Casino Refuses To Pay Woman $8 Million Jackpot, So She Takes Action

Winner!

Despite her best efforts, Maribel remains frozen in place. It was the furthest thing from her mind that she could have ever imagined becoming a millionaire. It’s just not common for people like her to experience things like this. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she gazed into her daughter’s eyes. With a crack in her voice, she whispered, “I’ve won.”.

She managed to gather herself gradually before heading straight for her prize. The casino staff, however, immediately and without warning stole her hopes away from her. Within the span of a single blink, her entire world had been turned upside down. How could this be?

Nothing Special

Maribel Sanchez didn’t play the slots often. She never thought of herself as lucky, and she never had so much money to lose. However, when her daughter recommended visiting Newcastle, Oklahoma, the Newcastle Casino eventually made its way onto their agenda.

They couldn’t have imagined they’d get so lucky quickly when they arrived at the gaming venue in Portland, Oregon.

Discomfort

Maribel didn’t know why, but she felt compelled to leave as soon as she stepped inside the casino. The dazzling lights of the casino totally encompassed her and her daughter, who was grinning, as she turned to look at her.

Maribel heard a disturbance that abruptly stopped her in her tracks as the mother and daughter pair moved over the crimson velvet carpet.

Screams

In the midst of the casino’s commotion across the room, Maribel overheard a piercing scream that reverberated throughout the entire establishment. The voice exclaimed, “They’re all liars!”

Unexpectedly, when Maribel turned back, she noticed a bunch of muscular security officers dragging a middle-aged woman outside. She cried out, “They’re hiding something.”

Keeping Things Hidden

The woman yelled, “Everyone listen up!  All of them are liars. They are concealing something!” The woman was being hauled out by security as a crowd of perplexed visitors watched.

Maribel remarked to her daughter, “That’s quite odd.” She was unaware that the situation was about to become even more bizarre.

Preparations

Maribel and her daughter carried on with their day after the irate woman was expelled from the casino. Maribel avoided the tables in favor of the more straightforward slot machines because she didn’t feel at ease there. In addition, she could spend time playing with her daughter alone.

Her daughter pulled up alongside her as she chose a machine that had a free one next to her and sat down. Had she only realized the controversy this silly game would spark.

Family Vacation

Loan officer Maribel inserted $1.25 into a Liberty 7 slot machine. Maribel put in a lot of overtime. Maribel understood the purpose of this vacation was to spend time with her family and create memories, not to win anything in particular.

Her mouth was hanging open as she pulled the lever and immediately began staring at what was displayed on the screen.

Hitting It Big

Maribel had won over $8.5 million, according to the display! Was she mistaking something? She stretched out to her daughter, who was engaged in the other game and gave her a shoulder shake without looking away from the screen.

Her daughter spat her beverage out. They were rich! She also had a clear plan in mind for how she would use the funds.

A Bright Future

Maribel found it easy to think of items to buy with the money. Of course, she would take a vacation to a warm place like the Bahamas and undoubtedly get a new car and home.

But enough daydreaming for now; she needed to go to the cashier to turn her fantasies into reality! Little did she anticipate what would happen.

She Was Excited

Maribel was astonished by her large winnings. For real, she believed she was the luckiest person on earth. Her life was going to change as a result of this.

Maribel approached a casino employee while full of energy and with money in her eyes. However, they managed to get her back to Earth fairly quickly.

Unplugged 

After seeing the huge jackpot number, an employee of the machine promptly came and unplugged it, insisting she couldn’t claim such a huge figure.

They shut off the machine, took it away, and handed Maribel $100. But luckily, Maribel had taken a photo of the prize money on the screen before it went black. This wasn’t over.

Have This Instead  

Maribel straight away complained to the manager. As well as the mere $100 they claimed Maribel had actually won, as a way of an apology they offered Maribel and her daughter, a guest suite for the rest of the weekend, as well as free dining. But Maribel still wasn’t happy.

“To me, it’s cheating, maybe even fraudulent,” she stated. “My first thought was, ‘how many people has this happened to?’ They think they’ve won, then go away empty-handed.” Maribel didn’t want complimentary hospitality, she wanted an explanation

Taking It Further

Maribel escalated the situation all the way to the top. The CEO of the casino John Setterstrom said this was the first time he’d experienced a guest winning a jackpot and being denied it like that. 

Something had gone seriously wrong. And the reason she wouldn’t be given her prize money was very difficult for Maribel to swallow.

A Faulty Machine 

The casino worker claimed that the machine was simply malfunctioning. At the time, Maribel was directed to a sticker on the machine that stated all payouts are voided if the machine breaks down. 

She couldn’t believe it. How could they do this to her? Maribel was hardly a confrontational and vengeful person, but she knew she had to make them pay for this. 

Posting It Online

Maribel had luckily taken a photo of her prize money on the screen before it went black. She then posted this picture online to her hundreds of followers, explaining that the casino was refusing to pay her. Within a matter of hours, Maribel had gone viral.

But Maribel knew that merely online naming and shaming the casino wasn’t going to be enough to satisfy her. She had to go bigger.

