- The MGM Grand Detroit is being sued by a woman after refusing to pay out her blackjack jackpot winnings worth $127,000.
- Denise Ezell won the progressive blackjack jackpot on a side bet with a straight flush.
- Ezell has taken legal action against the casino and still hasn’t been paid her winnings from the Oct. 2023 incident.
DETROIT – A woman is suing the MGM Grand Detroit for not paying up on her $127,000 blackjack jackpot win. The casino claims the woman, Denise Ezell, was trespassing at the venue, and now she’s taking the Detroit casino to court for damages of $75,000 and the original jackpot amount.
What started off as an exciting blackjack win worth $127,000 soon turned bad as a pit boss at the MGM Grand Detroit informed Ezell they won’t pay her the jackpot due to “trespassing allegations.” The trespassing allegations date back to a 2015 incident, but the woman claims she was never informed of any issues and has gambled at the casino for the last eight years.
According to details from the Detroit Free Press report, Ezell was never notified that she was prohibited from gambling at the casino. “I asked [the security guard], 'How long does this last?' He said, 'Maybe 24 or 48 hours.' So, I just left. I was pissed."
She claims she came back two weeks later and started gambling there again. No one said anything until eight years later on October 30, when she hit the progressive jackpot on a blackjack side bet for a straight flush.
How Did Ezell Win The $170K Blackjack Jackpot?
Ezell started out at the Motor City Casino, where her friend spotted her $100 and she eventually racked up $300 in winnings playing blackjack. They moved to the MGM Grand Detroit, where Ezell played at a progressive blackjack table for over two hours.
Down to her last bet, Ezell finally hit the side bet she’d been looking for all night. She had a jack of spades and a king of spades, while the dealer showed an ace and queen of the same suit, resulting in a straight flush and a $127,000 payout.
Unlike the MGM Grand Detroit, USA gambling sites always pay on all winning bets, even massive payouts like the $127,000 progressive blackjack jackpot. Ezell tried getting her winning from the casino for months but now has no choice other than to sue after the Michigan Gaming Control Board said they couldn’t force the casino to do anything.