She was stuck right where she stood. She never in a million years thought she'd be a millionaire. People like her don't experience events like this. She broke down crying as she glanced at her daughter. She said, her voice breaking, "I've won."
She collected herself gradually before going straight to get her prize. However, the casino employee abruptly and without warning stole her aspirations away. In one quick moment, her entire world had been flipped upside down. What was going on?
A Normal Person
Maribel Sanchez didn't enjoy gambling much. She never had that much money on the line and never saw herself as fortunate. But the Newcastle Casino ultimately made its way onto their schedule after her daughter recommended a trip to Newcastle, Oklahoma.
But the mother-daughter combo from Portland, Oregon, had no idea they would strike it so fortunate quickly when they arrived at the gambling establishment.
Entering The Casino
Maribel entered the casino, but as soon as she did, she felt compelled to leave for an unknown reason. The brilliant colors of the casino surrounded her daughter as she turned to see her grinning.
Maribel was halted in her tracks as the mother and daughter moved over the red velvet floor. Things were about to change forever.
Chaos
Maribel heard a loud crack coming from the other side of the room, echoing throughout the busy casino. The speaker thundered, "They're all liars!
When Maribel turned back, she was shocked to see a bunch of muscular security officers dragging a middle-aged woman outside. She yelled, "They're concealing something."
A Woman
Everyone pay attention, the woman yelled. They are all lying. They have something to hide! The lady was being hauled out of the building by security as several perplexed tourists watched.
To her daughter, Maribel responded, "That's very unusual." She was unaware that things were going to become much weirder, though.
Getting Set for the Game
The mother and daughter carried on with their day when the casino barred the angry mother from entering. Maribel wanted to keep things simple and play the slots because she didn't feel at ease at the tables. Additionally, she could relax with her daughter and enjoy herself by themselves.
Her daughter drove up next to her as she chose a machine with a vacant seat next to it and sat down. If only she had understood the controversy, this silly game would bring about.
Would She Get Something Out Of It?
Maribel, a loan officer who put in a lot of overtime, deposited a dollar into a Liberty 7 slot machine. Maribel understood that this vacation wasn't about winning anything.
It was about enjoying time with her family and friends. But once the machine spun up, she couldn't have imagined what would happen next.
A Big Win
Maribel had earned approximately $8.5 million, the screen revealed! Was she delusional? She tapped her daughter, who was engaged in the other game, and gave her a shoulder shake while keeping her eyes glued to the screen.
Her kid threw up her beverage. Maribel was a millionaire status. She was also confident of her plans for the money.
A Fresh Start
Maribel had no trouble coming up with items to buy with the money. She would undoubtedly purchase a new home, a new automobile, and an exotic trip to a place like the Bahamas.
But she had done enough daydreaming for the moment; it was time to act to fulfill her fantasies! She didn't know what would come next.
Everything Would Change
Maribel couldn't believe how much money she had earned! She genuinely thought she was the luckiest person alive. Her life would undoubtedly alter as a result of this.
Maribel walked up to a casino employee, full of energy and money in her eyes. But they managed to return her to Earth quite quickly.
Unplugged
After seeing the considerable jackpot number, an employee of the machine promptly came and unplugged it, insisting she couldn't claim such a huge figure.
They shut off the machine, took it away, and handed Maribel $100. But luckily, Maribel had taken a photo of the prize money on the screen before it went black. This wasn't over.
Have This Instead
Maribel straight away complained to the manager. As well as the mere $100 they claimed Maribel had won, as an apology, they offered Maribel and her daughter a guest suite for the rest of the weekend and complimentary dining. But Maribel still wasn't happy.
"To me, it's cheating, maybe even fraudulent," she stated. "My first thought was, 'how many people has this happened to?' They think they've won, then go away empty-handed." Maribel didn't want complimentary hospitality. She wanted an explanation.
Taking It Further
Maribel escalated the situation to the top. The CEO of the casino John Setterstrom said this was the first time he'd experienced a guest winning a jackpot and being denied it like that.
Something had gone seriously wrong. And the reason she wouldn't be given her prize money was complicated for Maribel to swallow.
A Faulty Machine
The casino worker claimed that the machine was malfunctioning. At the time, Maribel was directed to a sticker on the device that stated all payouts are voided if the machine breaks down.
She couldn't believe it. How could they do this to her? Maribel was hardly aggressive and vengeful, but she knew she had to make them pay for this.
Posting It Online
Maribel had luckily taken a photo of her prize money on the screen before it went black. She then posted this picture online to her hundreds of followers, explaining that the casino refused to pay her. Within a matter of hours, Maribel had gone viral.
But Maribel knew that merely online naming and shaming the casino wouldn't be enough to satisfy her. She had to go bigger.