Title: Macon County Greyhound Park, Inc., d/b/a Victoryland v. Sherry Knowles
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1080466
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: November 20, 2009

REL 11/20/09 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o 
n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama 
A p p e l l a t e 
C o u r t s , 
300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 
((334) 
2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r 
e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r 
t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made 
b e f o r e t h e 
o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1080466 
Macon County Greyhound Park, Inc., 
d/b/a V i c t o r y l a n d 
v. 
Sherry Knowles 
Appeal from Macon C i r c u i t 
Court 
(CV-06-99) 
WOODALL, J u s t i c e . 
Macon 
C o u n t y 
G r e y h o u n d P a r k , 
I n c . , 
d/b/a V i c t o r y l a n d 
( " V i c t o r y l a n d " ) , 
a p p e a l s f r o m a summary j u d g m e n t f o r S h e r r y 
K n o w l e s i n t h e amount o f $10,000,000 i n K n o w l e s ' s 
a c t i o n 
a l l e g i n g 
t h a t 
V i c t o r y l a n d b r e a c h e d a c o n t r a c t t o p a y h e r 
a 
$41,800,000 b i n g o 
" j a c k p o t . " 
We r e v e r s e a n d remand. 
1080466 
I . F a c t u a l and P r o c e d u r a l 
B a c k g r o u n d 
T h i s c a s e a r i s e s o u t o f A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 , Amend. No. 744 
( L o c a l Amendments, Macon C o u n t y , § 1, A l a . 
C o n s t . 1901 ( O f f . 
R e c o m p . ) ) , 
w h i c h a u t h o r i z e s 
" [ t ] h e o p e r a t i o n o f b i n g o games 
f o r p r i z e s o r money b y n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s f o r 
c h a r i t a b l e , 
e d u c a t i o n a l , 
o r o t h e r 
l a w f u l p u r p o s e s 
... i n Macon 
C o u n t y . " 
Amendment 
No. 744 
f u r t h e r 
a u t h o r i z e s 
t h e s h e r i f f 
o f Macon 
C o u n t y t o " p r o m u l g a t e r u l e s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s f o r 
t h e l i c e n s i n g 
a n d o p e r a t i o n o f b i n g o games w i t h i n t h e c o u n t y . " I n f o r c e a t 
a l l t i m e s r e l e v a n t t o t h i s a c t i o n w e r e t h e " S e c o n d Amended and 
R e s t a t e d 
B i n g o R e g u l a t i o n s 
f o r 
t h e L i c e n s i n g and O p e r a t i o n o f 
B i n g o Games i n Macon C o u n t y " 
("the s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s " ) , 
p r o m u l g a t e d b y t h e Macon C o u n t y 
s h e r i f f p u r s u a n t t o Amendment 
No. 744. 
The 
s t a t e d 
p u r p o s e 
o f t h e s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s 
i s t o 
" a d o p t 
t h e p o l i c y o f t h e A t t o r n e y 
G e n e r a l i n l i m i t i n g t h e 
c o n d u c t 
o f 
C l a s s 
B b i n g o 
g a m i n g 
i n Macon 
C o u n t y 
t h e r e b y 
a l l o w i n g t h e S h e r i f f t o more e f f e c t i v e l y r e g u l a t e and 
e n f o r c e 
t h e p r o p e r c o n d u c t o f b i n g o games." 
The s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s 
c o m p r i s e 
12 
p a g e s 
o f 
t e x t , 
w h i c h 
a r e 
d i v i d e d 
i n t o 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 18 s e c t i o n s : (1) " D e f i n i t i o n s " ; (2) " O p e r a t i o n o f 
2 
1080466 
B i n g o Games i n Macon C o u n t y " ; (3) " B i n g o L i c e n s e 
R e q u i r e d " ; 
(4) " A p p l i c a t i o n f o r 
L i c e n s e ; S u b m i s s i o n ; Form; C o n t e n t s " ; (5) 
" I s s u a n c e 
o f 
L i c e n s e " ; 
(6) 
"Amendments; 
A p p l i c a t i o n s ; 
L i c e n s e s " ; 
(7) " C o n t e n t s a n d D i s p l a y o f L i c e n s e s " ; 
(8) "Fee 
P r o c e e d s " ; 
(9) " G e n e r a l 
R e g u l a t i o n s ; 
P r i z e s " ; 
(10) " R e c o r d s 
and 
A c c o u n t i n g " ; 
(11) " E n f o r c e m e n t a n d S u p e r v i s i o n ; 
R u l e s ; 
B o n d s " ; (12) " R e v o c a t i o n o f L i c e n s e s ; A p p e a l " ; 
(13) " E f f e c t o f 
R e v o c a t i o n " ; 
(14) 
" A p p e a l 
o f 
D e n i a l 
o f 
L i c e n s e " ; 
(15) 
" C o m p l i a n c e 
w i t h 
F e d e r a l 
Law"; 
(16) " S e v e r a b i l i t y " ; 
(17) 
"Amendments"; a n d (18) " E f f e c t i v e 
D a t e . " 
" B i n g o " i s d e f i n e d i n 
§ 1 as 
"any 
game o f c h a n c e known as b i n g o , 
i n c l u d i n g any 
b i n g o game p e r m i t t e d by f e d e r a l l a w , ( w h e t h e r o r 
n o t 
e l e c t r o n i c , c o m p u t e r , o r o t h e r t e c h n o l o g i c a i d s a r e 
u s e d i n c o n n e c t i o n 
t h e r e w i t h ) 
w h i c h i s p l a y e d f o r 
p r i z e s , 
w i t h 
c a r d s 
b e a r i n g 
numbers 
o r 
o t h e r 
d e s i g n a t i o n s , a n d [ i n ] w h i c h t h e h o l d e r o f t h e c a r d 
c o v e r s 
s u c h numbers o r d e s i g n a t i o n s when 
o b j e c t s , 
s i m i l a r l y 
n u m b e r e d 
o r 
d e s i g n a t e d , 
a r e drawn o r 
e l e c t r o n i c a l l y d e t e r m i n e d , a n d i n w h i c h t h e game i s 
won 
b y t h e 
f i r s t 
p e r s o n 
c o v e r i n g 
a 
p r e v i o u s l y 
d e s i g n a t e d a r r a n g e m e n t o f numbers o r d e s i g n a t i o n s on 
s u c h 
c a r d s . 
The b i n g o game must 
i n c o r p o r a t e t h e 
t y p i c a l 
f e a t u r e s o f t r a d i t i o n a l 
b i n g o , 
i n c l u d i n g , 
b u t n o t l i m i t e d t o , a g r i d o f f i v e 
h o r i z o n t a l a n d 
f i v e 
v e r t i c a l 
s q u a r e s , 
numbers 
r a n d o m l y 
s e l e c t e d , 
and 
a 
p r e o r d a i n e d 
w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n . 
A l t e r n a t i v e 
e n t e r t a i n i n g 
d i s p l a y s 
s u c h as s p i n n i n g 
r e e l s a n d 
o t h e r v i d e o o r m e c h a n i c a l g r a p h i c s a r e p e r m i t t e d b u t 
must n o t a f f e c t game p l a y . 
J u s t as i n t r a d i t i o n a l 
b i n g o 
h a l l s , 
p l a y e r s on e l e c t r o n i c b i n g o 
m a c h i n e s 
3 
1080466 
must compete a g a i n s t one a n o t h e r . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e 
e l e c t r o n i c m a c h i n e s must be l i n k e d so t h a t 
p l a y e r s 
a r e c o m p e t i n g a g a i n s t e a c h o t h e r . 
N o t h i n g h e r e i n i s 
i n t e n d e d 
t o 
p r o h i b i t 
t h e 
a w a r d 
o f 
i n t e r i m 
o r 
c o n s o l a t i o n p r i z e s . 
E l e c t r o n i c , c o m p u t e r o r 
o t h e r 
t e c h n o l o g i c 
a i d s i n c l u d e any m a c h i n e o r d e v i c e 
t h a t 
a s s i s t s 
a p l a y e r 
o r t h e p l a y i n g o f a b i n g o game; 
b r o a d e n s t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n 
l e v e l s i n a common game; 
f a c i l i t a t e s 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n and among 
b i n g o 
l o c a t i o n s ; o r a l l o w s p l a y e r s t o p l a y a game w i t h o r 
a g a i n s t 
o t h e r p l a y e r s 
r a t h e r t h a n w i t h o r a g a i n s t a 
m a c h i n e . 
E x a m p l e s o f e l e c t r o n i c , c o m p u t e r o r 
o t h e r 
t e c h n o l o g i c 
a i d s 
i n c l u d e , b u t a r e n o t l i m i t e d t o , 
d i s p e n s e r s , 
r e a d e r s , 
e l e c t r o n i c 
p l a y e r 
s t a t i o n s , 
e l e c t r o n i c 
c a r d s 
f o r p a r t i c i p a n t s i n b i n g o 
games, 
p l a y e r t e r m i n a l s , c e n t r a l s e r v e r s 
c o n t a i n i n g random 
number 
g e n e r a t o r s 
f o r r e m o t e 
p l a y e r 
t e r m i n a l s 
and 
v i d e o 
d i s p l a y s p r o v i d i n g game r e s u l t s i n d i f f e r e n t 
d i s p l a y modes." 
S e c t i o n 9, " G e n e r a l R e g u l a t i o n s ; 
P r i z e s , " s t a t e s : 
" ( a ) No p e r s o n u n d e r t h e age o f 19 y e a r s 
s h a l l 
be p e r m i t t e d t o p l a y any game o r games o f b i n g o , n o r 
s h a l l 
any 
p e r s o n 
u n d e r 
t h e age 
o f 19 
y e a r s 
be 
p e r m i t t e d 
t o c o n d u c t o r a s s i s t i n t h e o p e r a t i o n o f 
any game o f 
b i n g o . 
" ( b ) 
No b i n g o 
l i c e n s e 
s h a l l be 
i s s u e d t o any 
n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n u n l e s s t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n 
s h a l l 
h a v e b e e n i n e x i s t e n c e f o r a t l e a s t t h r e e 
(3) y e a r s 
i n t h e c o u n t y i m m e d i a t e l y p r i o r t o t h e i s s u a n c e 
o f 
t h e p e r m i t o r l i c e n s e . 
" ( c ) B i n g o games may be o p e r a t e d on t h e p r e m i s e s 
owned 
o r 
l e a s e d 
by 
t h e 
n o n p r o f i t 
o r g a n i z a t i o n 
o p e r a t i n g t h e b i n g o games. 
