A story that may pay off...

[spxChrome]

So I sit down next to this guy who is a talker and he is rambling about this and that and he tells me this story of how he was playing this machine one time and the button didnt hold his card and the rest of the Royal filled in.  He called a supervisor over and they paid him anyway.  And I am thinking yea right.   So I a few weeks ago I am playing $2 TDB the buttons are not really sticking they are just not very sensitive and I play pretty fast.  I am about 8-10 hands in and I get dealt AxAA6. Hold what I think are the 3 Aces and up pops KAAA9x.  And I am like dam... it didn't hold the first Ace. So I play about 3 more hands before the story from the old man gets pulled from memory.  I look to my left and see a slot technichan close by and figure what do I have to loose.  I called her over and expained what happened.  She puts the key in the machine pulls up some menus.  She then starts cycling through some hands and can't find it.  We finally figured out I was playing TDB and she had to click on the correct Game history.  And there is displayed the draw and the deal side by side.   She then calls over a supervisor and expains to him.  He blurts out real fast yea go ahead and pay him the $20 for the 3ok.  She whispers its a handpay for $1600.  He pauses for a while with a blank stare and says I will be right back.  About 5 minutes later he comes back and I am expecting to hear a speech about Malfunctions don't pay, not our fault or randomness and timing. But instead he says he had to call the manager of the casino since it was a HP and the manager approved the payout.  I have a feeling if that 9 would have been a 2,3,4 for $8,000 we probally would have had a different ending to this story.  But point being if you ever miss a hand from a sticky key it never hurts to ask. Now I am not saying it would happen to everyone but it did happen to my surprise.  Just make sure not to play to many hands afer the miss because come to find out this particular machine only held a history of like the last 10 hands.    

[BobDancer]

When this happens on a major hand (4 aces qualifies easily), by all means call over a floor person. Sometimes you'll get paid. Sometimes you won't. And sometimes you'll be told "we'll pay you this time but don't ask again." If it's a minor hand (pair of kings, for example), it's risky. You don't want the warning for a "nothing hand." Save your warning for when it matters. Bob

[cook1947]

Being able to roll back hands can also be effective for other reasons. About a month ago, I started playing at Sam's Town Tunica at the upstairs bar. I inserted my $20 on a .25 DDB game. About 2 minutes later, a VERY enibreated (drunk!) came up behind me and very loudly claimed that I was playing on his money! He had just gotten up to go to the restroom and I was playing on his credits. He grabbed me by the arm and tried to pull me off the chair. Well, that wasn't the smartest thing he ever did. First, don't EVER touch me in that manner, but he was so out of it, he wasn't listening. Immediately, security was there, and while he was off and running at the mouth regarding me playing on "his money", the floor manager was able to roll back to where I had put in my $20, and confirmed that I was not playing on his money. I told them to cash out my money, as I had no desire to be around this idiot for more than 1 second. That went over like a lead rock with this guy, and he again tried to grab my arm, this time to prevent me to leave. The last time I saw this guy, he was under the bar stool, fighting with security. I was very appreciative that they were able to prove to others around me that I had not been in the wrong by rolling back the hands. I am a lady, but I really wanted to deck Mr. Drunk. Even if I had lost, it would have been worth it.

[opalineopaline]

Cook,Great action on the part of security but be careful to watch out for this guy.  He sounds like he is mean whether he is sober or drunk.  The last thing you want is discovering one day that he has followed you out to the parking garage and no one else is around.Be careful and also win lots.

[backsider]

I dont fully understand. I remember machines have printed on them something like "Malfunction voids all plays and pays". So if the button doesnt correctly work and a card you wanted to hold is not held because of it, or even if the player malfunctions and misses the hold of a perfectly working button, you mean these casinos actually ignore that warning and havent any issue with paying jackpots because of it? In this economy? Moreover, if its a taxable hit, you mean they just pay out even though no winning such hand has ever appeared? And what about the internal accounting aspect of the machine, wouldnt that totally screw up the coin in/coin out %s and subject the casino to possible violations of some type from the states gaming authority?

[Quad Deuces]

The language gives them an out.  Customer service says pay it.There's always pen and paper for extenuating circumstances.

[backsider]

Thats somewhat understandable, even though I dont see how the customer service angle would hold up. But how do they handle the fact that their machine may really be paying out more than the beancounters allow while the internal accounting of the machine gives inaccurate information, and how do they square that with the gaming authorities?

Around here in the military, we quickly learn that paper does not take precedence over what the machines spit out.

[Quad Deuces]

It's no different than a hand pay.It's a ledger entry.  Can be done on paper, but I'm sure the machines have code to deal with it.  If not the machines, then the slot-club service booths.  Simple matter of programming.Bottom line is they can go back in the history of hands, determine the player should have been paid if the "button didn't malfunction or the card un-held" whatever that is, and the casino can either pay the player or duck under the "malfunction voids" language.  Their choice.If you don't ask, you absolutely will not be paid.I have not yet asked to be paid for a mistake/malfunction.  But I wouldn't hesitate on a moderate-to-high-value hand.

[brmcc74]

I got one for you. I was at a midwest casino about a year ago. Having a great day , I had just hit about $1500. So after a restroom break, I come out to find the mach I was playing taken. Could have swore I titlted the chair, oh well no big deal, I will just play this other mach. So I put my $ in, play for a while and cash out. Poor drink service forces me to fetch a soda from the self serve. I notice the guy left the mach I had been on. I figure, may as well sit back down. I like this isle mach. So 10 - 15 minutes goes by and Im approached by security. Right off the bat, they ask if Im Mr.......? I reply yes, why is there a problem? Turns out, somebody left $21 in the mach that I had briefly played. They forgot to cash out and get tito. I never really noticed, I just play until I hit a 4 oak or better, or bust, then reset with more money. So they say easiest way to resolve the issue is for me to pay them the $21 for them to give this person. I agreed because I figured they went through a heck of alot of trouble for 21 dollars. I mean they knew my name via players card inserted. Kinda shook me up. I cant believe that someone would not only admit they forgot to cash out, but approach security over 21 dollars. Security tells me to always check for zero credits and no tickets in mach. Ofcourse I will take extra caution moving forth. So in this casino, its not finders keepers even if you are oblivious to the fact. I asked the sec guard, what would happen if I didnt have any $ to pay it back at that point. He wasnt impressed with my question. Live and learn.

[BillyJoe]

Cook,

Great action on the part of security but be careful to watch out for this guy.  He sounds like he is mean whether he is sober or drunk.  The last thing you want is discovering one day that he has followed you out to the parking garage and no one else is around.

Be careful and also win lots.

I had a similar situation in New Orleans once with a younger guy. I just told him that this will end one of two ways, both of which will be bad for him. First, I will ensure that YOU throw the first punch. If you hit, I have you arrested for assault, and sue. If you miss, you won't remember what happened next, and will have to explain to everyone how you ended up on the floor in front of this old guy.
 
He left, muttering..