A Wasaga Beach, Ont., man thought his prayers had been answered when lights and sounds went off on the two-cent Buccaneer slot machine he was playing at the Georgina Downs casino last December.
Within seconds, a casino attendant rushed over and congratulated Paul Kusznirewicz, 55, with winning the device's $42.9 million jackpot.
"The music was there. The lights were on. I couldn't believe it. I won big money," Kusznirewicz said Wednesday. "I was so happy."
But minutes later, the casino's supervisor said it was all a mistake. He wasn't eligible for the winnings because the machine was broken.
As compensation, a distraught Kusznirewicz and his wife were given coupon for a free buffet dinner for two at the casino. The coupon was later upgraded for four when he complained.
"Then I was so sad. They gave me nothing, just (the) buffet," he said.
The retired butcher took the coupon, went home and called his lawyer.
On Tuesday, Kusznirewicz launched a $42.9 million lawsuit against the Ontario Gaming and Lottery Corporation (OLG). In addition to his loss of winnings, he is also seeking $3 million in damages for the nightmares and back problems he has experienced since the Dec. 8 visit to the casino in Innisfil, Ont., about an hour north of Toronto.
"I spent $60 on the machine. Then the supervisor tells me 'We're not going to pay you because the machine is broken,'" he said. "I get nothing. If you win some money, and they give you nothing, you need a lawyer."
Kusznirewicz said casino staff took photos of the machine and then turned it off. He said he was never told what exactly was wrong with the machine.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation said that the machine Kusznirewicz was playing had a "confirmed malfunction."
The organization said that there was an error message that had been displayed prior to the winning. Kusznirewicz and his wife deny that they ever saw the message.
The maximum payout of the Buccaneer slot machine, which accepts two cents per play, is $9,025.
"The $42 million figure is not a possible award given this machine's configuration and pay table settings," the statement said. "All OLG slot machines have a disclaimer indicating 'malfunctions void all pays and plays.'"
The corporation said no further comments will be made about the lawsuit because it is now before the courts. The province's Alcohol and Gaming Commission has launched an investigation into the incident.
Kusznirewicz said Wednesday he will continue to wait for his prayers to be answered.
"With the money I will support lots of people, my children, my grandchildren, my family," he said. "I want to get something. Right now, I have nothing."
This is the latest in a string of controversies that have hit the OLG in recent months.
Last week, the corporation said it "regrets" offering 22 foreign-built Mercedes-Benz B200 cars instead of North American cars as prizes for a spring contest at Ontario slots operations. The decision was criticized due to the tough economic times the North American auto industry is facing.
In January, a Brampton, Ont., man reached a financial settlement with the corporation after he thought he had won $135,000 on lottery tickets to only later find out that the scratch cards were misprints.
And in February, Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin gave the organization a six-month deadline to provide evidence that cases of fraud involving lottery insiders such as convenience store owners has dropped.
The deadline is a result of a recent audit that showed that $198 million in prizes have been claimed by lottery insiders in the last decade — double the amount the corporation had originally estimated.