMahon's feel they deserve the jackpot, and are feeling some mistrust with the gaming industry.
"If you do hit a jackpot are they going to come up with another story? It's a malfunction? It's not right," Jim McMahon said.
I wonder if winning a large sum of money can be a mistake if losing a large sum of money can be a mistake too? And if it can, do they investigate when players have such loses?
I wonder if winning a large sum of money can be a mistake if losing a large sum of money can be a mistake too? And if it can, do they investigate when players have such loses?
The interview and article didn't indicate if Mr. and Mrs. McMahon had looked at the potential jackpot display when they originally walked up to the slot machine to begin playing.
If slot machine had indicated $1,627 or so jackpot, then this couple shouldn't be hiring a lawyer to insist on receiving $11 Million. If, however the machine didn't show a jackpot and it is common for a similar slot machine to payout $11 Million, then this couple probably should hire a lawyer to attempt to receive the last amount of a jackpot win shown on the screen, which was $11 Million.
A vast amount of casinos carry the clause involving malfunctions . Its their legal notification that they hold the rules and can implement it at any time.
True story- Our area has a casino that is notorious during storms to have what is called a brownout (low voltage level not an entire blackout). When that happens and you are playing a game, no matter what amount you had in the machine, its gone and reset to new player status, Now imagine you were on a winning streak and lost it all due to a power outage. Guess what, the casino considers it a "malfunction" and you get the grand prize of Gee sorry bout your luck from the attendees. I witnessed this first hand as I sat by a player that placed their voucher of 600.00 in a machine and the brownout phased out the screen and when it reset during power up the money was at zero...This person was livid . And rightly so...but lets face it, always expect when you put money in it risks being lost just as quick as it can be gained. Even if the attendent opened and saw the time stamp of when the voucher went in and the time the brownout happened the casino holds the rights....
This couple will undoubted lose their case and personally its a huge tarnishment to the casino industry .
This is SO typical of a casino just not wanting to pay out. I have seen it happen in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, a lot of other places too. "These things rarely occur, blah, blah, blah." Yeah.......... right.
The advertised jackpot amount was the $1,627.82 that they were given and they feel they should be paid $11,000,000 because of a machine malfunction?
A quote from the manager of the casino.
Quote
That machine doesn't pay out $11,000," he said. "Certainly not $11 million.
Unreal.
There is an investigation by the gaming board? Why does there even need to be an investigation?
This is what I would have done.
Take a picture of the screen with my cell phone. Go to management as ask to be paid $11,000,000 even though I don't deserve the jackpot and have close to zero percent chance of being paid. Why not ask? All they can say is no. After they say no, walk away and have a good story to tell.
The advertised jackpot amount was the $1,627.82 that they were given and they feel they should be paid $11,000,000 because of a machine malfunction?
A quote from the manager of the casino.
Quote
That machine doesn't pay out $11,000," he said. "Certainly not $11 million.
Unreal.
There is an investigation by the gaming board? Why does there even need to be an investigation?
This is what I would have done.
Take a picture of the screen with my cell phone. Go to management as ask to be paid $11,000,000 even though I don't deserve the jackpot and have close to zero percent chance of being paid. Why not ask? All they can say is no. After they say no, walk away and have a good story to tell.
yes sad but true on the amount 1,627.82 is max pay out on a machine , look at the max payouts before you play you should known how to count . if it was a .25 per line or bet .75 max bet, or if it was 1.00 max bet 3.00 for every line. it took in 1,700.00 to jackpot the machine i known that for a fact.
The total they won was 1,700.00 the amount that don't show is what they where playing on and get this one they have to pay taxes on 1,700.00 not 1,627.82 they should have pulled there money out ouchie.
Silly thinking here but has it ever dawned on folks that a HANDPAY must transpire if its above a certain amount so the casino guy made a valid statement the MACHINE will not PAYOUT the amount in question. A human attendent from the casino can! Its all in the way the sentence is presented and how someone interprets it.
Progressive machines can have rollover jackpots so not understanding some folks assuming there is a cap simply based on the coin value.....
I find it interesting that a small sentence taken out of full context can be seen as a rock solid statement. In the legal realm its open to much further inquiry.
Quote: Originally posted by gopher07 on Jun 5, 2010
Machines dont lie people do............
Figures don't lie.......but people figure! Beaudad....If the casino's get off on a machine malfunction.....then that's a shame!.....I hope the machine is pulled......so it doesn't happen again!....I would think that Insurance should cover it......and PAY those people their MONEY !!!!
I wonder if winning a large sum of money can be a mistake if losing a large sum of money can be a mistake too? And if it can, do they investigate when players have such loses?
Somehow, all the losses are always legit.
If this is not greed I don't know what is.
All one has to do is check & see how many winner's malfunctions are reported regularly.....
Isn't it odd that there are no malfunctions on player losses???
No exactly a fair game, is it?
