Help! Wrong Hold Cost Me A Jackpot!

Its not so easy. What would you have done if by holding one 3 you drew a straight flush? Would you be calling over a supervisor to return the money you didn't earn?

I think your final result will be dependent on what your 'theo' is at that casino. If the expect you to lose more than a few thousand each year, I expect they will pay you.

If there is a way to prove it was a machine malfunction, then you might have a better case. If it is just "I would never hold just a single 3, I swear it!" then it is really just up to someone to decide how valuable you are to the casino.

I think if you are polite but persistent, you will get paid. They can look it up. They just have to be willing to do the work.

Hope you wrote down the machine number and as exact a time as you could that it happened. If you get a "no", I suggest you continue up the food chain with written letters until you get a "yes" . Always include your player number.

I vote for "you're screwed." Only if you were a super valuable player might they do something. I know of a situation where a woman was dealt four aces and a low kicker on Double Double Bonus, and in her excitement pressed deal, throwing away the whole hand, and getting garbage on the draw. This was on a $5 machine, so a $10,000 mistake.

Her husband was just livid about it and appealed up and down the slot department but all they got was a comp to nice dinner.

Once I was dealt two deuces and trash in Deuces Wild and in playing too fast didn't make enough contact on one of the buttons and held only once deuce. I'm still angry at myself over it and this was years ago. However, I can at least say I didn't cry and beg to slot management -- It was my mistake and I owned it.

Quote: Hunterhill

I've had it happen a few times over the years and I was paid .They just said to be more careful.
I was a top level card holder.

I have had this scenario happen three times and I have always been paid within 30 minutes. My only concern for you is that you left the property without being paid. My hunch says that you will be paid.

Thanks for all the feedback. I don’t have the the time to post regularly like I did a few years ago but I will let y’all know how it goes. I give these folks a hell of a lot of action, but the game is extremely loose and the incentives to play are pretty generous. According to my win loss statement I won (very low) 5 figures last year and I’m ahead more than that so far in 2018. Being rude, threatening to never return, or actually never returning is negative EV, I’m really not in a position to do anything but be very nice and ask politely. But in the three years I have been playing 2-4 times a week I have never asked for anything (maybe a hotel room, once) or caused a problem for them, hopefully that works out in my favor.

The OP mentioned that he held two threes and pushed deal, but that only one three held. He also mentioned that the slot department confirmed this. In other words, they viewed the machine history and saw that he held both threes, and that only one of them appeared in the "held" position in the final hand. This would be an obvious machine malfunction, and he should be paid. It's not like he "meant" to hold two threes but did not successfully press "hold" on both of them. I don't get where some forum members do not think that this is a clear example of machine malfunction resulting in an incorrect payout.

Quote: Greasyjohn

The OP mentioned that he held two threes and pushed deal, but that only one three held. He also mentioned that the slot department confirmed this. In other words, they viewed the machine history and saw that he held both threes, and that only one of them appeared in the "held" position in the final hand. This would be an obvious machine malfunction, and he should be paid. It's not like he "meant" to hold two threes but did not successfully press "hold" on both of them. I don't get where some forum members do not think that this is a clear example of machine malfunction resulting in an incorrect payout.

I should have been more clear...they did not confirm that the button held and unheld, I’m not sure if they even can confirm this. They just confirmed the hand history.

Quote: SOOPOO

Its not so easy. What would you have done if by holding one 3 you drew a straight flush? Would you be calling over a supervisor to return the money you didn't earn?

That’s a good point, but luckily it’s less relevant in this case. If I meant to hold AK suited, only held the ace, and the 3 royal cards came out, I would be in a much worse position because a lot of people go for the Aces. 3’s with (or without) a kicker is a much bigger payout and far easier to make than a straight flush, there is really no chance that someone with the least bit of card sense would intentionally hold one 3. But to answer your question, no, I’m sure that if holding one 3 got me a straight flush I would have shut up and taken the money.

Quote: Greasyjohn

The OP mentioned that he held two threes and pushed deal, but that only one three held. He also mentioned that the slot department confirmed this. In other words, they viewed the machine history and saw that he held both threes, and that only one of them appeared in the "held" position in the final hand. This would be an obvious machine malfunction, and he should be paid. It's not like he "meant" to hold two threes but did not successfully press "hold" on both of them. I don't get where some forum members do not think that this is a clear example of machine malfunction resulting in an incorrect payout.

I agree but casinos are scum

Doesn't the game say malfunction voids all pay and plays? Could the casino hide behind that if you proved malfunction?

Quote: darkoz

I agree but casinos are scum

Doesn't the game say malfunction voids all pay and plays? Could the casino hide behind that if you proved malfunction?

It's obvious casinos have disincentive to properly maintain video poker machines unfortunately. Also unfortunate, doesn't seem to matter, doesn't appear to cause liability. Seems at some casinos over half the machines have buttons that stick if not a higher rate while most slots work just fine.