PARIS: Two French friends have gone to court to settle a dispute over who should pocket almost €2 million ($3.5 million) in casino winnings - the woman who paid for the bet or the man who pushed the button on the poker machine.
On March 6, Marie-Helene Jarguel put €50 into the machine in the casino in Palavas-les-Flots, near Montpellier, south-western France. By her side was Francis Sune, 57, who had brought her luck in the past.
The aim was to win the casino's ''Megapot'' of €2.2 million by lining up three sevens. Mr Sune pressed the button 12 times without success, but on the next attempt the winning numbers appeared.
Screams of joy were followed by champagne all round and Miss Jarguel left the premises with the cheque. Casino rules state that machine bets must be taken by one person only.
But a week later, Mr Sune sued his ''friend'', insisting that at least half the gains were his by rights.
There is no judicial definition in France of what constitutes a ''winner'' in gambling.
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