What should have been the happiest moment of her life turned into heartbreak for Katrina Bookman, a single mother who thought she’d just won $43 million at a casino slot machine — only to be told hours later that her life-changing jackpot “never existed.” Instead of the money, the casino offered her a steak dinner. The story, which has resurfaced this week on CNN and social media, has reignited outrage over how casinos handle so-called “machine malfunctions.”
It happened at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York. In 2016, Bookman was playing the “Sphinx” slot when the screen lit up with flashing lights, confetti graphics, and the number that changed everything — $42,949,672.76. She snapped a selfie with the glowing jackpot and immediately began crying. “My heart stopped,” she later told ABC News. “I thought, this is it — this is my miracle.”
But when she tried to claim her winnings, casino staff escorted her off the floor and told her to come back the next day. When she returned, she was met by a representative from the New York State Gaming Commission — and devastating news. The slot machine, they said, had malfunctioned. Her true winnings? $2.25.
“Woman wins $43M at casino — but gets told it was a glitch and offered a steak dinner instead.” @ABC
Bookman said she felt “humiliated” and “betrayed.” “They took away my dream and handed me a dinner voucher,” she said. “They told me the machine wasn’t working — but when it was taking my money, it worked just fine.”
The casino offered her a complimentary steak dinner and $2 in winnings — an offer she called “insulting.” Her attorney, Alan Ripka, filed a lawsuit arguing that the casino was obligated to honor the amount displayed on the machine. “You can’t advertise a chance to win millions and then say, ‘Oops, the machine lied,’” Ripka told reporters. “That’s fraud.”
Under New York law, casinos are not required to pay winnings that result from “obvious malfunctions.” The Gaming Commission ruled that the machine had a “display error,” which voided the payout. The maximum jackpot for that particular slot was actually just $6,500 — not $43 million.
Still, Bookman’s story has touched a nerve online. After resurfacing this week on Reddit, the post has drawn millions of views and reignited debates about fairness in the gambling industry. “If the roles were reversed, they’d never let her call it a glitch,” one user wrote. Another said, “Casinos love ‘malfunctions’ when it helps them.”
“If you win, it’s a glitch. If you lose, it’s your fault. Casinos always win.” @VICE
Gaming law expert Prof. Eugene Volokh explained that these cases aren’t uncommon. “Casinos are heavily protected by fine print and machine disclaimers,” he said. “Every slot machine carries a statement saying, ‘Malfunctions void all pays.’ The ethics are debatable, but the law is clear.”
For Bookman, though, no legal explanation could erase the disappointment. “They didn’t even say sorry,” she told CBS News. “It’s like being told your dream was just a mistake.”
The case drew national headlines at the time, prompting discussions about consumer protection in gambling. Despite mounting public pressure, a judge later dismissed her lawsuit, citing regulatory protections for casinos. “We argued that if a player is bound by the rules, so should the house,” Ripka said. “But in gambling, fairness isn’t part of the contract.”
Even years later, the image of Bookman smiling in front of her $43 million “win” continues to circulate online, often accompanied by outrage-filled captions. “This picture breaks my heart every time,” wrote one user on X. “She really thought her life had changed.”
“Katrina Bookman’s $43M casino ‘win’ was called a malfunction. They gave her a steak dinner instead. People are still furious.” @guardian
Consumer advocates have since called for new regulations to protect gamblers from misleading machine displays. “If a screen tells you you’ve won, that’s a promise,” said watchdog group Consumer Reports. “Casinos can’t hide behind tech malfunctions when the error benefits them.”
Bookman, who raised four children on her own, said she had already begun planning how to use the money — buying a home, setting up college funds, and donating to youth charities. “It was the first time I thought life was giving me something back,” she said. “And then it was gone.”
Her story continues to spark emotional responses nearly a decade later, especially as casinos embrace AI-driven slot machines and digital gaming systems that blur the lines between luck and code. “It’s not just about gambling anymore,” wrote one columnist for Forbes. “It’s about trust in the system — and right now, the system feels rigged.”
Despite losing her case, Bookman says she still occasionally visits casinos — not to gamble, but to remind herself of what she survived. “They thought I’d disappear after the steak dinner,” she said with a small smile. “But I’m still here. And I’m still hungry for justice.”
