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Casino offers woman free steak dinner after $43 million jackpot error

Posted at 10:20 AM, Oct 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-29 11:20:17-04

A New York woman thought her life had changed in an instant when she won $42.9 million from a casino slot machine. It turns out she only won $2.25 and a free dinner.

Katrina Bookman told WABC-TV she hit the jackpot at Resorts World Casino in Queens. The people she was with took photos and video of her smiling next to a screen that read, "Printing cash ticket: $42,949,672.76."

But casino officials quickly rained on Bookman's parade by telling her the machine had malfunctioned and her winnings were nonexistent. They said there was no way that particular slot machine could pay a jackpot that large because its maximum payout was $6,500.

Bookman told WABC that Resorts World Casino offered her a free steak dinner and a refund on her $2.25 bet. She is suing the casino, arguing that she should be entitled to the machine's maximum payout.

New York gaming officials pointed to the inscription affixed to all slot machines which states, "malfunctions void all pays and plays."

Clint Davis covers entertainment and trending news topics for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.