Luckless man denied $133k jackpot as friend pushed pokie machine button
You might want to think twice before letting a friend hit the button on your poker machine.
A US man has been denied his US$100,000 (A$133,000) jackpot because he got his friend to push the button for him “for luck”.
Jan Flato and his friend Marina Navarro were gambling on Mr Flato’s player’s card at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood.
The pair then went to collect the winnings from casino officials, who delivered the news that Ms Navarro had actually won the jackpot, not Mr Flato.
“I’ve never has such a big jackpot in my life,” Ms Navaroo told KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
The $50 bet ended up being a costly one for Mr Flato who lost out on his $100,000 jackpot.
A statement from the Hardrock said: “The person who pushes a slot machine button or pulls the arm is the person who wins the jackpot”.
Mr Flato said Ms Navarro took the jackpot.
“I said ‘Marino what are you doing?’ and she gets up and walks out,” Mr Flato said of the incident.
Ms Navarro claims Mr Flato sent her nasty messages following the incident that night.
“Having me as an enemy... not good,” he allegedly wrote.
“We’ll see who made the big mistake - it won’t be me,” another message said.
The rest of the messages were reportedly too vulgar to show on TV.
She said she offered some of her winnings but after receiving the nasty messages she pulled her offer.
