FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Next time your friend or significant other asks if they can give it a try at a slot machine that you’ve supplied money for, think again — they could end up leaving with your $100,000 jackpot.
Gambler Jan Flato put $50 in a slot machine at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Fort Lauderdale, hoping for a chance to win $100,000
At one point, Flato let his friend, 35-year-old Marina Navarro, push the button for luck.
Then, suddenly, lights flashed and the pay line showed that he had won the $100,000 jackpot… or so he thought.
Once managers of the casino analyzed the video, it showed that Navarro pushed the button, which made her the rightful winner of the jackpot.
Hard Rock officials said the win was one of the casino's largest jackpots to date. According to Hard Rock, the casino had awarded more than $1.6 million in jackpot winnings since Sunday.
Seminole spokesman Gary Bitner couldn’t say much, but did reiterate the rule when it comes to gambling: “The person who pushes a slot machine button or pulls the arm is the person who wins the jackpot.”
Not only did Flato lose the cash he put into the machine, but he has barely heard from Navarro since she walked out that night with the jackpot. That night, she even asked armed security to keep an eye on Flato as she walked out.
“I said, ‘Marina, what are you doing?’ and she gets up and walks out,” Flato said.
- — Seminole Hard Rock (@HardRockHolly) July 23, 2020 The guest was playing the $1 machine and had wagered a $5 bet before the jackpot was won. She celebrated her 60th birthday last week and was spending the evening at the iconic Guitar Hotel having dinner with friends at Council Oak Steaks & Seafood.
- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is the ultimate destination for gaming and entertainment, featuring more than 2,600 electronic games, a popular music venue, and multiple dining options!
- Sonya Red (@mixedchik1) has created a short video on TikTok with music Walk. Jackpot at the Hard Rock Casino! 🤩 (Follow @mixedchik2; I go LIVE there) #fyp #hardrockcasino #miami #florida #jackpot #winning #couplegoals.
- On Sunday, a gambler at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa was playing a $4 slot machine when its bells started ringing and an enormous figure began flashing on its jackpot screen.
Weeks later, she allegedly sent Flato a text message asking, “Still hate me?” He responded, “How could you do that to me?” And her response? “I miss you.”
Flato said he is still furious about what happened. But now, he has an important message for other slot players: “Don’t ever let them touch the button, don’t even tell them to touch anything for luck, because they can do what Marina did to me,” Flato said.
Navarro said Flato became distressed when they found out the jackpot wasn’t his. “Jan all of a sudden went ballistic,” she said. “He started screaming in front of everybody.”
Navarro then said Flato sent her threatening text messages. One message read, “Having me as an enemy ….not good,” followed by “We’ll [see] who made the Big mistake. It won’t be me.”
Navarro said she offered Flato some of the winnings, but after the texts he sent, she rescinded the offer.
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Gus Garcia-RobertsSupport the independent voice of Miami and help keep the future of New Times free.
On Sunday, a gambler at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa was playing a $4 slot machine when its bells started ringing and an enormous figure began flashing on its jackpot screen: $166,666,666.65. Bill Seebeck thought he was set for life.
Alas, 'twas not to be. After investigating the win, casino officials told him that the machine had malfunctioned and he wouldn't be receiving a cent. The maximum jackpot on the machine is a relatively paltry $90,000- and the gambler wouldn't get that payout either. They even attempted to coerce Seebeck into agreeing to that in writing, but he refused.
It's not the first time the Seminole tribe has pulled a similar gambit. In 2007, a Sunny Isles man was playing the slots at Seminole Hard Rock Resort & Casino in Hollywood when it appeared that he hit a jackpot worth more than $259,000. He was even given an oversized check for the amount- before casino officials attributed the win to a 'computer glitch' and told him he would not be paid. After the story hit was reported in the news, the tribe decided to pay the full amount.
Seebeck probably shouldn't hold his breath for a similar reversal concerning his own enormous jackpot- although you can't blame him for trying. From an ABC news report:
Seebeck says he is looking for a lawyer to help him comprehend the
convoluted federal Indian gaming regulations to possibly pursue legal
action.
Update: Well, that was quick.We just received a statement from Seminole Hard Rock with the news that they've reached a 'good faith' settlement, for an undisclosed amount, with Seebeck. Something about the way this is worded tells us the gambler remains a non-millionaire- although he might have a couple of thousand bucks to whittle away on more slots:
Hard Rock Biloxi Jackpot Winners
The Seminole Hard Rock Casino Tampa 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.
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