"(d) A n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n may e n t e r 
i n t o a 
c o n t r a c t 
w i t h any i n d i v i d u a l , 
f i r m , a s s o c i a t i o n o r 
c o r p o r a t i o n t o have t h e i n d i v i d u a l o r e n t i t y 
o p e r a t e 
b i n g o 
games 
o r 
c o n c e s s i o n s 
on 
b e h a l f 
o f 
t h e 
4 
1080466 
n o n p r o f i t 
o r g a n i z a t i o n . 
A n o n p r o f i t 
o r g a n i z a t i o n 
may p a y c o n s u l t i n g f e e s t o any i n d i v i d u a l o r e n t i t y 
f o r 
any 
s e r v i c e s 
p e r f o r m e d 
i n 
r e l a t i o n 
t o t h e 
o p e r a t i o n o r c o n d u c t o f a b i n g o game. 
" ( e ) A n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n may l e n d i t s 
name 
o r 
a l l o w i t s i d e n t i t y t o be u s e d b y a n o t h e r 
p e r s o n 
o r e n t i t y i n 
t h e o p e r a t i n g o r a d v e r t i s i n g o f a b i n g o 
game i n w h i c h 
t h e n o n p r o f i t 
o r g a n i z a t i o n 
i s n o t 
d i r e c t l y a n d s o l e l y o p e r a t i n g t h e b i n g o game. 
" ( f ) 
P r i z e s g i v e n b y any n o n p r o f i t 
o r g a n i z a t i o n 
f o r 
t h e p l a y i n g o f b i n g o games s h a l l n o t e x c e e d t h e 
c a s h 
amount o r g i f t s 
o f e q u i v a l e n t 
v a l u e 
s e t by 
t h e s e R u l e s a n d R e g u l a t i o n s 
f o r 
any b i n g o 
s e s s i o n . 
F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h e s e R u l e s a n d R e g u l a t i o n s , 
no 
s i n g l e p r i z e g i v e n b y any n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n , o r 
on i t s 
b e h a l f , f o r 
t h e p l a y i n g o f b i n g o games 
s h a l l 
e x c e e d 
$20,000,000 
i n c a s h 
o r 
e q u i v a l e n t 
v a l u e 
d u r i n g any b i n g o 
s e s s i o n . 
" ( g ) No p e r s o n who h a s b e e n 
c o n v i c t e d 
o f a 
f e l o n y o f f e n s e , a n d whose c i v i l 
r i g h t s have n o t b e e n 
r e s t o r e d 
b y l a w , 
s h a l l 
c o n d u c t 
o r i n any way 
p a r t i c i p a t e 
i n t h e o p e r a t i o n 
o f a n y b i n g o 
game 
p e r m i t t e d 
h e r e u n d e r , n o r s h a l l any p e r s o n who h a s 
b e e n c o n v i c t e d o f a n y g a m b l i n g o f f e n s e be 
p e r m i t t e d 
t o 
c o n d u c t 
o r i n any way 
p a r t i c i p a t e 
i n t h e 
o p e r a t i o n 
o f any b i n g o 
game 
p e r m i t t e d 
h e r e u n d e r 
w i t h i n 12 months o f t h e c o n v i c t i o n . " 
S e c t i o n 
11, " E n f o r c e m e n t 
a n d 
S u p e r v i s i o n ; 
R u l e s ; 
B o n d s , " 
s t a t e s : 
" ( a ) The S h e r i f f s h a l l be c h a r g e d w i t h t h e d u t y 
t o 
a n d 
s h a l l 
e n f o r c e 
a n d 
s u p e r v i s e 
t h e 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d e n f o r c e m e n t o f a l l 
o f t h e r u l e s , 
r e g u l a t i o n s a n d r e p o r t i n g 
r e q u i r e d 
h e r e u n d e r . 
I n 
a d d i t i o n 
t o t h e s e 
r e g u l a t i o n s , 
t h e S h e r i f f 
s h a l l 
e n f o r c e 
a l l a p p l i c a b l e 
c r i m i n a l a n d c i v i l 
l a w s o f 
5 
1080466 
t h e 
S t a t e 
o f A l a b a m a t o p r e v e n t 
and 
d i s c o u r a g e 
any 
i l l e g a l 
a c t i v i t y . 
"(b) 
The 
S h e r i f f 
may 
r e q u i r e 
s u c h 
a c c e p t a b l e 
s u r e t i e s a n d / o r b o n d s w h i c h he deems r e a s o n a b l e 
o r 
n e c e s s a r y 
t o 
i n s u r e 
[ s i c ] p r o p e r 
c o m p l i a n c e 
w i t h 
t h e s e 
R u l e s 
and 
R e g u l a t i o n s 
and 
t h e 
s u b m i s s i o n 
o f 
s u c h 
a c c e p t a b l e 
s u r e t i e s 
o r 
b o n d s 
s h a l l 
be 
a 
c o n d i t i o n p r e c e d e n t t o t h e 
i s s u a n c e 
o f any 
l i c e n s e 
h e r e u n d e r . 
The 
o p e r a t o r 
and 
s u r e t y 
o r 
s u r e t i e s 
s h a l l 
be 
j o i n t l y 
and 
s e v e r a l l y 
r e s p o n s i b l e 
f o r 
payment o f p r i z e s t o w i n n e r s , 
s a i d payment t o 
o c c u r 
no 
l a t e r t h a n t h e end 
o f t h e s e s s i o n d u r i n g w i t h 
t h e 
p r i z e was 
won." 
P u r s u a n t 
t o 
a u t h o r i z a t i o n by 
t h e Macon C o u n t y 
s h e r i f f , 
V i c t o r y l a n d c o n d u c t s b i n g o games i n Macon C o u n t y on b e h a l f 
o f 
60 n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n Macon C o u n t y . 
K n o w l e s d e s c r i b e s 
t h e game i n v o l v e d i n t h i s 
a p p e a l 
as 
" b i n g o [ t h a t ] i s 
p l a y e d 
e l e c t r o n i c a l l y 
w i t h 
s l o t m a c h i n e 
d e v i c e s 
w h e r e b y 
t h e 
b i n g o 
c a r d 
a p p e a r s 
on 
a v i d e o 
s c r e e n 
d i s p l a y e d 
on 
t h e e l e c t r o n i c 
s l o t m a c h i n e . " 
F o r p u r p o s e s o f 
t h i s 
a p p e a l 
o n l y , we 
a c c e p t 
t h i s 
g e n e r a l 
d e s c r i p t i o n , 
as 
w e l l 
as 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e o p e r a t i o n 
o f t h e e l e c t r o n i c m a c h i n e s . 
K n o w l e s 
s u e d 
V i c t o r y l a n d 
and 
M u l t i m e d i a 
Games, 
I n c . 
( " M u l t i m e d i a " ) , 
a l l e g i n g t h a t , on May 
2, 2006, w h i l e 
she 
was 
p l a y i n g 
b i n g o 
a t 
V i c t o r y l a n d on 
a m a c h i n e 
m a n u f a c t u r e d 
by 
M u l t i m e d i a , 
she 
" h i t 
a 
j a c k p o t 
o f 
$ 4 1 , 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 , " 
w h i c h 
V i c t o r y l a n d 
and 
M u l t i m e d i a 
r e f u s e d 
t o 
p a y . 
She 
s o u g h t 
6 
1080466 
$41,800,000 i n c o m p e n s a t o r y damages f o r b r e a c h o f a 
" c o n t r a c t 
t o pay 
j a c k p o t 
w i n n i n g s . " 
The 
m a c h i n e on w h i c h K n o w l e s 
was 
p l a y i n g when 
she 
won 
t h e 
a l l e g e d 
" j a c k p o t " 
w o r k e d 
i n 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g manner. 
A. 
The 
M a c h i n e 
A p r o s p e c t i v e 
p l a y e r may 
b e g i n 
p l a y by b e c o m i n g a member 
o f 
t h e 
Q u i n c y ' s 
T r i p l e 
7 
P l a y e r s 
C l u b 
("Q-Club") 
and 
p u r c h a s i n g 
an 
e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o 
c r e d i t c a r d 
("the 
Q - c a r d " ) . 
The Q - c a r d c o n t a i n s 
c r e d i t s t h a t can be a c q u i r e d by i n s e r t i n g 
i t and money i n t o an e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o m a c h i n e . 
A p l a y e r j o i n s 
a game by 
i n s e r t i n g t h e Q - c a r d and 
p l a y i n g t h e 
s i m u l a t e d , 
5-
l i n e b i n g o c a r d t h a t a p p e a r s on 
t h e v i d e o 
s c r e e n . 
On 
t h e b o t t o m l e f t o f t h e v i d e o 
s c r e e n 
i s an i c o n l a b e l e d 
"HELP PAYTABLE." 
T h i s 
i c o n 
p r o v i d e s 
a c c e s s 
t o 
two 
" h e l p " 
s c r e e n s c o n t a i n i n g 
i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r p l a y i n g t h e game. 
Those 
i n s t r u c t i o n s 
a r e 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
"• ADD 
CREDITS TO PLAY 
" I n s e r t p l a y e r 
c a r d 
t o 
s t a r t 
s e s s i o n 
(see 
c a s h i e r f o r p l a y e r 
c a r d ) . 
"•PRESS 'DISPLAY' FOR 
LARGE BINGO CARD 
"•TOUCH SMALL BINGO CARD TO CHANGE CARD NUMBERS 
"•SELECT NUMBER OF CREDITS TO WAGER 
"See 
f o l l o w i n g p a g e s f o r 
d e t a i l s . 
7 
1080466 
PRESS 'PLAY' TO START 
"'PLAY' 
j o i n s 
a 
m u l t i p l a y e r 
b i n g o 
game. 
'PLAY' 
w i l l 
a l s o 
r e b e t 
and 
j o i n 
game. 
I n s u f f i c i e n t number o f p l a y e r s r e f u n d s b e t . 
PRESS 'CLAIM' TO DAUB CARD AND 
CLAIM PRIZE 
" P r i z e s a r e a w a r d e d f o r b a l l s drawn t o 
t h e 
g a m e - e n d i n g 
TRIANGLE 
p a t t e r n 
o r 
f o r 
t h e 
f i r s t 
30 
b a l l s 
( w h i c h e v e r i s 
f e w e r ) . 
REMOVE PLAYER CARD TO 
END 
SESSION 
" R e m a i n i n g 
c r e d i t s 
( o r 
p a r t i a l 
c r e d i t s ) 
w i l l 
be 
a p p l i e d t o p l a y e r 
c a r d 
a c c o u n t . 
