Slot hosts at Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City infuriated Carl Stamfel, of Kansas City, Kan., one day last week when they paid him more money than the jackpot he had just won.

Playing progressive video poker, a royal flush appeared for the top prize -- which the jackpot meter at the time announced as $1,199.39.

Astute players such as Stamfel know the Internal Revenue Service requires casinos to report game machine jackpots of $1,200 or more.

Unfortunately for Stamfel, Ameristar employees did their usual thing to keep it simple and rounded up to the nearest dollar. They handed the suddenly unlucky Stamfel $1,200 in cash -- and his copy of IRS form W-2G reporting the jackpot.

"I got a little hot," he said. Indeed. That extra 61 cents would potentially cost Stamfel hundreds of dollars in additional income tax obligation.

When he learned of the situation from a reporter, Ameristar General Manager Dave Albrecht was apologetic and said employees should have given Stamfel the option whether to round off his jackpot.

"It obviously should not have been paid to the $1,200 level," Albrecht said. "We missed it."

Albrecht since has chatted with Stamfel and reissued his jackpot for the lesser amount.

"They didn't even ask for the 61 cents back," Stamfel said.

For the record, gamblers are expected to voluntarily declare as personal income any unreported jackpot smaller than $1,200.

Also for the record, motorists are expected to come to a full stop before proceeding through posted intersections in the middle of nowhere when there isn't another car in sight.