She Had To Take It Further 

At this point, Maribel knew that it was more important to create awareness of how casinos work when the players get the big winnings rather than simply reclaiming the money that’s rightfully hers. 

So to do this, she’s taking things further to ensure they never happen to another person again. 

Hiring A Lawyer 

Since that fateful day at the casino, Maribel has hired lawyer Bill Zuhdi. “Together, we are going to look at her legal options and aggressively pursue her rights,” Bill stated. “She should be paid for what she won.”   

Although those idyllic thoughts of sunbathing in the Bahamas and driving around in a Mercedes slowly fade away in Maribel’s mind, the investigation is still ongoing. But as she awaited the final verdict, a different incident occurred in Vegas.

Sin City

Kimmy, her husband Jeff, and her husband’s brother Royce were visiting Sin City for a chance to blow off some steam.  

Like Maribel and her daughter, the trio was by no means experienced gamblers. Well, that’s what Kimmy and Jeff thought. They didn’t know what kind of secrets Royce held and how it would lead to them having to sprint out of the casino literally.

Running A Bookstore

Kimmy and Jeff had been working hard all year long. As summer drew close, they made a promise to set aside everything and fly to Las Vegas for a week-long vacation. 

Given that they ran a family business that centered around a bookstore and Kimmy’s career as a celebrated novelist, the two could make the trip work without stepping on any toes. 

Getting Everything In Order

Kimmy and Jeff arranged for the Vegas trip in time. They ensured the store was in safe hands before leaving and even set up emergency safety nets in case something went wrong while they were away. 

But as they were about to leave, Jeff got a call from Royce, his twin brother who had eloped three years prior without a word. Jeff had to hear him out.

Talking To Him

Royce explained that although he was doing good in life, he missed his family and wanted to see them. He had gone to their parents, spending time with them before calling. 

“I wanted to see you, share a beer or read one of those books you have lying around,” he said with a nervous chuckle. He didn’t know he was too late.

The Plans Are Set

Jeff told his brother he wanted to see and spend time with him. But the only problem was that he and Kimmy had booked a flight to Vegas. They’d made reservations at a fancy hotel, looking for some time to wind down. 

Jeff hated having to turn down his brother, especially since Royce was the one who reached out. Jeff remembered that Royce wasn’t even there for his wedding. Could he reschedule?

Kimmy To The Rescue

Jeff talked to Kimmy about his problem, and that’s when Kimmy gave a solution that would leave him stumped.

How about they invite Royce to their little trip? She projected that she’d spend most of her vacation time alongside their hotel’s pool with a novel glued to her face. Having Royce over ensured that Jeff wouldn’t lose himself to boredom.

New Plan

Jeff called Royce and relayed the message, and to his surprise, his twin agreed. He even booked a room in the same hotel as them to be closer to his family.

Since he was in a different state, they agreed to meet at the hotel instead of having him fly to San Francisco, where Jeff and Kimmy lived. The couple didn’t know what they were signing up for. 

He’s Different 

As planned, Kimmy and Jeff landed in Las Vegas and checked into their hotel. But they weren’t even in for ten minutes when Royce came knocking. 

He was changed, taller than Jeff remembered him. He was also covered in tattoos on his neck, arms, and legs. Regardless, he still radiated the warmth Jeff had always associated with him. But instead of coming into the house, he insisted Jeff and Kimmy join him for some fun in the city.

Out On The Strip

Jeff and Kimmy hadn’t been in Las Vegas in a while. Although it was already night, they locked their doors and left with Royce. 

He took them to the first casino that came in sight, stating that since he hadn’t gotten them a wedding present, he would fund their gambling through the night. But they wouldn’t be in the casino for more than an hour.

Playing Roulette

Royce took Jeff and Kimmy to play roulette, insisting he felt really lucky. He handed them a hundred dollars each in twenty dollar bills and asked that they follow his instructions.  

They began playing the game, losing each twenty-dollar bill per spin. But although Jeff and Kimmy were slowly getting dejected, Royce insisted they continue playing.

Black 22

He handed them more money amounting to two hundred dollars, and repeated what he kept saying before they played. “Follow my rules.” 

On the next spin, the ball landed on Black 22, but the electronic board displayed Red 32. Jeff and Kimmy cursed. They had lost again. But Royce was still in it to win it. “Put everything on Red 32,” he told Jeff and Kimmy as he placed all his cash. But they wouldn’t listen. 

Red 32!

The next spin came, and the ball landed on Red 32. Jeff and Kimmy almost fell back. They watched as Royce received more than a hundred thousand dollars in chips. 

But someone saw him as he took the money and came running. “We need to go now,” is the only thing he said as he turned the corner with his money. It was time to make a break for it.

Run!

Royce, Kimmy, and Jeff ran out of the casino and into the first taxi that came in sight, barely holding onto their chips. A woman rushed out of the establishment after them. 

It turns out it was Royce’s boss enjoying her vacation. Seeing that he wanted to spend time with family, he didn’t want anything to ruin the moment. “Happy marriage,” he said as he handed over all his winnings to Jeff and Kimmy. 

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.