I joined a class-action lawsuit and was surprisingly awarded $28,000. It didn't change my life, but it changed my mindset.
I called my boyfriend over. "Andy, am I reading this correctly?" I said, pointing to the computer screen.
He leaned in, adjusted his reading glasses, and smiled big. He told me it looked legit.
Afraid the money might vanish once I stopped looking, I pried my eyes away and forced myself to read the entire email. Yes, it was true: an astonishing $20,000 was sitting in my PayPal account. It was my share of a DoubleDown Casino class-action lawsuit.
I suddenly remembered filling out a settlement form, but I didn't put much hope behind it. Normally, when I've received settlement money, it's been for less than $50 — enough for lunch — but this was a substantial amount.
I was owed money from a virtual gambling site
DoubleDown Casino is a "free-to-play" site with virtual slot machines, bingo, and table games. Players use chips, not money, but when they run out, they can buy more. That's where people, myself included, can get into trouble. I didn't think paying the occasional $2.99 to keep playing was a big deal — there were worse and more expensive ways to stay entertained. Although I never gambled with money I couldn't afford to lose, I've made impulsive chip purchases I regretted.
The lawsuit was over two virtual slot machines that never paid out. I always sign up for class-action settlements — from phone companies and streaming services to faulty CPAP machines — you name it. Usually, I get just enough to cover the cost of a coffee or lunch for one. So when I saw the lawsuit for the slot machines, I signed up.
Before the DoubleDown settlement arrived, I assumed it would be another "better than nothing" moment. But that wasn't the case.
Later that same day, another deposit arrived: $8,061.29. The settlement divided $415 million among the class members, with payouts based not only on what players had spent, but also on what they might spend over their lifetime.
The settlement team had calculated that I might spend nearly $29,000 on unnecessary chip purchases over my lifetime. That was quite the realization for me. Was I really going to spend nearly $30,000 on an online gambling site? It was a wake-up call.
I learned my lesson and decided not to waste the money
Realizing how those occasional chip purchases added up over time, I became more mindful about my spending. I didn't want to just spend my money freely anymore, especially on online gambling sites.
Of course, the temptation to splurge was strong, but I tried to make more thoughtful choices with the settlement money than I had in the past.
On Reddit, people debated whether the money would be taxed, but I put aside $12,000 for future income taxes anyway.
The rest of the money wasn't enough to solve all my problems, but it allowed me to make overdue home repairs, pay off creditors, and rebuild my credit. I could afford to get a dental implant and — most excitingly — buy new dining chairs. I'm sitting on one of the new chairs now, and it's calming to feel a solid foundation under me instead of worrying I'll tumble to the floor at any moment.
Thanks to the lessons of this settlement, I now have excellent credit, pay my bills on time, and have credit cards again — but I'm careful with them, no longer gambling with my financial future.
I'm grateful for the $28,000 settlement, which helped me financially and taught me the value of not wasting my money.
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