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Why a $166 million win at the Hard Rock doesn't make cents
The Seminole Tribe of Florida has settled up with a Daytona Beach man who thought he had won a $166 million jackpot Sunday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa.
Bill Seebeck had been playing the Bally Ultimate Party Spin slot machine for about a half-hour spending close to $80. The machine's bells began ringing and the numbers flashed the amount he'd won, according to wire reports.
"$166,666,666.65. So I was screaming. I was up and around screaming...and I have high blood pressure but it went up really fast," he said.
Seebeck spent an hour deciding how he'd spend the money. Then the bad news came.
Casino workers told him the machine had spun out of control, malfunctioned and he wouldn't be paid any money. The casino has since reached an agreement with Seebeck.
In a statement, the casino says:
"The Seminole Hard Rock Casino has made an offer to William Seebeck, and he has accepted, recognizing that the slot machine he was playing on Sunday malfunctioned, in what can be best described to the layman as a "computer glitch." The maximum payout on the Ultimate Party Spin machine played by Seebeck is $99,000, although his bet of $1.50 at the time of the malfunction could have generated a maximum payout of only $2,500, with the right combination. Determination of a malfunction was made by representatives of the machine’s manufacturer and software provider, according to established gaming industry standards, with confirmation from an independent third-party laboratory analysis. The casino has opted to settle this matter for an undisclosed amount as a good faith gesture, and we look forward to welcoming Mr. Seebeck on future visits."
The Seminole Gaming Commission and officials from Bally, the software maker for the slot machine, are heading to Tampa to investigate the malfunction.
While it's easy to criticize the Seminoles, a $166 million payout on a slot is ridiculous -- obviously a malfunction. Here are the recent big winnings, all on progressive machines linked across the country (not sure if this one in Tampa was a progressive or not, it doesn't say).
As you can see, the biggest jackpot ever in Florida has been $3.5 million.
Property Date of Hit Jackpot Game/Wager Amount per line
Immokalee 8/30/2009 $3,577,519.11 Wheel of Fortune $5
Tampa HRH&C 11/25/2008 $2,551,037.56 Wheel of Fortune $5
Coconut Creek 7/19/2008 $2,029,596.52 Wheel of Fortune $.25
Coconut Creek 10/14/2008 $1,469,701.20 Millionaire Sevens $.05
Tampa HRH&C 2/26/2009 $1,195,508.90 Wheel of Fortune $5
Tampa HRH&C 3/8/2009 $833,013.62 Wheel of Fortune $1
Tampa HRH&C 5/10/2009 $776,341.60 Wheel of Fortune $.25
Immokalee 5/10/2009 $539,651.04 Wheel Of Fortune $1
Tampa HRH&C 1/12/2009 $425,245.51 Wheel of Fortune $1
Hollywood HRH&C 12/12/2008 $424,694.38 Quarter Millions $.02
Tampa 10/6/2008 $334,279.84 Wheel of Fortune $1
Tampa 9/13/2009 $1,463,313.30 Millionaire $.05
NICK SORTAL began playing 3-card "gut" and "Indian poker" on high school band trips, early training for his...
Comments
And this is why Florida should have gambling just like the Seminoles. Enough is enough. The revenue would benefit the state and lower our taxes. One hamburger at a time.
When it goes up on the referendum (if our legislators don't get paid off) vote for it.
Posted by: Wake up call | November 4, 2009 5:16 PM
I wish I had $100million.
Posted by: David | November 4, 2009 5:27 PM
Its a miracle if you win anything there, thats why they are making so much money. I say keep your money dont give it to them.
Posted by: Dave | November 4, 2009 6:21 PM
Hmm....interesting. Makes me wonder how I would know if I had won but the machine malfunctioned and didn't indicate the win. Nobody would be asking any questions then.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 4, 2009 6:28 PM
Hmm....interesting. Makes me wonder how I would know if I had won but the machine malfunctioned and didn't indicate the win. Nobody would be asking any questions then.
Posted by: charlie | November 4, 2009 6:29 PM
The Seminole tribe should just suck it up and eat the loss and chalk it up to experience (you have a better chance of winning the lottery if that happens!)
