Earlier this summer, someone won $25,000 on a slot machine in Pennsylvania. Only they really didn’t win, according to the state officials, even though they were allowed to keep the money. And in the process of all this mess, there are questions about just when a winner becomes a loser.
Apparently it is when they plug money into the machine.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, as reported by the Associated Press, “the false jackpot happened on May 29, 2010. It was one of five at Rivers Casino involving machines that were not properly tested or certified.
“Casino officials say the player was allowed to keep the jackpot and that it paid all taxes on it. Rivers spokesman Jack Horner says the casino takes the matter seriously and has retrained all of its technicians.”
OK.
Isn’t the point of the whole thing to put money in the machine and then win?
How can the machine be wrong if someone wins once in a while?
Apparently that person was not supposed to have won.
That doesn’t make folks feel too secure.
The long and short of all this is that, for the lucky player to get the $25,000, a lot of people have to lose, because the machine does not generate money on its own.
It’s sort of like the current national taxing system.
For someone to get a free ride, a whole bunch of other someones have to lose.
Of course the difference is, with the slot machine you at least have a CHANCE of not losing, limited though it may be.
— Chuck Smith