An overpaying slot machine at Treasure Cove Casino was among the technical malfunctions the B.C. Lottery Corporation encountered, according to a list provided by the provincial government's Gaming Enforcement Policy Branch.
Between Feb. 2 and July 23, 2012, incorrect settings on the machine put the top static jackpot at $5,000 when it should have been $250. As a result, it paid out $48,159 before the problem was fixed, the BCLC confirmed Wednesday.
Two slot machines in Nanaimo posed similar trouble and in total, the three created an overpayment of $140,000 to $150,000 before they were fixed.
They were among 22 reported problems BCLC had with its gambling machines and software over the past four years and included in a list originally obtained by the Vancouver Sun.
One of the most expensive problems involved $471,037 worth of missing loyalty rewards points BCLC was supposed to give frequent gamblers under its Encore Rewards loyalty program, the Sun reported.
A missed setting within BCLCs gambling software caused 2,898 players to not accumulate the proper bonus points for almost two years, until the problem was flagged last March.
Lottery officials had to comb through internal records to reconcile the missing points and send letters to affected players, according to the governments Gaming Enforcement Policy Branch. BCLC ended up paying $518,141 in points, after adding a 10 per cent bonus for players.
