CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A computer glitch is creating headaches for managers and some patrons at Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center.

Track spokesman Matthew Mingrone said a problem with a computer program gave some members of the track's Players Club extra points on their accounts. A lot of extra points.

Players Club members receive special cards that accumulate points every time members play a game at the racetrack in Nitro. The points are redeemable for food, drinks, hotel rooms or merchandise, Mingrone said.

But recently, a computer programming error started giving far too many points to patrons playing table games at the racetrack.

Mingrone said patrons playing poker or slot machines were not affected.

Track staff discovered the problem late last week and had the computer error corrected. But fixing the glitch left some customers thinking they had a lot more points than they really should have.

Recalculating the number of points would have left some track patrons with negative balances on their Players Club cards. Mingrone said all negative balances were reset to zero, and players have since been told about the problem.

But they aren't all happy about it. Winfield resident Mike Thomas, who goes to the track every other week, said he lost about 15,000 points - with a value of about $300 - because of the glitch. He talked to one man who said he lost 100,000 points.

"There's a lot more people this has happened to than me," Thomas said. "It's like telling someone if they buy 12 of something you get one free. And then you get to the 12th one and they say there's a computer glitch and you have to buy three more.

"What's to stop them from doing this again?"

Mingrone said the problem cropped up so suddenly it wasn't possible to tell all customers about the glitch before they tried to redeem points.

"We've been dealing with people on an individual basis," Mingrone said. He said the track has been honoring food and drink purchases for some customers who thought they had more points than they should have.

Mingrone was not sure how many customers were affected by the glitch.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A computer glitch is creating headaches for managers and some patrons at Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center.

Track spokesman Matthew Mingrone said a problem with a computer program gave some members of the track's Players Club extra points on their accounts. A lot of extra points.

Players Club members receive special cards that accumulate points every time members play a game at the racetrack in Nitro. The points are redeemable for food, drinks, hotel rooms or merchandise, Mingrone said.

But recently, a computer programming error started giving far too many points to patrons playing table games at the racetrack.

Mingrone said patrons playing poker or slot machines were not affected.

Track staff discovered the problem late last week and had the computer error corrected. But fixing the glitch left some customers thinking they had a lot more points than they really should have.

Recalculating the number of points would have left some track patrons with negative balances on their Players Club cards. Mingrone said all negative balances were reset to zero, and players have since been told about the problem.

But they aren't all happy about it. Winfield resident Mike Thomas, who goes to the track every other week, said he lost about 15,000 points - with a value of about $300 - because of the glitch. He talked to one man who said he lost 100,000 points.

"There's a lot more people this has happened to than me," Thomas said. "It's like telling someone if they buy 12 of something you get one free. And then you get to the 12th one and they say there's a computer glitch and you have to buy three more.

"What's to stop them from doing this again?"

Mingrone said the problem cropped up so suddenly it wasn't possible to tell all customers about the glitch before they tried to redeem points.

"We've been dealing with people on an individual basis," Mingrone said. He said the track has been honoring food and drink purchases for some customers who thought they had more points than they should have.

Mingrone was not sure how many customers were affected by the glitch.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.