Philadelphia Park, reversing an earlier decision, yesterday paid a man $102,000, although officials say a message that flashed across a screen proclaiming him a winner was a mistake.
"Well, we contacted him [Friday] night and told him that we had finished our investigation, and that even though there clearly was an error - it was human error - we were going to make good on the $102,000 winning," said Dave Jonas, the president and chief executive officer of Philadelphia Park.
Stephen Wilkinson, a retired carpenter from Feasterville, was playing the slot machine on Monday when a message board attached to it lit up and told him he had won.
A casino official later told him the message was a mistake and he would not get the money - but offered him two complimentary meals at the casino's buffet instead.
Wilkinson filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which opened an investigation that is continuing.
"Today was a lot better," Wilkinson said yesterday. "They gave me the whole $102,000, handled it very well, and gave me eight food comps."