'When you own the roulette wheel, ts no longer a even chance game '
-Damon Runyon
I hope they sue this greedy as* casino for all their worth. This is BS!
I was wondering how many people had that opinion. It seemed to me at first glance that the casino just didn't want to pay them!
Funny that the machine only "malfunctions" after a big jackpot win. Give me a break!
The interview and article didn't indicate if Mr. and Mrs. McMahon had looked at the potential jackpot display when they originally walked up to the slot machine to begin playing.
If slot machine had indicated $1,627 or so jackpot, then this couple shouldn't be hiring a lawyer to insist on receiving $11 Million. If, however the machine didn't show a jackpot and it is common for a similar slot machine to payout $11 Million, then this couple probably should hire a lawyer to attempt to receive the last amount of a jackpot win shown on the screen, which was $11 Million.
A vast amount of casinos carry the clause involving malfunctions . Its their legal notification that they hold the rules and can implement it at any time.
True story- Our area has a casino that is notorious during storms to have what is called a brownout (low voltage level not an entire blackout). When that happens and you are playing a game, no matter what amount you had in the machine, its gone and reset to new player status, Now imagine you were on a winning streak and lost it all due to a power outage. Guess what, the casino considers it a "malfunction" and you get the grand prize of Gee sorry bout your luck from the attendees. I witnessed this first hand as I sat by a player that placed their voucher of 600.00 in a machine and the brownout phased out the screen and when it reset during power up the money was at zero...This person was livid . And rightly so...but lets face it, always expect when you put money in it risks being lost just as quick as it can be gained. Even if the attendent opened and saw the time stamp of when the voucher went in and the time the brownout happened the casino holds the rights....
This couple will undoubted lose their case and personally its a huge tarnishment to the casino industry .
This is SO typical of a casino just not wanting to pay out. I have seen it happen in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, a lot of other places too. "These things rarely occur, blah, blah, blah." Yeah.......... right.
I am so done with casinos pulling this crap.
Worst part is, they will get away with it (the casino)
Maybe the best thing to do in these situations is to settle for half.
i think i would take it!
I know, right?
these malfunctions are bull
casino's do it and so does the sunshine state lotto
oops sorry, your winning ticket was a mis print
can we freaking get honest to god gambleing companys that treat us with respect, if they f'ed up, they pay up
only games we can play and not get Beeped over it seems, is Powerball and mega millions in states with rng lotto draws
ever ever form of lotto,instant game misprints, rng lotto draw errors"tn", casinos slot malfunctions,
hell am sick of it, they don't deserve our business ,
we put our full faith and trust in them when we hand over our money to play their games of chance
and they spit in our faces ever chance they can get, by screwing us over when they made a mistake
So let me get this straight.
The advertised jackpot amount was the $1,627.82 that they were given and they feel they should be paid $11,000,000 because of a machine malfunction?
A quote from the manager of the casino.
Unreal.
There is an investigation by the gaming board? Why does there even need to be an investigation?
This is what I would have done.
Take a picture of the screen with my cell phone. Go to management as ask to be paid $11,000,000 even though I don't deserve the jackpot and have close to zero percent chance of being paid. Why not ask? All they can say is no. After they say no, walk away and have a good story to tell.
yes sad but true on the amount 1,627.82 is max pay out on a machine , look at the max payouts before you play you should known how to count . if it was a .25 per line or bet .75 max bet, or if it was 1.00 max bet 3.00 for every line. it took in 1,700.00 to jackpot the machine i known that for a fact.
The total they won was 1,700.00 the amount that don't show is what they where playing on and get this one they have to pay taxes on 1,700.00 not 1,627.82 they should have pulled there money out ouchie.
Oh by the way was it on Indian land welcome too there court they make there own laws that over steps usa laws when it happend on there land.
Machines dont lie people do............
Silly thinking here but has it ever dawned on folks that a HANDPAY must transpire if its above a certain amount so the casino guy made a valid statement the MACHINE will not PAYOUT the amount in question. A human attendent from the casino can! Its all in the way the sentence is presented and how someone interprets it.
Progressive machines can have rollover jackpots so not understanding some folks assuming there is a cap simply based on the coin value.....
I find it interesting that a small sentence taken out of full context can be seen as a rock solid statement. In the legal realm its open to much further inquiry.
Figures don't lie.......but people figure! Beaudad....If the casino's get off on a machine malfunction.....then that's a shame!.....I hope the machine is pulled......so it doesn't happen again!....I would think that Insurance should cover it......and PAY those people their MONEY !!!!
these casinos are always a step a head of everybody one day it will catch up to them
All, I have to say is Pay the McMahon's their money.It's not their fault the machine malfunction.
pay the people.
It's not the casino's fault the machine malfuntioned either. They don't manufacture the machines.
The McMahons should be publicly flogged in front of the casino for trying to get away with this ridiculousness.
What if the machine said they won 963 Trillion dollars? Would they still feel entitled to it? Probably.
Flog em. Do it now.
Simple...They should get the 963 trillion..Next...