A woman's dreams of becoming an instant millionaire turned into heartbreak when a casino refused to pay her $2 million in winnings due to a supposed machine malfunction.
Roney Beal, a resident of New Jersey, experienced the feeling of victory quickly turning into disappointment at Bally's Casino in Atlantic City.
Roney Beal, a 72-year-old resident of Shamong Township, visited Bally's Casino in Atlantic City in February with hopes of striking it big. She decided to try her luck on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine.
Roney eagerly played the game, investing hundreds of dollars, until the moment the wheel landed on the word "Jackpot" accompanied by a dollar sign.
Overwhelmed with excitement, she heard the words "You've won," and witnessed 3D gold coins appearing with a flashing blue light.
The atmosphere around her erupted as people exclaimed that she had become a millionaire. Roney couldn't believe her luck and was overjoyed.
When she pressed the button to call for assistance, a message appeared on the screen stating that the machine had malfunctioned.
She was devastated to learn that the casino refused to pay her the winnings she believed she had rightfully earned.
According to the casino's staff, the machine had a glitch known as a 'reel tilt, which invalidated the win.
After the information, Roney alleged that an attendant opened the machine and attempted to fix it, but she refused to let them tamper with it any further.
Instead, she was offered a mere $350 as compensation, a far cry from the substantial sum she thought she had won.
Roney's attorney, Mike Di Croce, suspects foul play and believes the casino attendant may have tampered with evidence of the win.
"They fooled with the machine before anybody else had the opportunity to take a look at this," the attorney declared.
He has called for an independent forensic review of the machine and casino floor videos. Di Croce argues that the establishment should honor the payout if a customer pays money and wins.
Emotionally distressed by the incident, Roney plans to take legal action against Bally's Casino and International Game Technology (IGT), the gaming company responsible for the payout.
She is seeking $2.56 million for the jackpot win and an additional $1 million-plus for emotional distress.
The casino has refrained from commenting on the matter, stating that they are only the host of the machine, while IGT, the payout handler, is cooperating with the investigation.
