|
 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - The World Fruit
Machine finals were brought to a sudden and disappointing close today when a
member of the audience landed the jackpot with a single coin.
43-year old Janet Long of Missouri
has been a long time follower of the gambling machine circuit, but told reports
at the world finals that she'd never competed before.
"It was pure luck," she
explained, after the event was brought to an early close. "I always carry
a bit of change in case I need some for the bus, but we'd come all this way to
watch the finals I just thought, why not? I couldn't believe it when the fruit
machine landed on the jackpot."
Now in its 68th year, the World Fruit
Machine Championships sees competitors from all over the world gather to
compete. Chairman of the Gambling Machine Athletics Committee, Gerald Fox, said
he was surprised it had never happened before.
"This is the problem with the
Fruit Machine Championships," he told reporters and fans as they left the
arena . "Anyone with a spare coin thinks they can play the slots, but
there're professional gamblers from all over the world who pour literally
thousands of dollars into the machines every year. When a spectator just
wanders in after a competing pro has primed a machine, and swipes the jackpot,
it ruins it for everybody."
The governing body for the sporting
slot leagues has studied Mrs. Long's play, confirming it was a legal coin drop
and verifying her claim to the jackpot - and the trophy of World Fruit Machine
Champion. Mrs. Long has been invited to return next year to defend her title,
and hopefully provide more of a show for the thousands of fruit machine fans
who gather to watch the event.
"Quit while you're ahead, my
dad always used to say," Janet Long said as she collected the grand prize
– thirty dollars worth of quarters. "I think my gambling career's going to
start and end on this high note."
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/Hide comment form