SELECT THE NUMBER OF CREDITS TO WAGER 
" P l a y 
1 c r e d i t on e a c h o f 
1 t o 5 
p a y l i n e s 
a t a t i m e . 
P r e s s 
'BET 
ONE' 
t o a c t i v a t e t h e 
1 s t 
p a y l i n e . 
P r e s s 
'BET 
ONE' 
a g a i n 
t o 
i n c r e a s e 
w a g e r 
by 
1 
c r e d i t 
& 
p a y l i n e . 
P r e s s 
'MAX 
BET' 
t o a c t i v a t e a l l 5 p a y l i n e s 
and 
s t a r t game. 
WIN 
JACKPOT OF 10,000 CREDITS 
" C o v e r i n g 
t h e LETTER K b i n g o p a t t e r n 
w i t h 
max 
c r e d i t s b e t 
r e s u l t s 
i n 
t h r e e 
D o u b l e 
J a c k p o t 
s y m b o l s 
on 
t h e 
f i f t h 
p a y l i n e 
and 
w i n s t h e 
j a c k p o t . 
SELECT GAME DENOMINATION 
" I f 
m u l t i - d e n o m i s e n a b l e d , c h a n g e c r e d i t 
v a l u e 
b e t w e e n 
p l a y s 
by 
t o u c h i n g 
d e n o m i n a t i o n 
"•PRESS 'DAUB GENIUS' TO TURN ON 
THE AUTOMATIC DAUB 
& CLAIM FEATURE 
" T u r n i n g 
on 
t h e 
Daub 
G e n i u s 
[ f e a t u r e ] 
a u t o m a t i c a l l y 
daubs 
and 
c l a i m s 
u n t i l 
d e a c t i v a t e d 
o r s e s s i o n e n d s . 
T u r n o f f 
t h e 
Daub G e n i u s 
by 
p r e s s i n g 
[ t h e Daub 
G e n i u s 
i c o n ] 
a g a i n . " 
8 
1080466 
( E m p h a s i s 
added.) 
The 
f i r s t 
h e l p 
s c r e e n 
c o n t a i n s 
t h r e e 
m e t e r s : 
(1) a " p a i d " m e t e r , (2) a " c r e d i t s " m e t e r , and (3) a 
" b e t i n " m e t e r . 
T h e s e t h r e e m e t e r s a l s o a p p e a r on t h e f a c e o f 
t h e v i d e o 
s c r e e n 
d u r i n g 
p l a y . 
A t 
t h e b o t t o m 
r i g h t 
o f t h e s e c o n d 
" h e l p " 
s c r e e n 
i s a 
"PAYTABLE" 
i c o n . 
P r e s s i n g 
t h e PAYTABLE 
i c o n 
a c c e s s e s 
15 
s c r e e n s 
c o n t a i n i n g 259 p o s s i b l e b i n g o - c a r d 
p a t t e r n s . 
E a c h 
p a t t e r n 
i s a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h 
a 
s p e c i f i c 
c r e d i t 
v a l u e . 
The 
c r e d i t s r a n g e f r o m a h i g h o f 10,020 c r e d i t s f o r t h e "LETTER K 
b i n g o 
p a t t e r n , " t o a l o w o f 2 c r e d i t s f o r c e r t a i n 
p a t t e r n s , 
i n c l u d i n g a " s n a k e - e y e s " c o n f i g u r a t i o n . 
As 
t h e 
" h e l p " 
s c r e e n s 
i n d i c a t e , 
b e t t i n g 
i n v o l v e s t h e 
i n t e r p l a y o f money and c r e d i t s , and p r i z e s a r e won i n c r e d i t s . 
B e t s a r e made a t a r a t e o f 2 5 ^ , 50^, o r $1 p e r l i n e on t h e 
s i m u l a t e d 
b i n g o 
c a r d . 
The 
c r e d i t s 
won 
a r e 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
c o n v e r t e d 
i n t o money a t a r a t e o f 25^ p e r c r e d i t , 
50^ p e r 
c r e d i t , o r $1 p e r c r e d i t , 
d e p e n d i n g on t h e d e n o m i n a t i o n t h e 
p l a y e r has c h o s e n t o b e t . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e m o n e t a r y v a l u e o f 
t h e 10,020 c r e d i t j a c k p o t r a n g e s f r o m $10,020 ( f o r 
a $1 b e t ) 
t o $2,505 ( f o r 
a 25^ 
b e t ) . 
9 
1080466 
F i v e w i n n i n g "LETTER K b i n g o p a t t e r n s " a r e p o s s i b l e , e a c h 
h a v i n g 
i t s 
own p a y o f f 
v a l u e . 
S u c h a p a t t e r n on t h e f i r s t 
two 
c r e d i t s / p a y l i n e s p a y s 2,000 c r e d i t s . 
T h a t same p a t t e r n on t h e 
s e c o n d two c r e d i t s / p a y l i n e s p a y s 2,002 c r e d i t s . 
The "LETTER 
K" 
p a t t e r n 
on t h e 
f i f t h 
c r e d i t / p a y l i n e , t h a t i s , w i t h 
t h e 
"maximum c r e d i t s b e t , " p a y s 10,020 
c r e d i t s . 
These p a y o u t s a r e e s s e n t i a l l y r e p r e s e n t e d 
on t h e "awards 
g l a s s " 
o r 
" u p p e r 
c a b i n e t " 
s i t u a t e d 
on 
t h e 
f a c e 
o f 
t h e 
e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o 
m a c h i n e 
above 
t h e 
v i d e o 
s c r e e n . 
I n t h e 
c e n t e r 
o f t h e awards 
g l a s s 
a p p e a r t h e w o r d s : "PAYS ON 
L I T 
L I N E S . " 
Above 
t h e s e w o r d s i s a d i a g r a m i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e 
p a y o u t f o r t h e "1ST CREDIT" i s "2000"; p a y o u t f o r t h e 
"2ND 
CREDIT" i s " 2 0 0 0 " ; 
p a y o u t f o r t h e "3RD 
CREDIT" i s "2000"; 
p a y o u t f o r t h e "4TH CREDIT" i s "2000"; and p a y o u t f o r t h e "5TH 
CREDIT" 
i s "10,000." 
When a 
p l a y e r 
w i n s 
a 
j a c k p o t , 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
message 
a p p e a r s on 
t h e 
v i d e o 
s c r e e n : 
"YOU'RE 
A 
WINNER [$ 
] PLEASE WAIT FOR AN ATTENDANT." 
O n l y t h e j a c k p o t 
p a t t e r n 
ends 
t h e game. 
However, a l l 
m a c h i n e s a t V i c t o r y l a n d a r e programmed t o " l o c k up" when t h e 
p l a y e r w i n s any p r i z e o f $1,200 o r more. 
When s u c h a 
l o c k u p 
o c c u r s , 
t h e p l a y e r i s e s c o r t e d t o t h e " c a s h c a g e , " where t h e 
10 
1080466 
p l a y e r i s r e q u i r e d t o c o m p l e t e t h e t a x d o c u m e n t s r e q u i r e d by 
t h e 
I n t e r n a l Revenue 
S e r v i c e f o r w i n n i n g s o f $1,200 o r more. 
No 
f u r t h e r 
t r a n s a c t i o n s 
a r e p o s s i b l e 
on 
t h a t 
b i n g o 
m a c h i n e 
u n t i l 
one 
o f V i c t o r y l a n d ' s 
"gaming 
d i r e c t o r s " u n l o c k s 
t h e 
m a c h i n e by i n s e r t i n g h i s o r h e r own c a r d . 
The r u l e s 
o u t l i n e d 
i n 
t h i s 
P a r t 
I.A. 
s h a l l be r e f e r r e d t o as t h e " r u l e s o f t h e 
w a g e r . " 
B. The I n c i d e n t 
I n v o l v i n g K n o w l e s 
I n 
2006, 
K n o w l e s was 
e m p l o y e d 
as a 
s e c r e t a r y 
i n t h e 
V i c t o r y l a n d p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t . She and h e r h u s b a n d 
f r e q u e n t l y 
p l a y e d 
e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o 
and 
s l o t 
m a c h i n e s 
t h r o u g h o u t 
t h e 
S o u t h e a s t . 
As e a r l y as 2003, she was w i n n i n g p r i z e s on t h e 
e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o m a c h i n e s a t V i c t o r y l a n d . 
On 
May 
2, 
2 0 0 6 , 
she 
was 
p l a y i n g 
b i n g o 
on 
one 
s u c h 
m a c h i n e . 
I n an a f f i d a v i t , she 
s t a t e d : 
"On 
t h e 
n i g h t 
i n q u e s t i o n , 
I p l a y e d 
s e v e r a l 
d i f f e r e n t b i n g o games on d i f f e r e n t b i n g o m a c h i n e s . 
However, 
I 
u l t i m a t e l y 
b e g a n 
p l a y i n g 
on 
m a c h i n e 
number Y2H01-11462. 
A f t e r p l a y i n g on t h a t 
m a c h i n e 
f o r a p e r i o d o f t i m e , I p l a c e d a one d o l l a r 
($1.00) 
b e t p e r l i n e and h i t t h e p l a y b u t t o n . 
T h e r e a f t e r , 
t h e b i n g o 
l i g h t s 
t h a t a r e d i s p l a y e d on t h e m a c h i n e 
l i t 
up t o i n d i c a t e a w i n n i n g 
p l a y . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
t h e 
c r e d i t s 
i n 
t h e 
c r e d i t 
[ m e t e r ] 
b e g a n 
t o 
a c c u m u l a t e . " 
11 
1080466 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
I n o t h e r 
w o r d s , K n o w l e s 
a v e r s 
t h a t 
she 
p l a c e d 
a wager 
and won 
a p r i z e . 
F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n , we 
w i l l assume, 
w i t h o u t 
d e c i d i n g , 
t h a t she p l a c e d a 
w a g e r . 
As one o r more o f V i c t o r y l a n d ' s e m p l o y e e s w a t c h e d , t h e 
number o f c r e d i t s i n t h e c r e d i t m e t e r c l i m b e d 
t o 
40,000,000 
c r e d i t s and b e y o n d . 
One e m p l o y e e was James Graham, a "gaming 
manager" f o r V i c t o r y l a n d . 
Graham n o t i c e d n o t o n l y t h e number 
on t h e c r e d i t m e t e r , b u t a l s o t h e p a t t e r n 
d i s p l a y e d on t h e 
b i n g o c a r d K n o w l e s was p l a y i n g . 
