Not So Fast!

[Solomon]

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.

[Slotty McSlots]

This kind of thing happens more often than you might think, and really there is little protection for the player in these cases.

[Louvp]

was just announced on the news that the Casino decided to do the right thing & they paid the man his $102000. they should have settled with him at the time & avoided the bad press.

[Slotty McSlots]

Man, that's cool. The good press from that has got to be considered an asset, just like surely the negative press would be considered a liability.