Life-Changing Win Becomes Nightmare Ordeal for One (Un)Lucky Woman

There’s no bigger thrill than playing progressive jackpot slots. The anticipation of not knowing when the mega cash will flow is what draws millions of us to play. Could you next spin be the won that changes your life forever?

One lucky, or should I say unlucky woman from Oklahoma has hit the headlines after landing the colossal sum of $8.5m on a slot machine. And, not for all the right reasons. There she was one Friday morning spinning the reels when the progressive jackpot flashed up on her screen. But all is not what it seems!

Maribel Sanchez told Fox News she woke up early and left for the Newcastle Casino at 7am. After arriving, she sat down at the liberty 7’s slot machine and began to place her bets at $1.25 a time. Then, out of the blue, she hit the big time – a jackpot of almost $8.5m!

“As soon as the machine said she won the prize, the machine shut off. It went black. She didn’t know how much she had won at that point,” said Linda Sanchez, Maribel's daughter.

Things were about to get even darker…

…“It says clearly the amount that she won, but now they’re saying it was a malfunction and not give her the amount!” claimed Linda. Quick thinking Maribel whipped out her phone and took a picture of the slot machine after it had reset itself.

For those of you who are not so familiar with how the mechanics of casino games operate, let me enlighten you. When a slot machine shuts down (for any reason), it reboots itself. As soon as it comes back online, the screen will display the history of the very last gaming session. And, in this case, it works in the favour of the winner.

The Proof is in the Picture!

After snapping the picture of the screen and sharing it with Fox News, Maribel contacted a lawyer. “They told her we’re not going to pay you. It was an error. We’re going to go through the process that is provided by the casino at this time. We’re going to look at all her legal options and aggressively pursue her rights. She should be paid what she won,” said Bill Zuhdi, a lawyer representing Maribel Sanchez said.

Linda added: “It’s crazy how they want to rely on ‘it’s a malfunction’ when somebody can easily go up there and lose all their money and ‘it’s a malfunction, give me my money back.’ It doesn’t work that way. So why would it work that way for them? It’s pointless.”

After going viral, Newcastle Casino reached out to Fox News with the following statement: "The claim is currently under review. We are following our protocols and working with the claimant through this process and as such, we cannot comment on this review."

When asked was it a malfunction the casino declined to comment and since the unfortunate event, the casino has slapped posters on all machines stating: “Malfunction voids all pays and plays!” I’d call that closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

The machine manufacturer has also been contacted for further comment and clarification, however, there has been no update from them regarding the Liberty 7 slot machine.

Source: Stanish, Erika. “Woman claims she won nearly $8.5 million at casino; casino won't pay”. Fox 25. February 21, 2020.