The p a t t e r n was " s n a k e e y e s . " 
A c c o r d i n g t o K n o w l e s , one o f t h e e m p l o y e e s " a n n o u n c e d t h a t t h e 
p l a y was n o t a v a l i d w i n , " r e m o v e d K n o w l e s ' s Q - c a r d , i n s e r t e d 
h i s own 
c a r d , and " c l e a r e d t h e b o a r d i n s u c h a f a s h i o n 
t h a t 
a l l 
c r e d i t s were 
d e l e t e d f r o m t h e m e t e r . " 
She a l l e g e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
l a s t 
t i m e 
anyone 
l o o k e d 
a t t h e 
c r e d i t m e t e r , 
i t r e a d 
41,800,000 
c r e d i t s and was 
s t i l l 
c l i m b i n g . 
K n o w l e s 
c o n t i n u e d 
t o p l a y 
t h a t same m a c h i n e f o r some t i m e a f t e r t h e i n c i d e n t . 
I n d e e d , a few m i n u t e s l a t e r , she won a $2,505 
j a c k p o t on t h e 
m a c h i n e f o r w h i c h she was 
d u l y 
p a i d . 
S u b s e q u e n t l y , 
h o w e v e r , 
she 
s u e d 
V i c t o r y l a n d 
and 
M u l t i m e d i a . 
On 
A u g u s t 
10, 
2 0 0 7 , 
K n o w l e s 
v o l u n t a r i l y 
12 
1080466 
d i s m i s s e d 
M u l t i m e d i a 
f r o m 
t h e 
c a s e . 
L a t e r , 
she 
f i l e d 
a 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
a 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t 
on 
h e r 
c l a i m 
a g a i n s t 
V i c t o r y l a n d . 
On 
J u n e 
16, 
2008, 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
a 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r 
o f K n o w l e s on 
t h e 
i s s u e 
o f 
l i a b i l i t y . 
I n 
so 
d o i n g , 
i t c o n c l u d e d 
(1) 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
was 
a 
c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n K n o w l e s and 
V i c t o r y l a n d , t h e t e r m s o f w h i c h 
c o n s i s t e d 
s o l e l y o f 
t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s , 
and 
(2) 
t h a t 
she 
had 
won 
a j a c k p o t 
o f 
a t 
l e a s t 40,000,000 c r e d i t s . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t c o n c l u d e d t h a t 
t r i a b l e f a c t u a l i s s u e s r e m a i n e d 
as 
t o 
damages, 
i n c l u d i n g 
d i s p u t e s 
as 
t o 
t h e 
amount 
o f 
money 
K n o w l e s had b e t p e r c r e d i t and 
t h e 
" t o t a l amount she 
[had] 
won 
i n 
e x c e s s o f 40,000,000 c r e d i t s . " 
A f t e r 
a 
j u r y 
was 
e m p a n e l e d 
t o 
t r y 
t h e 
c a s e , 
K n o w l e s 
o r a l l y moved t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t 
on 
t h e 
i s s u e 
o f damages. 
I n 
so 
d o i n g , 
she 
l i m i t e d h e r 
c l a i m 
t o 
4 0 , 00 0 , 00 0 c r e d i t s a t 
a 
r a t e 
o f 
25^ 
p e r 
c r e d i t . 
She 
a l s o 
moved t o amend h e r c o m p l a i n t t o s e e k no more t h a n $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 
I n an amended o r d e r , 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t g r a n t e d t h e s e m o t i o n s 
and 
e n t e r e d 
a 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
f o r 
K n o w l e s , 
a w a r d i n g 
h e r 
$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 
13 
1080466 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t s u b s e q u e n t l y d e n i e d V i c t o r y l a n d ' s 
m o t i o n 
t o 
a l t e r , 
amend, 
o r 
v a c a t e 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t , 
and 
V i c t o r y l a n d 
a p p e a l e d . 
On 
a p p e a l , 
V i c t o r y l a n d 
c o n t e n d s , 
among 
o t h e r 
t h i n g s , 
(1) 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
m i s a p p l i e d 
o r d i n a r y 
p r i n c i p l e s 
o f g a m b l i n g - c o n t r a c t l a w 
and 
(2) 
t h a t K n o w l e s 
has 
n o t 
met 
h e r 
b u r d e n 
o f 
p r o d u c t i o n 
t o 
show 
t h a t 
a 
c o n t r a c t 
e x i s t e d 
f o r t h e payment o f $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 
I I . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
T h i s 
c a s e 
p r e s e n t s 
two 
d i s p o s i t i v e 
i s s u e s . 
The 
f i r s t 
i s s u e 
i s 
a 
l e g a l 
one, 
n a m e l y , 
w h e t h e r 
c o n t r a c t s 
b e t w e e n 
V i c t o r y l a n d 
and 
i t s 
p a t r o n s 
i n v o l v i n g 
t h e 
o p e r a t i o n 
o f 
e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o m a c h i n e s c o n s i s t s o l e l y o f t h e p r o v i s i o n s 
s e t 
f o r t h i n t h e s h e r i f f ' s r e g u l a t i o n s . 
The 
i s s u e m i g h t o t h e r w i s e 
be 
s t a t e d 
as w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t e r m s 
o f 
t h e 
g a m b l i n g 
c o n t r a c t 
a t 
i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e n e c e s s a r i l y i n c l u d e t h e r u l e s o f t h e w a g e r . 
The 
s e c o n d 
i s s u e 
i s a f a c t u a l 
one 
i n v o l v i n g w h e t h e r K n o w l e s 
has 
met 
h e r b u r d e n o f p r o d u c t i o n 
t o show t h a t she 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o a summary j u d g m e n t on h e r 
c l a i m t h a t 
she 
won, 
a t t h e 
v e r y 
l e a s t , 
a $10,000,000 
p r i z e . 
A. 
R u l e s o f t h e Wager 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
14 
1080466 
" [ V i c t o r y l a n d ] h a s a r g u e d t h a t t h e c o n t r a c t , i f a n y , 
b e t w e e n i t and 
[ K n o w l e s ] , i s a 'gaming 
c o n t r a c t ' 
t h a t i s c o m p r i s e d o f t e r m s and c o n d i t i o n s 
c o n t a i n e d 
on t h e b i n g o m a c h i n e , w i t h i n t h e b i n g o m a c h i n e and 
p o s t e d a t i t s b i n g o 
f a c i l i t y . 
W h i l e t h e c o u r t 
f i n d s 
l e g a l a u t h o r i t y t o s u p p o r t K n o w l e s ' s c o n t e n t i o n 
t h a t 
t h e 
[ t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s ] 
s u p p o r t 
t h e 
f o r m a t i o n 
and e x i s t e n c e 
o f a c o n t r a c t 
b e t w e e n h e r 
and 
[ V i c t o r y l a n d ] , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
f i n d s 
no 
l e g a l 
a u t h o r i t y 
f r o m 
A l a b a m a 
f o r 
[ V i c t o r y l a n d ' s ] 
p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t a 'gaming 
c o n t r a c t ' 
i s f o r m e d b y 
t h e 
m a c h i n e , 
w i t h 
t h e m a c h i n e o r a t t h e m a c h i n e 
b e t w e e n t h e p l a y e r and t h e b i n g o 
o p e r a t o r . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
We a g r e e w i t h t h e s e o b s e r v a t i o n s 
i n one r e s p e c t : 
A l a b a m a 
c o u r t s h a v e h a d few o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o a d d r e s s an i s s u e s u c h as 
t h e 
one 
h e r e 
p r e s e n t e d . 
T h i s 
i s s o , 
b e c a u s e 
o f t h e 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
and s t a t u t o r y i m p e d i m e n t s i n A l a b a m a t o t h e 
e n f o r c e m e n t o f g a m b l i n g c o n t r a c t s . 
See A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 , § 65 
( p r o h i b i t i n g t h e l e g i s l a t u r e f r o m " a u t h o r i z [ i n g ] 
l o t t e r i e s o r 
g i f t 
e n t e r p r i s e s f o r any p u r p o s e s " ) ; A l a . 
Code 1975, § 8-1-
1 5 0 ( a ) 
( " A l l 
c o n t r a c t s 
f o u n d e d 
i n w h o l e 
o r i n p a r t 
on a 
g a m b l i n g c o n s i d e r a t i o n a r e v o i d . " ) . 
B e c a u s e t h e p a r t i e s a g r e e 
t h a t 
Amendment 
No. 
744 
removes 
i m p e d i m e n t s 
t o 
t h e 
e n f o r c e a b i l i t y 
o f t h i s 
c o n t r a c t ,
1 we a r e p r e s e n t e d 
w i t h t h e 
1We 
e x p r e s s no o p i n i o n as t o w h e t h e r Amendment No. 744 
a c t u a l l y does a u t h o r i z e t h e t y p e o f a c t i v i t y h e r e 
i n v o l v e d . 
T h a t i s s u e i s n o t p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
15 
1080466 
o p p o r t u n i t y t o j o i n 
o t h e r 
s t a t e s i n a d d r e s s i n g 
t h e r o l e o f 
r u l e s o f t h e wager i n t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a g a m b l i n g 
c o n t r a c t . 
A g a m b l i n g c o n t r a c t h a s b e e n d e f i n e d a s : 
"A c o n t r a c t b y w h i c h two o r more p a r t i e s a g r e e 
t h a t 
a c e r t a i n sum o f money o r o t h e r 
t h i n g s h a l l be p a i d 
o r d e l i v e r e d t o one o f them o r t h a t t h e y 
s h a l l 
g a i n 
o r l o s e on t h e h a p p e n i n g o f an u n c e r t a i n e v e n t 
where 
t h e p a r t i e s have no 
i n t e r e s t 
i n t h e e v e n t 
e x c e p t 
t h a t 
a r i s i n g 
f r o m t h e p o s s i b i l i t y 
o f s u c h 
g a i n o r l o s s . " 
B l a c k ' s Law D i c t i o n a r y 1579 ( 6 t h 
e d . 1990) ( e m p h a s i s 
added) 
( h e r e i n a f t e r 
" B l a c k ' s " ) . 
I t i s w i d e l y r e c o g n i z e d 
t h a t t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a g a m b l i n g 
c o n t r a c t 
r e q u i r e s a l l 
t h e f o r m a l i t i e s o f c o n t r a c t 
f o r m a t i o n 
g e n e r a l l y , 
i n c l u d i n g 
"'"an 
o f f e r 
and 
an 
a c c e p t a n c e , 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n , and m u t u a l 
a s s e n t 
t o t e r m s 
e s s e n t i a l t o t h e 
 
f o r m a t i o n 
o f a c o n t r a c t . 
