Posted on 11/07/2009 10:29:30 AM PST by LibWhacker
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A Daytona Beach man thought he hit the jackpot. He thought he won $166 million on a slot machine at the very popular Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near I-4 in Tampa.
However, as soon as the crowds departed, the celebration ended. The casino told him that he didn't win a thing. The casino claims the slot machine malfunctioned.
Bill Seebeck, who lives on a houseboat, thought his ship had come in. His blood pressure skyrocketed and said he was screaming and celebrating. But then casino workers told him there was a malfunction and wanted him to agree to that in his report, even though they say they're still not done investigating.
Seebeck had been playing the Bally Ultimate Party Spin slot machine for about a half hour and, at $4 a game, he had spent about $80. When bells started ringing and the numbers flashed in front of him, he'd won a cash bonus of $166,666,666.65.
“$166,666,666.65. I was screaming ... heart was beating really fast,” he said.
Casino managers came over and roped off the machine. Seebeck spent an hour deciding what he'd do with his millions. Then came the adrenaline crash.
The casino told him the Ultimate Party Spin had spun out of control, malfunctioned and he wouldn’t get any money for a malfunction. They wanted him to agree in writing, but he wouldn't.
“They make you think you won and everyone around you that you won, and then later, ‘It's probably a malfunction,’” he said.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino spokesman told Eyewitness News Monday that the slot machine malfunctioned because its top prize is $99,000. Seebeck was not even given that amount.
“I was told, ’No,’ even though the Seminole Gaming Commission has no idea how the machine malfunctioned,” he explained.
The casino spokesman also said a malfunction is a no-win, but could not say whether past players in malfunction cases were paid.
“I feel let down and ripped off, I sure do,” he said.
“Are you ever going back there?” WFTV reporter Kathi Belich asked.
“No,” Seebeck replied.
Seebeck says he's looking for a lawyer to help him through the maze of federal Indian gaming regulations. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino said investigators from Bally, the software company, and the Seminole Gaming Commission are headed to Tampa to look for the cause of the malfunction.
A well deserved lawsuit coming.
I throw dice. In five years I’m still ahead in casino money. And, boy is it fun to see thousands of dollars on the table (not mine) and I’m throwing the bones.
I never understood slots.....boring.
They don’t even have to obey standard fire safety regulations....makes you wonder about construction code as well.
That happens quite often in PA. “I won!!!!” Oh . Gee Whiz. The machine wasn’t ready to give out a jackpot. “Sorry”.
you are 1rudeboy...at least give him a free buffet
Sounds eerily similar to the United States Government
I don't recall if this was an isolated incident or if there were a rash of "malfunctions" in order to refuse to pay out large winnings.
-PJ
Let’s see, this thing was working for approximately $79, had a big pot, yet when it hits on a win, the cause is a malfunction? Uhm, makes one wonder what is really going on here, naw…could not be dishonesty, corruption or criminality of big business? I guess the I.R.S. should step in and do a bit of a full audit for the past 5 to 10 years; 166M is a lot of lost revenue.
REALLY? Did everyone believe that story?
Jackpot malfunctions are not exactly common, but they are not uncommon, either.
http://www.readybetgo.com/news/gambling/jackpot-malfunctions-2564.html
All the Indian casinos welch on any bets they don’t want to pay on. The Sandia Casino near Albuquerque did the same thing. The Isleta’s casino and hotel is becoming a Hard Rock. Indians don’t know anything about running casinos, but the old school Nevada guys do.
“…committing suicide…” you say, Arizona, Indians and Harrah’s you say.
Who did the investigation U.S. Park Police?
Can you imagine trying that at the racetrack? "Oh, sorry. That horse wasn't supposed to win this time, so we're not paying out your ticket."
Nobody will believe that a machine was wasn't ready to pay out, if it is billed as a game of chance. If it paid out, it was ready, whether you intended it to or not.
Otherwise, why not just have a "game" where a person puts their dollar on a table and an accountant consults his actuarial table to tell you whether he's ready to pay you or not?
-PJ
I got a stupid question.....
How does a machine that only gives out $99,000 roll all the way up 166 million dollars or rather $166,666,666?
Same thing happened just after the casinos opened in Pennsylvania. There was so much bad publicity that the casino ended up paying the money.
I’ve seen casinos do this before on a big win. Should be the law that unless the player made the machine malfunction then the casino is liable for a payout. If the max on the machine is less than the 166 mil then he should at least get the max payout.
So if it malfunctions and doesn’t pay when it should, do they pay? Of course not. Classic heads they win, tails you lose garbage.
Sue the bastards.
You don’t know gamblers.
They could care less if some poor sap didn’t win the big one because they just might be that guy who does.
Even if he gets the $99,000, after his lawyer and the gov’t get through with him, it’ll hardly be worth the effort.
Casinos don’t make tons of money by paying a lot out. Of course it’s all rigged. Where do you think they get the money to build those fancy places? Not by paying out winners.
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