Winning a $43 million jackpot should be the best day of your life, but it wasn’t that simple for Katrina Bookman. Her win was instead the start of a legendary and controversial story within the casino industry. Keep reading to find out what happened to Katrina Bookman and what you can learn from her sad story.
How Katrina Lost Her $43 Million Jackpot
Just imagine for a moment, your favourite slot machine displaying an eight-figure payday – so large that it fills the entire screen. Then, imagine the utter disappointment of going to claim your winnings and being offered $2.25 and a steak dinner, instead!
This is exactly what happened to Bookman after playing at the Resort World Casino in August 2016. Understandably, Bookman had already started planning what she would do with her winnings, when she was informed that the casino needed to review her win.
As someone who grew up in the foster care system and later became a single mother of four, Bookman planned to spend her winnings on a variety of worthwhile causes. This included opening a barber shop business for her son and other plans to uplift her community.
Unfortunately, these plans all came to a crashing halt when the casino determined that her $42,949,672.76 ticket had been rendered void. All due to a machine malfunction.
The full story: all about the Sphinx Wild game
Before we dive deeper into what happened after Bookman’s “win”, it is important to provide some context for the game at the centre of this unfortunate misunderstanding.
The Sphinx Wild game is manufactured by International Game Technology (IGT). It is a well-known 5-reel penny slot game, with 40 paylines and a visually stunning Egyptian theme.
Discover the Startling Truth from Katrina Bookman's Lawsuit Now
Deciding to settle for a court date instead of a dinner date, Bookman filed suit against Resorts World Casino New York City, Genting New York LLC and IGT for almost $43 million (just over $58 million CAD) in damages. The lawsuit was officially filed at the Queens County Supreme Court in 2017.
Bookman’s attorney Alan Ripka, claimed that the casino was negligent for not properly maintaining their equipment. The lawsuit also alleged that the ordeal caused Bookman a significant amount of “mental anguish”.
The defence, with the help of The New York State Gaming Commission, later confirmed that the slot machine displayed a disclaimer stating, “Malfunctions void all pays and plays”, thereby exempting Bookman’s win. The defence further argued that Bookman’s alleged “big win” was clearly and irrefutably the result of a malfunction with the machine.
A never-ending story: The Katrina Bookman verdict
If Bookman had really been awarded the almost $43 million payout, she would have bagged the largest slots jackpot ever won in the United States (for now, the record stays with an anonymous player who won the $39 million progressive jackpot playing the Megabucks slot machine). However, when it became apparent that this number was likely out-of-reach in the courts, Bookman’s legal team argued that she was at least owed the maximum payout ever recorded for the game: $6,500.
The case saw some delays due to the global pandemic and other factors, though some sources have speculated that the courts ultimately ruled in favour of the casino. To date, Bookman hasn’t made any settlement public.
The stories of other winners who weren’t paid
Unfortunately, Bookman’s story is not the only one of its kind on the books. In fact, her story is eerily similar to that of Pauline Mckee, who missed out on a $41 million casino jackpot due to a technical glitch, in 2012.
Sadly, this kind of heartbreaking emotional occurrence has happened all over the world. British Columbia’s own Victor Janicki, also recently filed a similar lawsuit against an online casino, after missing out on a $220,550 jackpot due to an unexplained “mistake”.
A Cautionary Tale: Play It Safe with Secure Online Casinos
The thought of winning a multi-million-dollar jackpot is an unfathomable concept for most casual players. However, knowing that this type of win can be taken away in an instant, is somehow even more unbelievable.
To avoid any fallouts with this type of disappointment, we do our research to ensure that the Canadian online casinos we recommend use reliable computer technology that is always current and well-protected. Below are some of our top picks.