" 
' " 
A v i s R e n t A C a r S y s . , I n c . 
v . 
 
H e i l m a n , 876 So. 2d 1 1 1 1 , 1118 ( A l a . 
2003) 
( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e  
G r a n t , 
711 So. 2d 4 
64 
, 465 
( A l a . 
1 
997 
) , 
q u o t i n g 
i n t u r n 
S t r e n g t h v. A l a b a m a Dep't o f F i n . , D i v . 
o f R i s k Mgmt., 622 So. 
2d 1283, 1289 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 3 ) ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) ) . 
See A n t h o n y C a b o t 
& R o b e r t Hannum, A d v a n t a g e 
P l a y and C o m m e r c i a l 
C a s i n o s , 
74 
M i s s . L . J . 681, 722 ( 2 0 0 5 ) ( h e r e i n a f t e r "Gaming Law") ("Because 
g a m b l i n g i s a c o n t r a c t , t h e g e n e r a l 
e l e m e n t s o f a 
c o n t r a c t 
16 
1080466 
must 
e x i s t 
b e f o r e 
t h e r e 
i s 
a 
b i n d i n g 
a g r e e m e n t . " ) ; 
G r i g g s 
S m i t h & J a s o n N a b o r s , B e a t i n g t h e House, 40 
T r i a l 42, 
42 
(June 
2004) 
( " J a c k p o t 
d i s p u t e s 
i n v o l v e 
c o n t r a c t 
l a w . 
G a m b l i n g 
n e c e s s a r i l y i n v o l v e s a c o n t r a c t u a l a g r e e m e n t , w h i c h 
i n c l u d e s 
o f f e r , a c c e p t a n c e , and 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n . " ) . 
To 
be 
s u r e , 
t h e 
l a w 
i n A l a b a m a 
and 
e l s e w h e r e 
i s 
t h a t 
" ' t h e 
l a w 
e n t e r s 
i n t o 
and 
d e f i n e s 
t h e 
o b l i g a t i o n o f 
e v e r y 
c o n t r a c t ' 
and 
t h a t 
' [ a ] l l 
men 
a r e 
c h a r g e d 
as 
[a] m a t t e r 
o f 
p u b l i c p o l i c y w i t h a k n o w l e d g e o f t h e l a w p e r t a i n i n g t o 
t h e i r 
t r a n s a c t i o n s . ' " 
B a r b e r P u r e M i l k Co. 
o f M o n t g o m e r y , I n c . 
v. 
 
A l a b a m a S t a t e M i l k C o n t r o l Bd., 
275 
A l a . 489, 
494, 
156 
So. 
2d 
351, 
355 
(1963) 
( q u o t i n g B i r m i n g h a m B a r A s s ' n v. 
P h i l l i p s 
& 
 
M a r s h , 239 A l a . 650, 
656, 
196 
So. 
725, 
731 
( 1 9 4 0 ) ) . 
O t h e r w i s e 
s t a t e d , 
" ' e v e r y c o n t r a c t 
i s made w i t h 
r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
e x i s t i n g 
l a w 
and 
e v e r y 
l a w 
a f f e c t i n g t h e 
c o n t r a c t 
i s r e a d 
i n t o 
and 
becomes a p a r t o f t h e c o n t r a c t when made.'" 
I d . 
( q u o t i n g B u s h  
v. G r e e r , 235 A l a . 56, 
58, 
177 
So. 
341, 
341, 
( 1 9 3 7 ) ) . 
I n d e e d , 
" t h e 
l a w 
can 
d i c t a t e m a n d a t o r y t e r m s o f a c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n a 
c a s i n o 
and 
a p a t r o n , 
s u c h as 
r e q u i r i n g t h a t 
t h e 
c a s i n o 
must 
pay 
o u t 
a minimum a v e r a g e 
r e t u r n 
on w a g e r s 
... 
o r a c t u a l l y 
d i c t a t i n g 
t h e 
e x a c t 
t e r m s 
o f 
t h e 
c o n t r a c t 
by 
s t a t u t o r i l y 
17 
1080466 
s e t t i n g t h e r u l e s on how t h e games must be p l a y e d . " 
Gaming 
 
Law, 
74 M i s s . L . J . 
a t 726 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
However, any c o n t r a c t must e x p r e s s a l l t e r m s e s s e n t i a l t o 
t h e t r a n s a c t i o n w i t h d e f i n i t e n e s s s u f f i c i e n t t o e n a b l e a c o u r t 
t o e n f o r c e t h e p a r t i e s ' a g r e e m e n t . 
W h i t e Sands G r o u p , L.L.C.  
v. PRS I I , 
L L C , 998 So. 2d 1042 
, 1051 
( A l a . 2008 ). 
" ' [ A ] 
c o n t r a c t 
t h a t 
" ' l e a v [ e s ] 
m a t e r i a l 
p o r t i o n s 
open f o r f u t u r e 
a g r e e m e n t i s n u g a t o r y and v o i d f o r i n d e f i n i t e n e s s . ' " ' " I d . 
( q u o t i n g M i l l e r v . R o s e , 138 N.C. App. 582, 587-88, 532 S.E.2d 
228, 232 ( 2 0 0 0 ) , 
q u o t i n g i n t u r n MCB L t d . v. McGowan, 86 N.C. 
App. 
607, 609, 359 S.E.2d 50, 51 
( 1 9 8 7 ) ) . 
"'Even t h o u g h a 
m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f i n t e n t i o n i s i n t e n d e d t o be u n d e r s t o o d as an 
o f f e r , i t 
c a n n o t be a c c e p t e d so as t o f o r m a c o n t r a c t 
u n l e s s 
t h e 
t e r m s o f t h e c o n t r a c t 
a r e r e a s o n a b l y 
c e r t a i n . ' " 
I d . 
( q u o t i n g 
17A 
Am. 
J u r . 2d 
C o n t r a c t s 
§ 
183 
(2004 
) ) . 
I n d e f i n i t e n e s s 
may 
" r e n d e r [ ] 
a 
c o n t r a c t 
v o i d 
f o r l a c k o f 
m u t u a l i t y " o f o b l i g a t i o n . B e r a h a v . B a x t e r H e a l t h C a r e C o r p . , 
956 F.2d 1436, 1440 ( 7 t h 
C i r . 1 9 9 2 ) . 
I t i s 
V i c t o r y l a n d ' s p o s i t i o n t h a t , i f , 
as t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h e l d , 
t h e s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s 
" c o n s t i t u t e t h e e x c l u s i v e 
t e r m s o f [ K n o w l e s ' s a l l e g e d ] 
c o n t r a c t , " t h e n t h e r e w o u l d be 
18 
1080466 
"no 
c o n t r a c t 
t o be b r e a c h e d . " 
V i c t o r y l a n d ' s r e p l y b r i e f , 
a t 
11. 
T h i s 
i s s o , 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
V i c t o r y l a n d , b e c a u s e 
s u c h 
a 
" c o n t r a c t " 
w o u l d 
l a c k 
e s s e n t i a l t e r m s , 
s u c h 
as 
" t h e 
b e t 
amount, a w i n n i n g p a t t e r n d e s c r i p t i o n , o r a p r i z e amount (even 
t h e 
c r e d i t m e t e r 
[on] w h i c h 
[ K n o w l e s ] 
r e l i e s 
i s f o u n d on 
t h e 
m a c h i n e ' s v i d e o 
s c r e e n s ) . " 
V i c t o r y l a n d ' s 
b r i e f , 
a t 
34. 
I n 
o t h e r 
w o r d s , 
i t a r g u e s , 
t h e 
r u l e s 
o f 
t h e wager p r o v i d e 
t h e 
t e r m s 
n e c e s s a r y 
t o 
f o r m 
an 
e n f o r c e a b l e 
c o n t r a c t 
b e t w e e n 
V i c t o r y l a n d and 
i t s p a t r o n s . 
We 
a g r e e w i t h 
t h i s p o s i t i o n . 
The 
s h e r i f f ' s r e g u l a t i o n s a r e f a r t o o g e n e r i c 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
t h e b a s i s f o r any 
e n f o r c e a b l e 
c o n t r a c t u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p . E v e n 
a c u r s o r y 
r e a d i n g 
o f t h e 
e x c e r p t s 
s e t 
o u t 
i n P a r t 
I o f 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n r e v e a l s t h a t t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s r e g u l a t i o n s d e a l p r i m a r i l y 
w i t h 
s u c h 
g e n e r a l 
t o p i c s 
as 
d e f i n i t i o n s , 
l i c e n s i n g 
and 
a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e d u r e s , a c c o u n t i n g p r a c t i c e s , and e n f o r c e m e n t . 
To 
t h e 
e x t e n t 
t h e y 
a r e 
more 
s p e c i f i c a l l y 
t a i l o r e d 
t o 
i n d i v i d u a l 
t r a n s a c t i o n s , t h e y e x p r e s s l y c o n t e m p l a t e t h a t 
t h e 
p l a y e r s ' c o n t r a c t s 
w i l l 
i n c o r p o r a t e t h e c a s i n o ' s 
r u l e s o f 
t h e 
w a g e r . 
F o r 
e x a m p l e , 
§ 
1 
o f 
t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s , 
w h i c h 
d e f i n e s 
c e r t a i n f e a t u r e s 
t h a t must be 
i n c o r p o r a t e d 
i n t o 
t h e 
19 
1080466 
b i n g o game, s t a t e s t h a t games must be "won by t h e f i r s t 
p e r s o n 
c o v e r i n g 
a p r e v i o u s l y 
d e s i g n a t e d 
a r r a n g e m e n t o f numbers o r 
d e s i g n a t i o n s 
on 
s u c h 
[ b i n g o ] 
c a r d s . " 
One 
s e a r c h e s 
t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s 
i n 
v a i n 
f o r 
s u c h 
" d e s i g n a t e d 
a r r a n g e m e n t [ s ] o f n u m b e r s . " 
Thus, t h o s e a r r a n g e m e n t s must be 
ones 
d e s i g n a t e d 
b y t h e c a s i n o 
as p a r t o f t h e r u l e s o f t h e 
w a g e r . 
