In November 2016, news broke about Katrina Bookman, a woman who visited the Resorts World Casino in New York and believed she had won almost $43 million. However, when she attempted to claim her winnings, the casino informed her that due to a malfunction in the game she played, her win was nullified. Heartbroken, Bookman was resolute in her pursuit of justice, and her story quickly caught the attention of the media. But what ultimately happened to Katrina Bookman? Did she decide to sue the casino for her winnings, and was she successful? We set out to uncover the answers to these questions.
What happened to Katrina Bookman at Resorts World Casino?
If not for her nearly $43 million win, Katrina Bookman might have remained unknown. However, fate intervened when she visited Resorts World Casino in New York in 2016. During a quiet gaming session, she chose Sphinx Wild and wagered $0.40 per round. To her astonishment, she won an incredible $42,949,672. Speaking to the media, Bookman expressed an indescribable feeling that left her whole body numb. Filled with excitement for the future, she immediately started planning. She intended to give her son, who aspired to be a barber, at least $1 million to open his dream barbershop. Unfortunately, her joy was short-lived as she was informed that her winnings could not be paid due to a game malfunction.
How Much Did Katrina Bookman Win?
In the end, Bookman didn't win anything, and accepting this was tough for the woman who had already dreamt of how she would spend the money. She approached the cashier to cash out her winnings, but her request was denied. The staff explained that the game she had been playing had malfunctioned. The machine had even displayed a disclaimer stating, Malfunction voids all pays and plays. To resolve the issue, the casino offered her a steak dinner, which Bookman refused. She was baffled by how the machine showed nearly $43 million in winnings, yet the casino wouldn't honor it. The casino also offered to pay the $2.25 amount that appeared on the printed ticket from the machine after her supposed big win, but she declined that as well. To her, the entire situation seemed peculiar and dishonest. A casino staff member advised her to return the next day while they reviewed the case, but as she was leaving, Bookman overheard another staffer saying that she hadn’t won anything. A Resorts World spokesperson told CNN: Upon being notified of the situation, casino personnel determined that the figure displayed on the penny slot was due to an obvious malfunction, later confirmed by the New York State Gaming Commission. When Bookman returned the next day, the casino presented her with the dinner and $2.25 offer. Later, she commented to the media, I feel like I should win the max. And I should treat him, the employee, to a steak dinner.
Katrina Bookman tried to sue the casino and developer
Katrina Bookman was determined to secure legal assistance to potentially compel the casino or the machine's supplier to pay her the winnings she believed she deserved. She enlisted the help of attorney Alan Ripka, who believed that his client was entitled to more than what the casino acknowledged. Ripka contended that Bookman should receive at least the maximum payout from the penny slot, which was $6,500, as he understood that claiming the $43 million jackpot was unrealistic. However, Resorts World rejected this argument and issued an apology for the inconvenience the situation caused. Undeterred, Ripka maintained that a machine cannot be deemed faulty merely based on a malfunction claim. He questioned whether the machine had been inspected or maintained properly and raised concerns about the fairness for previous players if the machine had been faulty. Does that mean it wasn’t inspected? Does it mean it wasn’t maintained? And if so, does that mean people who played there before had zero chance of winning? he told CNNMoney. Bookman planned to file a lawsuit against both Resorts World Casino and the game's developer, International Game Technology. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in advancing the case. Eventually, a judge in Queens County Supreme Court ruled that Bookman was not entitled to any payout from the casino, referencing a legal precedent that allows casinos to deny payments for winnings resulting from explicit software malfunctions.
Katrina Bookman Casino Win - Frequently Asked Questions
The slot game initially indicated that she had won $42,949,672; however, this was an error, and her actual winnings amounted to only $2.25. Ultimately, Bookman received no compensation—not even the $2.25 she was entitled to when the machine malfunctioned or the steak dinner she had been offered. After years of legal proceedings, the Queens County Supreme Court ruled in favor of the casino, rejecting Bookman's claim.
Why won’t casinos "honor" their payouts?
When examining Katrina Bookman's case, one might suspect foul play, but there was none. Casinos are within their rights to deny payouts in cases of legitimate game malfunctions. While disclaimers don't always absolve the involved parties of liability, the legal precedent in this case indicates that there is a reliable method to determine if a machine truly malfunctioned at a specific moment. Bookman's situation is not unique. There are other instances where gamblers believe they've hit the jackpot, only to find out otherwise. In one notable case, Pauline McKee was playing the Miss Kitty game at the Isle Casino Waterloo and initially won 185 credits, amounting to $1.85. However, due to a malfunction, the machine incorrectly displayed a win of $41,797,550.16. Just like Bookman, McKee's claim was denied by the casino and she pursued legal action. By the time the case concluded, McKee, who was over 80, was 90 years old. The result was clear: malfunction voids all pays and plays. In another extraordinary case, Bill Seebeck thought he had won $166 million on a slot machine at the Hard Rock Casino in Florida. However, the casino informed him of a machine malfunction and his winnings were invalidated. These cases might seem unfair but they reflect the reality. Software glitches sometimes cause incorrect payouts, but these errors are promptly detected and annulled according to the rules. It's understandable that players like Bookman find this hard to accept—it might not feel right, but it is the way things are.
