In what seemed like the luckiest moment of her life, a New York woman thought she hit the jackpot when a slot machine flashed a stunning $42 million on its screen. But her joy quickly turned to disbelief when the casino refused to hand over the winnings, offering her little more than a meal and pocket change instead. Katrina Bookman, the woman at the center of this extraordinary incident, took legal action, but her fight for justice ended in a court decision that favored the casino.
The Dream That Turned Into a Nightmare
In August 2016, Katrina Bookman was enjoying a typical day at Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, Queens. What started as a simple day of fun became a moment of shock when her slot machine showed a prize of $42,949,672. Overwhelmed by the sight of what seemed to be the biggest slot machine win in U.S. history, Bookman snapped a selfie with the machine, convinced her life had just changed forever.
“I can’t even describe the feeling. It’s like my whole body just got numb,” Bookman told WABC in an interview. She envisioned a future of security for her family, imagining how the massive payout would transform their lives.
The Unfortunate Twist
Excited to claim her prize the next day, Bookman was met with devastating news. A casino employee informed her that she had won nothing, citing a machine malfunction as the reason. According to Resorts World Casino, the win was invalid due to the malfunction, and New York State Gaming Commission regulations backed the decision. A statement from the Gaming Commission confirmed, “Malfunctions void all pays and plays.”
While the casino took the malfunction seriously, promptly removing the machine from the floor for repairs, their offer to Bookman was shockingly modest. She was presented with a mere $2.25—the actual amount on the machine’s printed ticket—and a complimentary steak dinner.
Bookman was outraged. “I should win the max. And I feel like I should treat him (the casino employee) to a steak dinner,” she said in response to the offer.
The Legal Battle
Determined not to accept the outcome, Bookman turned to legal action. She filed a lawsuit against Resorts World Casino, alleging negligence and seeking compensation for the distress caused by the situation. Her attorney, Alan Ripka, argued that the casino’s failure to properly maintain the machine had deprived Bookman of her rightful prize.
“They win, and now the house doesn’t want to pay out. To me, that’s unfair,” Ripka told WABC. However, even Ripka acknowledged that the odds of recovering the full $42 million were slim. Instead, they aimed for a more realistic payout of $6,500—the maximum allowable win for the Sphinx slot machine that Bookman had been playing.
The Court’s Decision
Despite the emotional toll and public attention surrounding the case, Bookman’s fight did not yield the result she had hoped for. A Queens County Supreme Court judge ruled in favor of the casino, upholding the argument that the machine’s malfunction voided any winnings. With the court siding with the casino, Bookman’s dreams of a multimillion-dollar payout were officially crushed.
Though the ruling marked the end of Bookman’s legal battle, the case continues to spark debate over casino accountability and the fairness of such regulations. For now, however, Bookman’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the fine print in gambling and the fleeting nature of a lucky break.
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