S i m i l a r l y , § 1 r e q u i r e s p r i z e s t o be a w a r d e d 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o a " p r e o r d a i n e d 
w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n . " 
B e c a u s e t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s 
do 
n o t 
p r o v i d e 
any 
w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n s , 
t h e y 
n e c e s s a r i l y 
c o n t e m p l a t e 
t h a t 
s u c h 
p a t t e r n s 
must 
a l s o 
be 
p r o v i d e d b y t h e c a s i n o as a p a r t o f t h e r u l e s o f t h e w a g e r . 
S e c t i o n 1 f u r t h e r p r o v i d e s 
t h a t t h e c a s i n o may, b u t n e e d n o t , 
p r o v i d e 
f o r " i n t e r i m o r c o n s o l a t i o n 
p r i z e s " i n a d d i t i o n t o 
j a c k p o t 
p r i z e s . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o K n o w l e s ' s 
t h e o r y 
o f t h e c a s e , w h e n e v e r a 
p a t r o n 
" i n s e r t [ s ] t h e Q - c a r d ; a c c e p t [ s ] o r s e l e c t [ s ] a b i n g o 
c a r d ; 
p l a c e [ s ] a b e t o f a p a r t i c u l a r d e n o m i n a t i o n ; and t h e n 
h i t [ s ] t h e p l a y b u t t o n [ ; ] 
' B i n g o ! , ' t h e c o n t r a c t i s f o r m e d . " 
K n o w l e s ' s b r i e f , a t 39. 
P a r a d o x i c a l l y , K n o w l e s c o n c e d e s 
t h a t 
she 
t o o k 
t h e s e 
s t e p s 
by 
f o l l o w i n g 
t h e 
" s t r a i g h t - f o r w a r d 
i n s t r u c t i o n s on t h e [ v i d e o 
s c r e e n ] , " and t h a t 
V i c t o r y l a n d ' s 
20 
1080466 
" ' o f f e r ' 
... 
was 
c o m p r i s e d 
o f 
t h e 
r u l e s p r o m u l g a t e d 
by 
t h e 
s h e r i f f 
o f Macon C o u n t y and 
t h e 
r u l e s V i c t o r y l a n d p o s t e d 
on 
 
t h e 
f a c e 
o f 
t h e 
... 
m a c h i n e . " 
K n o w l e s ' s 
b r i e f , 
a t 
38-39 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
These i n s t r u c t i o n s , o f c o u r s e , 
a r e 
n o t 
i n 
t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s . 
Thus, K n o w l e s 
a d m i t s 
t h a t 
h e r 
c o n t r a c t was 
b a s e d -- a t l e a s t i n p a r t -- on t h e r u l e s o f 
t h e 
w a g e r . 
I n d e e d , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t i s b a s e d on 
t h e 
f a c t 
t h a t 
t h e a p p e a r a n c e on K n o w l e s ' s v i d e o 
s c r e e n 
o f 
one 
o f 
t h e 
" w i n n i n g p a t t e r n s " c o i n c i d e d w i t h t h e a d v a n c i n g c r e d i t s on 
t h e 
c r e d i t m e t e r . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t 
as 
t o 
l i a b i l i t y 
s t a t e d , i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
" K n o w l e s c o n t e n d s 
she 
p l a c e d 
a 
[25^] 
b e t 
p e r 
l i n e 
and 
h i t t h e p l a y b u t t o n . 
... 
A f t e r h i t t i n g 
t h e 
p l a y 
b u t t o n , 
t h e b i n g o m a c h i n e d i s p l a y e d a b i n g o c a r d 
on 
a v i d e o 
s c r e e n , 
t h a t 
i s b u i l t 
i n t o t h e 
e l e c t r o n i c 
d e v i c e . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
K n o w l e s , 
t h e 
b i n g o 
c a r d 
e x h i b i t e d a ' w i n n i n g p l a y . ' 
K n o w l e s ' s a f f i d a v i t 
i s 
s u p p o r t e d by t h e t e s t i m o n y 
o f James Graham, a g a m i n g 
manager f o r [ V i c t o r y l a n d ] . ... Graham a r r i v e d a t 
t h e 
e l e c t r o n i c m a c h i n e p l a y e d 
by 
K n o w l e s 
and 
v i e w e d 
a 
b i n g o 
c a r d 
t h a t 
e x h i b i t e d a 
'snake e y e s ' 
p a t t e r n . 
When q u e s t i o n e d 
by c o u n s e l 
f o r K n o w l e s as t o w h e t h e r 
t h i s 
p a t t e r n 
was 
a 
w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n 
o r 
n o t , 
he 
s t a t e d : 
"Q. 
'Was 
i t a w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n ? ' 
"A. 
'Snakes e y e s i s a w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n . ' 
21 
1080466 
"(Graham Depo. V o l . 
I I , p. 
217.) 
Graham 
o b s e r v e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
c r e d i t 
m e t e r 
on 
t h e 
m a c h i n e 
p l a y e d 
by 
K n o w l e s was 
a t '... 
r o u g h l y 40,000,000 c r e d i t s ' when 
he 
l a s t 
saw 
i t . 
(Graham Depo. V o l . 
I I , p. 
217.) 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
K n o w l e s , 
t h e 
c r e d i t 
m e t e r 
was 
a t 
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 41,800,000 when she 
l a s t o b s e r v e d i t . 
"... 
The 
u n d i s p u t e d 
e v i d e n c e 
e s t a b l i s h e s 
t h a t 
K n o w l e s had 
i n s e r t e d money i n t o t h e m a c h i n e p r i o r 
t o 
t h e e v e n t she 
[and] 
Graham ... 
o b s e r v e d . 
A 
w i n n i n g 
b i n g o c a r d t h e n a p p e a r e d on 
t h e m a c h i n e . 
T h i s 
c a r d 
d i s p l a y e d 
a 'snake e y e s 
p a t t e r n . ' 
" K n o w l e s has made a p r i m a f a c i e s h o w i n g t h a t 
she 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
r e l i e f 
on 
h e r 
c o n t r a c t 
c l a i m . 
[ V i c t o r y l a n d ] 
has 
f a i l e d 
t o 
p r o d u c e 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
e v i d e n c e t h a t d i s p u t e s 
h e r 
c o n t r a c t 
c l a i m , w i t h 
t h e 
e x c e p t i o n 
o f 
t h e amount t o w h i c h 
she 
i s 
e n t i t l e d . 
... 
T h e r e i s no g e n u i n e i s s u e o f m a t e r i a l 
f a c t 
t h a t 
she 
has 
s u f f e r e d damages when she 
was 
n o t 
p a i d 
h e r 
j a c k p o t 
on May 
2, 2006. 
T h e r e i s d i s p u t e d 
e v i d e n c e 
as 
t o 
e x a c t l y 
how 
much 
she 
won 
w h i c h 
p r e c l u d e s 
g r a n t i n g summary j u d g m e n t i n a s p e c i f i c amount." 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
I n t h i s r e a s o n i n g , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c l e a r l y e r r e d . 
T h e r e 
i s 
n o t h i n g 
i n t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s 
a b o u t 
" s n a k e - e y e s . " 
T h a t t e r m , 
l i k e 
o t h e r 
n e c e s s a r y t e r m s 
o f 
t h e 
c o n t r a c t , 
a r e 
s u p p l i e d , 
n o t 
by 
t h e 
s h e r i f f ' s 
r e g u l a t i o n s , b u t 
by 
t h e 
r u l e s 
o f 
t h e w a g e r . 
The 
v e r y 
e s s e n c e o f 
t h e g a m b l i n g c o n t r a c t 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e must 
be 
a 
m u t u a l 
u n d e r s t a n d i n g 
as 
t o 
(1) 
what 
22 
1080466 
" c e r t a i n sum o f money" w i l l "be p a i d " t o one o f t h e p a r t i e s , 
and 
(2) what " u n c e r t a i n e v e n t " t r i g g e r s t h e p a y o f f . 
B l a c k ' s , 
a t 1579. S i m p l y s t a t e d , w i t h o u t t h e r u l e s o f t h e 
w a g e r , 
t h e r e 
w o u l d be no c o n t r a c t a n d , t h e r e f o r e , no b a s i s f o r t h e j u d g m e n t 
a w a r d e d i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
Not 
s u r p r i s i n g l y , t h e g e n e r a l 
r u l e i s t h a t 
" [ c ] a s i n o -
s t y l e w a g e r i n g i s 
e s s e n t i a l l y an a d h e s i o n c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n t h e 
c a s i n o 
a n d i t s p a t r o n s , " 
t h a t 
i s , " t h e c a s i n o 
d e f i n e s t h e 
t e r m s o f t h e c o n t r a c t 
( t h e r u l e s o f t h e wager) and 
a l l o w s 
p a t r o n s 
t o p l a y 
t h e game 
a s - i s , 
w i t h 
no 
p o s s i b i l i t y 
o f  
c h a n g i n g 
t h e r u l e s . " 
Gaming Law, 74 
M i s s . 
L . J . a t 722 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
See, e . g . , E a s h v. 
I m p e r i a l 
P a l a c e o f  
M i s s i s s i p p i , L L C , 4 So. 3d 1042, 1048 ( M i s s . 2009) 
( r u l e s o f 
t h e 
wager p o s t e d on a 
s l o t 
m a c h i n e were t h e t e r m s o f t h e 
c o n t r a c t , w h i c h r e s t r i c t e d a p a t r o n ' s p r i z e t o t h e 
p o s t e d game 
l i m i t o f $8,000, 
" d e s p i t e 
[a] r e g r e t t a b l e p r o g r a m m i n g 
e r r o r 
t h a t l e d [ p a t r o n ] 
t o b e l i e v e 
t h a t she h a d won $ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 " ) ; 
S e n g e l v . IGT, 116 Nev. 5 6 5 , 5 7 1 - 7 2 , 2 P.3d 258, 262 (2000) 
( p a t t e r n o f s y m b o l s on t h e "pay t a b l e [ o f 
a s l o t m a c h i n e ] was 
an e x p r e s s t e r m o f t h e w a g e r i n g c o n t r a c t e n t e r e d 
i n t o b e t w e e n 
t h e 
p a r t i e s " ) . 
23 
1080466 
"The 
n a t u r e 
o f g a m i n g 
n e c e s s i t a t e s 
s u c h 
a d h e s i o n 
c o n t r a c t s . 
C a s i n o s a r e i n t h e b u s i n e s s 
o f m a k i n g 
money. 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e c a s i n o 
t y p i c a l l y o n l y 
e n t e r s 
i n t o 
c o n t r a c t s 
t h a t 
h a v e a 
s t a t i s t i c a l 
a d v a n t a g e 
f a v o r i n g t h e c a s i n o . 