Posted by: BillSlowsky | November 4, 2009 7:16 PM
Don't they have disclaimers posted all over the place saying that malfunctions aren't wins? The guy doesn't deserve a cent.
Posted by: Billy | November 4, 2009 10:33 PM
The casino has no obligation to pay this fake $166 million "jackpot" - the max you can win is $99,000 and anything else is a mistake, period. I mean if I go to Vegas and put $100 on the Dolphins to win and they do, then I hand my ticket in to get cashed and the screen pops up $166 million....do I really expect them to pay me that??!! Over a computer glitch? You know when you gamble how much you can potentially win as a maximum, and when the number is in the 9 figures it is clearly an error. Guy is lucky he got anything.
Posted by: Get real | November 5, 2009 12:49 AM
I have had 2 instances while playing blackjack that would have been immediatly settled in my favor at any las vegas casino. However, in both cases hard rock went the unclassy route and decided against me. I cotinue to play at the hardrock because have come to accept that their pit bosses lack class and Im not in vegas. I dont blame the seminoles for taking a screw the players attitude. I would be the same way if my people had been treated by the white man the way the native americans have been in our history.
Posted by: Evan Joe | November 5, 2009 7:16 AM
There are signs posted everywhere that "machine malfunction voids pay out". Unfortunately it stands to reason that machines are going to occasionally malfunction.
Hard Rock has never been known for their overwhelming customer friendly attitude, he's lucky he got anything. I had a machine malfunction a few years ago for just over $1000 and the floor manager was generous enough to give me a whopping $10 machine credit. In my case the machine locked up, but the screen with the 5 symbols straight across was visible.
Posted by: KCK | November 5, 2009 7:39 AM
This ONE case, perhaps the casino is right, BUT this kind of thing has happened time and agan at Indian casinos in Southern California where I used to live, as well as in Southern Florida at several Indian casinos, whenever a player wins more than a couple hundred thousand dollars, the casino claims a "machine malfunction." Yeah, right. "Indian giving," we used to call this kind of dishonesty.
Posted by: Steve | November 5, 2009 8:09 AM
This is not a new story - But it sure happens a lot in those Indian gaming stations a lot. Fraud?
Posted by: Joel | November 5, 2009 8:48 AM
People still do go the Las Vegas Hotels though.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 5, 2009 4:56 PM
If you are going to play, DONT play at any Seminole casino. They pay no taxes, and are rich! Support the Isle in Pompano, Mardi Gras in Hallandale, etc. Smoke free, better odds of winning, and they pay 50% (way too much)in taxes back to education
Posted by: Steve/Deerfield | November 8, 2009 7:55 AM
THIS IS FOR THE GUY THAT CLAIMS that SEMINOLE INDIANS do not pay TAXES.. Baby haven't you been reading the news lately???
The SEMINOLES $ 100 MILLION plus pay 3% TAXES,plus employment taxes. MARDI GRAS, ISLES do not pay 50% taxes..... they pay 6%.... What school money are your talking about do not mix FL LOTTERY with the oher RACINOS.. THE RACINOS are not giving anything back to EDUCATION.
People please READ and be INFORMED b4 you post.
Plus I am with the guy who said, ALL THE HARM that the WHITE MAN DID to ALL the INDIAN NATIONS, they lucky the INDIANS do not take EVRYTHING BACK...
Posted by: Evelyn | November 9, 2009 10:35 AM
Evelyn - you my dear are clueless. The Seminoles pay no taxes and the racinos do pay over 50% back to the state. The money from the racinos goes directly to education.
You have obviously decided to just make up all the info in your post
All the money the Seminoles make goes right back in their own pockets
The Seminoles can't be sued for negligence, they can't be held accountable for grievances against employees. They don't have to follow building codes or fire codes or health codes. A little scary!
PS None of us were around when any harm was done to the native Americans, why are we being punished? Do you think there is anywhere else in the world or any time in history where the winners gave anything back?
Posted by: john hughes | November 10, 2009 10:57 AM