BENSALEM, Pa. -- Stephen Wilkinson was feeding 50 cents a pull into a slot machine at a new Pennsylvania casino when the machine lit up and started blaring music.

An on-screen message told Wilkinson -- by name -- that he had won $102,000 in a power play jackpot. The woman next to him screamed with excitement.

But Wilkinson's six-figure payday was short-lived. Casino officials soon informed the retired carpenter that the message was sent in error.

Wilkinson suffered his reversal of fortune on Monday, less than a month after 2,100 slot machines went into operation at Philadelphia Park, a racetrack just outside Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Park spokesman Andrew Becker confirmed that Wilkinson had received the message on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Wilkinson's name appeared in the message because he was using a casino-issued players card to track his bets.

"It was just an error in the communication system -- an unfortunate one, I might add," Becker said.

He noted that all machines carry a disclaimer telling players that machine malfunctions void all pays and plays. But he acknowledged that the mistake appears to have been in the casino's computerized in-house communications system, not in the machine.

Wilkinson, who said he had visited the casino about 15 times, has filed a complaint with Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

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"I am in so far in blood, that sin will pluck on sin" - Richard III