Man Tracked Down After Leaving Las Vegas Not Knowing He Hit $229,000 Jackpot

Nevada gambling regulators say their investigation tracked down an Arizona man who left Las Vegas after a visit last month not knowing he'd won a $229,368 slot machine jackpot.

The machine being played by Robert Taylor malfunctioned due to a "communication error" and neither he nor the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino realized that he'd won a progressive jackpot the evening of Jan. 8, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said Friday in a statement.  

The jackpot was confirmed later after a review but Taylor had returned to Arizona by then and the casino was unable to identify him, the board's statement said.

The board said it then began an investigation and eventually identified Taylor after two weeks of checking surveillance video, conducting witness interviews, studying electronic purchase records and reviewing ride-sharing data.

James Taylor, chief of the Board's Enforcement Division, commended agents on the case for "ensuring that the public trust in the gaming industry remains strong by spending countless hours over two weeks to ensure that a patron is awarded winnings owed to him."

"This has been a great example of government working together for the benefit of the public." he said.

Taylor, whose hometown was not released, was notified of his jackpot on Jan. 28 and he planned to collect at the casino this weekend, the board said.

Casino representatives did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press seeking additional information.