A l t e r i n g t h e t e r m s o f 
t h i s 
c o n t r a c t 
c o u l d 
c h a n g e t h e s t a t i s t i c a l 
a d v a n t a g e , 
s u c h , as by c h a n g i n g t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f w i n n i n g o r 
l o s i n g t h e w a g e r . " 
Gaming Law, 74 M i s s . L . J . 
a t 
722. 
To a l l o w c a s i n o p a t r o n s t o i g n o r e t h e r u l e s o f t h e w a g e r , 
as K n o w l e s p r o p o s e s we do, w o u l d e f f e c t i v e l y a l l o w t h e p a t r o n s 
t o p l a y t h e c a s i n o ' s 
m a c h i n e s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r own a d h o c 
r u l e s . 
S u c h a r e s u l t w o u l d d e f y common s e n s e a n d w o u l d 
t u r n 
t h e 
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e c a s i n o 
a n d t h e p a t r o n 
on i t s 
h e a d . 
Thus, we h o l d 
t h a t t h e t e r m s t h a t were n e c e s s a r y a n d 
i n d i s p e n s a b l e 
t o t h e f o r m a t i o n 
o f an e n f o r c e a b l e 
c o n t r a c t 
b e t w e e n V i c t o r y l a n d a n d K n o w l e s were t h e r u l e s o f t h e wager 
i n c o r p o r a t e d 
i n t o t h e h e l p 
s c r e e n s a n d p a y t a b l e s o f m a c h i n e 
no. 
Y2H01-11462. 
P u z z l i n g l y , 
K n o w l e s , 
an 
e x p e r i e n c e d 
g a m b l e r , 
f u r t h e r 
o b j e c t s t o t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e r u l e s o f t h e wager on t h e 
g r o u n d t h a t t h e y were unknown t o h e r , a n d t h a t t h e y c o u l d be 
a c c e s s e d o n l y b y p r e s s i n g t h e "HELP PAYTABLE" i c o n . 
I n t h i s 
c o n n e c t i o n , 
she 
s a y s 
t h a t 
t h e " w a g e r i n g 
c o n t r a c t 
o f f e r 
[ V i c t o r y l a n d ] made t o Ms. K n o w l e s was t h a t 
a p p e a r i n g 
on t h e 
24 
1080466 
f a c e o f t h e m a c h i n e , " 
t h a t i s , 
t o t h e e x c l u s i o n o f e v e r y t h i n g 
i n c l u d e d i n t h e " h e l p " 
s c r e e n s a n d t h e " p a y t a b l e " 
s c r e e n s . 
K n o w l e s ' s 
b r i e f , 
a t 
11 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
F o r 
t h a t 
p r o p o s i t i o n , 
she r e l i e s on S o u t h e r n 
E n e r g y Homes, I n c . 
v . 
 
H e n n i s , 776 So. 2d 105 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) . 
H e n n i s , 
h o w e v e r , i s 
i n a p p o s i t e . 
The 
d i s p u t e 
i n H e n n i s 
b e g a n 
when 
W i l l i a m 
D. 
H e n n i s 
p u r c h a s e d a m a n u f a c t u r e d 
home 
f r o m 
J a c k L e e M o b i l e Homes 
("Jack L e e " ) . 
776 So. 2d a t 106. The home was m a n u f a c t u r e d 
by S o u t h e r n E n e r g y Homes, I n c . ( " S o u t h e r n E n e r g y " ) . 
H e n n i s ' s 
o n l y c o n t a c t s w i t h S o u t h e r n E n e r g y were t h e home 
i t s e l f a n d 
h i s 
r e c e i p t 
a t t h e t i m e o f p u r c h a s e o f a "'[Homeowner's] 
M a n u a l f r o m S o u t h e r n [ E n e r g y ] . ' " I d . The m a n u a l c o n t a i n e d an 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
c l a u s e a n d an e x p r e s s w a r r a n t y . 
F o l l o w i n g t h e 
p u r c h a s e , H e n n i s "'became d i s s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e 
home a n d f i l e d 
s u i t 
[ a g a i n s t S o u t h e r n E n e r g y ] f o r , among o t h e r t h i n g s , b r e a c h 
o f 
w a r r a n t y 
c o n t a i n i n g 
t h e a r b i t r a t i o n 
a g r e e m e n t . ' " 
I d . 
( q u o t i n g S o u t h e r n E n e r g y ' s 
b r i e f , a t x i i i ) . 
H e n n i s d i d n o t 
s i g n 
t h e p a g e s 
o f t h e homeowner's 
m a n u a l 
c o n t a i n i n g t h e 
a r b i t r a t i o n c l a u s e , a n d t h e r e was no e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
H e n n i s h a d e v e r 
s o u g h t 
r e p a i r s 
u n d e r t h e w a r r a n t y . 
Thus, 
25 
1080466 
a s i d e f r o m t h e b r e a c h - o f - w a r r a n t y c l a i m 
i t s e l f , 
t h e r e was no 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
H e n n i s 
h a d e v e r 
" a s s e n t e d t o t h e 
t e r m s i n t h e Homeowner's M a n u a l , 
i n c l u d i n g t h e w a r r a n t y and 
t h e a r b i t r a t i o n 
p r o v i s i o n s . " 
776 So. 2d a t 109. 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
a f f i r m e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g 
S o u t h e r n E n e r g y ' s m o t i o n t o c o m p e l a r b i t r a t i o n . 
I t h e l d t h a t 
" t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s 
u n i l a t e r a l 
e n c l o s u r e o f an 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
p r o v i s i o n 
i n a homeowner's 
m a n u a l 
i s -- 
w i t h o u t 
more 
-¬
i n s u f f i c i e n t 
as a 
m a t t e r 
o f l a w t o show 
t h a t 
t h e 
b u y e r 
a s s e n t e d t o a l l 
t h e c o n t e n t s t h e r e i n . " 
776 So. 2d a t 108-09. 
A c t u a l l y , 
K n o w l e s s h o u l d 
f i n d 
l i t t l e 
s o l a c e i n H e n n i s . 
A l t h o u g h 
we 
r e f u s e d t o 
o v e r t u r n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g a r b i t r a t i o n , we r e g a r d e d t h e " p r o v i s i o n s c o n t a i n e d i n 
s u c h 
a homeowner's m a n u a l 
[ a s ] i m m a t e r i a l , ' e x c e p t 
i n t h e 
u t t e r l y 
c o l l a t e r a l 
s e n s e 
t h a t 
i f t h e p l a i n t i f f s 
h a d 
n e v e r 
p u r c h a s e d 
t h e i r 
m o b i l e 
homes,' 
... 
t h e y 
w o u l d 
n o t 
h a v e 
r e c e i v e d t h e homeowner's m a n u a l . " 
776 So. 2d a t 109 ( q u o t i n g 
Ex 
p a r t e 
I s b e l l , 
708 So. 2d 5 7 1 , 578 
( A l a . 1 9 9 7 ) ( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) . 
T h e r e 
i s a d i s t i n c t 
d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n 
p r o v i s i o n s 
c o l l a t e r a l t o a c o n s u m e r c o n t r a c t f o r 
t h e p u r c h a s e o f a m o b i l e 
home, as i n H e n n i s , and t h e g a m b l i n g c o n t r a c t i n v o l v e d i n t h i s 
26 
1080466 
c a s e . 
I n H e n n i s , t h e e s s e n t i a l t e r m s o f t h e p u r c h a s e c o n t r a c t 
-- a b o u t w h i c h t h e r e was no d i s p u t e -- were t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r 
( t h e m a n u f a c t u r e d home), t h e p r i c e , t h e t i m e o f d e l i v e r y , t h e 
p l a c e o f d e l i v e r y , e t c . 
I n t h i s c a s e , t h e e s s e n t i a l t e r m s 
-¬
w h i c h K n o w l e s w o u l d 
have 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
r e j e c t 
-- 
i n c l u d e 
t h e 
amount a t s t a k e and t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e p a y o f f . 
P a t r o n s 
a t V i c t o r y l a n d b e t on t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f s p e c i f i c p a t t e r n s a n d 
t h e 
a t t e n d a n t c r e d i t s . 
Those 
t e r m s 
a r e n o t 
i n any 
s e n s e 
" c o l l a t e r a l " 
t o K n o w l e s ' s 
g a m b l i n g c o n t r a c t -- t h e y a r e t h e 
c o n t r a c t . 
A l s o , H e n n i s i s u n a v a i l i n g t o K n o w l e s , b e c a u s e i n H e n n i s 
we 
s a i d : 
"We 
h a s t e n 
t o 
p o i n t 
o u t 
t h a t , 
u n d e r 
t h e 
r e c e n t 
p r e c e d e n t o f t h i s C o u r t , H e n n i s may n o t p u r s u e h i s b r e a c h - o f -
e x p r e s s - w a r r a n t y 
c l a i m 
a g a i n s t S o u t h e r n E n e r g y . 
T h i s i s so 
b e c a u s e he c a n n o t r e l y on t h e e x p r e s s w r i t t e n w a r r a n t y and, a t 
t h e same t i m e , d i s a v o w 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
p r o v i s i o n 
c o n t a i n e d 
t h e r e i n . " 
776 So. 2d a t 109. 
I t 
i s e l e m e n t a r y t h a t one 
c a n n o t a t once r e p u d i a t e 
and 
e n f o r c e a c o n t r a c t . 
D e z s o f i v. J a c o b y , 178 M i s c . 851, 853, 36 
N.Y.S.2d 672, 
674 
(N.Y. 
Sup. 
1 9 4 2 ) ; O.K. 
T r a n s f e r & S t o r a g e  
Co. v. N e i l l , 
59 O k l a . 2 9 1 , 159 P. 272, 274 
( 1 9 1 6 ) . 
See 
a l s o 
27 
1080466 
C r e d i t 
S a l e s , 
I n c . v. Crimm, 815 
So. 
2d 
540, 
546 
( A l a . 
2001) 
( n o t i n g 
t h a t 
a p a r t y 
" c a n n o t p i c k 
and 
c h o o s e w h i c h 
c o n t r a c t 
p r o v i s i o n s she w i s h e s t o have b e n e f i t h e r and r e j e c t t h o s e 
she 
d o e s n o t 
w i s h t o h a v e b i n d 
h e r ; 
i n s t e a d , 
she must a c c e p t 
o r 
r e j e c t t h e e n t i r e c o n t r a c t " ) . 
