Winners Must Split An €2 Million Casino Jackpot

Two friends have been wagering a legal war in French courts over who is the rightful
owner of a €2 million cash jackpot. Marie-Hélène Jarguel put €50 into a slot machine
at the Palavas-les-Flots casino near the city of Montpellier in southern France.
One of her close friends, Francis Sune pushed the button on the slot machine. The
friends watched as triple 7′s popped up on the reels and triggered the huge jackpot.

When the two gamblers went to cash out, the casino would only give them one cheque.
Sune asked for a slice, but Jarguel declined. Dissatisfied, Sune decided to sue Jarguel
for his share of the money; after all, he was the one who pushed the button. The court
battle was long. Jarguel’s lawyer argued that she had been the one taking the risk by
placing her money into the machine. Sune “is not the winning factor,” said the lawyer.

“He just pushed a button.” In the end, the court had to do their best to decide what was
fair, because French gambling laws have no clear precedent for situations like this. A
ruling was finally reached, with the court deciding that the pair must split the prize.
Because Jarguel spent her own money, it was decided that her contribution to the win was
greater, and she was awarded 80% of the jackpot, while Sune happily received 20%.