A Washington, D.C., man sued Powerball and his local lottery after his winning numbers were posted on the lottery website, but he was later denied the $340 million prize, citing an “error.” according to court documents.
On January 6, 2023, John Cheeks purchased his ticket and, since he missed the live drawing the next day, he went to the website to review his chosen numbers.
“I got a little excited, but I didn't scream,” Cheeks told local NBC News station in Washington about the moment he saw the numbers match.
“I politely called a friend and took a photo (of the ticket) as he recommended.
That was it.
I went to sleep".
John Cheeks was excited to see the numbers on his ticket match those announced by the lottery on its website. Via NBC News
According to Cheeks, his numbers remained on the lottery website for at least three days.
But when he tried to collect the prize from him they told him that he was not the winner.
“'Hey, this ticket doesn't work.
Better throw it in the trash,'” they responded according to Cheeks' lawsuit.
Instead of getting rid of the ticket, she kept it and contacted a lawyer.
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Cheeks filed a lawsuit on eight charges, including breach of contract, negligence, fraud and emotional distress, BBC News reported.
The lawsuit argues that he is entitled to the full amount of the prize or a payment for the lottery's “gross negligence” in missharing the winning numbers.
John Cheeks' ticket.Via NBC News
Taoti Enterprises, a lottery contractor, was allegedly responsible for publishing the incorrect numbers.
The company told Cheeks that it was an “error,” the document details.
“Even if a mistake was made, the question is: what are you going to do about it?” Cheeks questioned.
“There is precedent, a similar case that occurred in Iowa, where a contractor admitted the mistake and they paid out the winnings from the drawing,” he said.
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Local NBC News station contacted Powerball, the Multi-State Lottery Association, Taoti Enterprises and other entities named in the lawsuit, but they responded that they cannot comment on ongoing lawsuits.
"This is not just about numbers on a website, but about trustworthiness in institutions that promise life-changing opportunities while profiting greatly in the process," Richard Evans, Cheeks' lawyer, told the BBC.