U l t i m a t e l y , K n o w l e s must c h o o s e 
w h e t h e r t o p r o c e e d on h e r 
c l a i m w i t h 
a c o n t r a c t b a s e d on 
t h e 
r u l e s o f t h e wager o r t o a b a n d o n h e r b r e a c h - o f - c o n t r a c t 
c l a i m 
a l t o g e t h e r . 
H e n n i s , 776 
So. 
2d a t 109. 
She 
c a n n o t 
r e p u d i a t e 
t h e 
v e r y 
c o n t r a c t 
she 
s e e k s 
t o 
e n f o r c e . 
Thus, 
t h e 
o n l y 
r e m a i n i n g q u e s t i o n 
i s w h e t h e r she 
has 
met 
h e r b u r d e n t o show 
t h a t 
t h e 
r u l e s 
o f 
t h e 
wager 
e n t i t l e 
h e r 
t o 
a 
$1 0 , 
00 0 , 
00 0 
p r i z e . 
B. K n o w l e s ' s B u r d e n o f 
P r o d u c t i o n 
" ' " ' [ T ] h e manner 
i n w h i c h 
the 
[summary-judgment] 
movant's burden of p r o d u c t i o n 
i s met 
depends upon 
w h i c h p a r t y has 
the burden of p r o o f ... 
a t 
t r i a l . ' " 
Ex p a r t e G e n e r a l Motors Corp., 769 
So. 
2d 903, 
909 
( A l a . 
1999) 
( q u o t i n g B e r n e r v. C a l d w e l l , 543 
So. 
2d 
686, 
691 
( A l a . 
1989) 
(Houston, 
J . , 
c o n c u r r i n g 
s p e c i a l l y ) ) . 
I f ... 
"'the movant has 
the burden of 
p r o o f a t 
t r i a l , 
the movant must s u p p o r t h i s motion 
w i t h 
c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e , u s i n g 
any 
of the 
m a t e r i a l 
s p e c i f i e d 
i n 
R u l e 
5 6 ( c ) , 
[ A l a . ] 
R. 
C i v . 
P. 
( " p l e a d i n g s , 
d e p o s i t i o n s , 
a n s w e r s 
t o 
i n t e r r o g a t o r i e s , 
and 
a d m i s s i o n s 
on 
f i l e , 
t o g e t h e r 
w i t h the a f f i d a v i t s " ) . ' " 
769 
So. 2d a t 909. 
"'The 
movant's 
p r o o f 
must 
be 
such 
t h a t 
he 
would 
be 
e n t i t l e d t o a d i r e c t e d v e r d i c t [now 
r e f e r r e d t o 
as 
a judgment as a m a t t e r of law, 
see R u l e 50, A l a . 
R. 
28 
1080466 
C i v . 
P.] i f t h i s e v i d e n c e was not c o n t r o v e r t e d a t 
t r i a l . ' " 
I d . In o t h e r words, "when the movant has 
the 
burden [of p r o o f a t t r i a l ] , 
i t s 
own s u b m i s s i o n s 
i n s u p p o r t of the motion must e n t i t l e i t t o judgment 
as a m a t t e r o f law." 
A l b e e Tomato, I n c . v. 
A.B. 
 
Shalom Produce Corp., 
155 F.3d 
612, 
618 
(2d C i r . 
1998) 
(emphasis added). 
See a l s o E q u a l Employment  
O p p o r t u n i t y Comm'n v. 
Union 
I n d e p e n d i e n t e de 
l a  
A u t o r i d a d de Acueductos y A l c a n t a r i l l a d o s de P u e r t o  
R i c o , 279 F.3d 49 ( 1 s t C i r . 2002); R u s h i n g v. Kansas  
C i t y Southern Ry. , 185 F.3d 
496 
(5th C i r . 1999); 
F o n t e n o t v. Upjohn 
Co., 
780 
F.2d 
1190 
(5th C i r . 
1986); C a l d e r o n e v. U n i t e d S t a t e s , 799 F.2d 254 (6th 
C i r . 
1986).' 
" 
J o n e s - L o w e 
Co. 
v. 
S o u t h e r n 
L a n d 
& 
E x p l o r a t i o n 
Co., 
[Ms. 
1 0 7 1 5 7 5 , 
M a r c h 
6, 
200 9] 
So. 
3d 
, 
( A l a . 2009) 
( q u o t i n g Denmark v. M e r c a n t i l e 
S t o r e s Co., 
844 
So. 2d 
1189, 
1195 
( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) ) . 
As 
d i s c u s s e d i n t h e p r e v i o u s p a r t o f 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t b a s e d i t s a w a r d 
o f $10,000,000 on t h e f a c t 
t h a t 
t h e 
r o l l - u p o f t h e c r e d i t m e t e r c o i n c i d e d w i t h t h e 
a p p e a r a n c e 
o f 
a 
" s n a k e - e y e s " 
p a t t e r n 
on 
t h e 
v i d e o 
s c r e e n 
o f 
t h e 
e l e c t r o n i c - b i n g o 
m a c h i n e K n o w l e s 
was 
p l a y i n g . 
A c c o r d i n g t o 
V i c t o r y l a n d , 
h o w e v e r , t h e r e i s a g e n u i n e 
i s s u e 
o f 
m a t e r i a l 
f a c t as t o t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e , i f any, o f s u c h a c o i n c i d e n c e . 
We 
a g r e e . 
In 
i t s " a n s w e r s 
t o 
[ K n o w l e s ' s ] 
s e c o n d 
c o n s o l i d a t e d 
i n t e r r o g a t o r i e s , " 
M u l t i m e d i a 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
i t was 
t h e 
p a i d 
29 
1080466 
m e t e r , 
n o t 
t h e 
c r e d i t 
m e t e r , 
t h a t 
d i s p l a y e d 
a 
p a t r o n ' s 
w i n n i n g s .
2 
James Graham, a "gaming manager" f o r V i c t o r y l a n d , 
t e s t i f i e d 
by 
d e p o s i t i o n 
t h a t 
no 
p a t t e r n 
on 
t h e m a c h i n e 
p a i d 
40,000,000 c r e d i t s , t h e amount t h a t a l l e g e d l y a p p e a r e d on 
t h e 
c r e d i t m e t e r o f K n o w l e s ' s m a c h i n e on May 
2, 2006. 
S i m i l a r l y , 
S t a n l e y 
H u b b a r d , 
a 
"gaming 
d i r e c t o r " 
f o r 
V i c t o r y l a n d , 
t e s t i f i e d 
by 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t 
t h e 
c r e d i t m e t e r 
on 
K n o w l e s ' s 
m a c h i n e 
"was 
r o l l i n g 
up 
f a r i n e x c e s s 
o f 
t h e 
c r e d i t s w h i c h 
[ c o u l d ] be won 
on t h a t m a c h i n e . " 
The 
h i g h e s t w i n n i n g 
p a t t e r n 
i n t h e p a y t a b l e 
y i e l d e d no more t h a n 10,020 c r e d i t s . 
I n 
f a c t , 
t h e 
h i g h e s t 
number o f 
c r e d i t s a p p e a r i n g 
on 
t h e 
f a c e 
o f 
t h e 
m a c h i n e was 
10,000. 
C h r i s 
F o g a r t y , 
a 
" f l o o r 
s u p e r v i s o r " 
f o r 
V i c t o r y l a n d , 
t e s t i f i e d 
by 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t 
t h e b i n g o 
c a r d 
a p p e a r i n g 
on 
t h e 
v i d e o 
s c r e e n 
o f K n o w l e s ' s m a c h i n e d i d n o t 
d i s p l a y a 
" j a c k p o t 
p a t t e r n . " 
I n d e e d , i t i s u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t t h e p a t t e r n 
d i s p l a y e d 
was 
" s n a k e - e y e s . " 
I n t h a t 
c o n n e c t i o n , 
Graham s t a t e d 
i n h i s 
d e p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e p a y o u t f o r a " s n a k e - e y e s " p a t t e r n was 
o n l y 
two 
c r e d i t s . 
T h i s t e s t i m o n y 
was 
s u p p o r t e d by t h e p a t t e r n s 
i n 
2 T h e s e 
a n s w e r s 
t o 
i n t e r r o g a t o r i e s were 
i n t r o d u c e d 
by 
K n o w l e s , 
h e r s e l f , 
i n 
s u p p o r t 
o f 
h e r 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
a 
p a r t i a l 
summary j u d g m e n t and a g a i n i n h e r r e n e w e d m o t i o n f o r a 
p a r t i a l 
summary j u d g m e n t . 
30 
1080466 
t h e p a y t a b l e , w h i c h a t t r i b u t e d o n l y two 
c r e d i t s t o 
a " s n a k e -
e y e s " p a t t e r n . 
T h e r e 
was, 
i n 
o t h e r 
w o r d s , 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t K n o w l e s ' s p r i z e was 
w o r t h o n l y 
two 
c r e d i t s , 
r e g a r d l e s s o f what t h e c r e d i t m e t e r r e g i s t e r e d . As V i c t o r y l a n d 
c o r r e c t l y 
s t a t e d : 
" T h i s 
e v i d e n c e 
c r e a t e d 
a g e n u i n e 
i s s u e 
o f 
m a t e r i a l f a c t as t o what p r i z e K n o w l e s was 
e n t i t l e d t o w i n 
-¬
two 
c r e d i t s o r 40 
m i l l i o n 
c r e d i t s . " 
V i c t o r y l a n d ' s b r i e f , 
a t 
53. 
The 
b u r d e n 
was 
upon 
K n o w l e s , 
as 
t h e 
p a r t y 
s e e k i n g 
a 
summary j u d g m e n t on 
t h e 
c l a i m a s s e r t e d 
i n h e r 
c o m p l a i n t , 
t o 
p r e s e n t 
e v i d e n c e 
t h a t w o u l d 
e n t i t l e 
h e r 
t o 
a j u d g m e n t 
as 
a 
m a t t e r 
o f 
l a w 
" i f t h i s 
e v i d e n c e 
was 
n o t 
c o n t r o v e r t e d 
a t 
t r i a l . " 
Denmark, 844 
So. 
2d a t 1195. 
T h i s 
she 
d i d n o t 
do. 
I I I . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
F o r 
t h e 
r e a s o n s 
s t a t e d a b o v e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
i n 
e n t e r i n g a summary j u d g m e n t f o r K n o w l e s . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
t h a t 
j u d g m e n t i s r e v e r s e d , 
and 
t h e c a u s e i s remanded f o r f u r t h e r 
p r o c e e d i n g s . 
REVERSED AND 
REMANDED. 
S t u a r t , S m i t h , P a r k e r , 
and Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
31