Swapping $43 million for steak dinner sticks in casino winner’s craw

It was supposed to be the largest jackpot awarded in U.S. history, according to media reports.

Instead, Katrina Bookman was told of a computer error and was offered a steak dinner on the house at Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York, and a modest cash prize of $2.25 instead of a life-changing $43 million.

Now, one year after the ordeal, Ms. Bookman is suing.

Her lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, claims that the casino was “negligent” and failed to maintain its lottery equipment. The suit also claims that Ms. Bookman suffered “mental anguish” after the incident and that she sustained a “significant” monetary setback because she “lost the chance and/or opportunity to win” on the offending slot machine, according to media reports.

Her lawyer told reporters he plans to seek at least $43 million in damages.

At the time of the well-publicized 2016 incident, Resorts World spokesman Dan Bank apologized and told a CNN reporter that “casino personnel were able to determine that the figure displayed on the penny slot was the result of an obvious malfunction — a fact later confirmed by the New York State Gaming Commission.”

Meanwhile, the New York State Gaming Commission also stated in August that the machine displayed a disclaimer stating, “Malfunctions void all pays and plays.”