Casino news from http://www.centredaily.com/
Freddy Howard had high hopes that his Tuesday meeting with officials of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino would result in a big jackpot.
It didn't.
Instead, CEO Jim Allen told Howard and his attorney that the casino had hired an independent outside agency to examine Howard's claim that he won nearly $260,000 in a ''Swipe & Win'' progressive jackpot computer system on Aug. 29.
''They were kind enough to offer me nothing,'' Howard said after the 40-minute meeting with Allen.
''We cannot pay jackpots unless we have proper verification,'' said Allen, who admitted casino employees did not follow standard procedure to verify -- via the computer system -- that Howard won a prize.
''When you win, you win. And when you lose, you lose,'' Allen said in an afternoon press conference.
If the independent computer analysis declared that Howard did win, Allen said he would personally sign the check for $259,945.75.
The analysis is expected to be completed on Friday, and that's when Howard will learn whether he is a winner or loser.
Neither side disputes the following series of events that took place:
After swiping his Player's Club card in a ''Swipe and Win'' kiosk, Howard saw words on the screen indicating he was a winner.
He approached casino employees, who congratulated him, had him sign promotional forms, and photographed him holding a giant cardboard check with the amount of $259,945.75.
But 15 hours later, casino officials told Howard it was all a mistake, the computer had made a glitch.
At dispute is what really was displayed on the computer screen after Howard swiped his card in the kiosk.
Howard said he and casino staff saw six words:
``Congratulations You've Just Won Progressive Winner.''
But casino officials say there was one all-important digit at the end of the message that everyone missed.
``Congratulations You've Just Won Progressive Winner $0.''
They gave Howard and his attorney a copy of what they said was flashed on the screen.
Howard's attorney, Keith Herbert, scoffed at the idea that the screen flashed a Zero on the end of the message.
''What machine congratulates you for being a loser?'' Herbert asked.
Allen had no explanation why the ''Swipe & Win'' kiosk would display a winning message with a zero, according to spokesman Gary Bittner.
And no one offered an explanation of where casino employees got the $259,975.75 figure. The top prize given on the ''Swipe and Win'' kiosk was for that amount.
The Seminole Tribal Gaming Commission has hired Gaming Laboratories International, a respected firm that specializes in examining computer systems associated with gaming, to examine the computer system.
Allen also could not explain why casino employees did not follow standard procedure in verifying a win -- as they have done so numerous times since the casino opened in 2004.
Verification involves checking the log of the promotional computers progressive system and then getting OKs from top casino executives.
''[The casino employees] became caught up in the excitement of the event,'' Allen explained.
Howard said Allen made no promises, other than vague suggestions that if he came back to gamble they would make him feel right at home.
''I was quite angry and disappointed,'' Howard said of his meeting with Allen.
Herbert said that if his client is told he is not getting any money that he may resort to his original idea:
Picket the casino with a copy of the large cardboard $259,945.75 check he was given with the words scrawled: Give Me A Real Check!
''You can't sue the Seminoles for getting your hopes up and then bringing them down,'' said Tampa attorney Jack Gordon, who has sued the Seminoles numerous times throughout the years.
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