Pauline McKee was recently crushed when the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that she wouldn’t be getting her $41.8 million slots jackpot. McKee saw $41.8m flash across her screen while playing Miss Kitty at Isle Casino Hotel. However, following an investigation, Iowa gaming officials later determined that there was a machine glitch and the win was worth just $1.85.
This is no doubt a heartbreaker for McKee, especially since she’s a 90-year-old grandmother. However, here are some reasons why the Iowa Supreme Court got this right and McKee indeed doesn’t deserve her prize.
1. She didn’t read the Paytable
The biggest point in this case is that Miss Kitty offers a paytable that clearly states the largest payout is worth 10,000 coins. McKee admittedly did not read this paytable, which is why she believed that she was a multi-millionaire. Perhaps I’m bordering on a lecture, but players should always read the paytable when they sit down to play – if not just to know the jackpot and bonus-round rules.
2. There were No Bonuses or Multipliers
While it’s hard to see how 10,000 coins could be multiplied to $41.8m (on a $1 bet), it is still worth noting that Miss Kitty doesn’t offer any bonuses. This is the only way in hell that the top payout could have reached the astronomical sum McKee thought she had won. But since the slot machine is completely void of extra frills, there’s absolutely no way this could be anything other than a machine glitch.
3. Even McKee thought She was going to Lose
“I had my doubts from the start, because that’s a lot of money for a penny machine,” McKee told the Chicago Tribune. “I was hoping to help my children out financially, but it wasn’t meant to be.” It’s sad to hear this quote coming from an elderly lady who was just hoping to give her kids a better life. But this statement also clearly shows that even McKee felt there was a good chance her lawsuit wouldn’t hold up in court.