Katrina Bookman’s visit to a New York casino became memorable for a reason no player would welcome: a screen showing almost $43 million, followed by a dispute over whether she had won anything close to that amount.

The incident happened in August 2016 at Resorts World Casino in Queens. While playing a Sphinx slot machine, Bookman saw a display showing $42,949,672.76. She photographed herself beside the screen, capturing what she believed was an extraordinary stroke of luck. According to her subsequent legal complaint, staff escorted her from the gaming floor and asked her to return the following day for a decision.

When she returned, the casino attributed the display to a malfunction. Instead of paying the amount on the screen, it offered a complimentary steak dinner and $2.25, which it identified as her machine balance.

The difference between those figures made headlines, but the central issue was the machine’s rules. Its reported maximum payout was $6,500—far below the amount Bookman had photographed. The New York State Gaming Commission supported the casino’s explanation and pointed to a disclaimer stating: “Malfunctions void all pays and plays.” In this case, officials treated the enormous figure as an error rather than a valid prize.

For Bookman, the disappointment went well beyond an argument over a screen. A mother of four who had experienced foster care and homelessness as a teenager, she had imagined using the money to support her family and help her community. What briefly looked like financial security instead became a public and deeply upsetting dispute.

Her lawyer, Alan Ripka, challenged the refusal to pay and argued that she should at least receive the machine’s stated maximum award. In June 2017, Bookman filed a lawsuit in Queens County Supreme Court against Resorts World Casino, Genting New York LLC and International Game Technology. Her allegations included negligence, breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation.

For travelers drawn to the excitement of a casino visit, the story highlights an easily overlooked detail: the number displayed on a machine can become the subject of a dispute. Bookman’s photograph captured the amount she saw, but it did not resolve whether that amount represented a payable win. The machine’s payout limits, its malfunction warning, and the regulator’s findings became central to the controversy.