5 Lottery Ticket Mistakes

5 Lottery Ticket Mistakes

Posted: Tuesday, May 07,2019 | Time: 06:20 am | Edited by: The Lottery Lab Staff

There is an unfortunate number of lottery winners whose experience ends up in chaos. Learn from their mistakes so you can enjoy your lottery win!

1. Trusting Your Winning Ticket to Someone Else

In 2010, Cua-Toc won $750,000 in the lottery but gave the winning ticket to his boss due to his undocumented immigration status. He was concerned that claiming his winnings might highlight his immigration status and lead to him being deported (without the prize money). Unfortunately, his plan backfired when his boss claimed the winnings and started spending them. Lucky for Cua-Toc, in 2012 a court ruled in his favor after viewing camera footage of the ticket’s purchase. So when you win, claim your winnings yourself and if you have legal concerns seek the aid of a lawyer.

2. Throwing the Ticket In the Garbage

This story actually has a happy ending. Joanne and Joseph Zagami purchased a scratch-off ticket along with their groceries from a local grocery store. After unloading the groceries, the couple threw the grocery bag in the garbage. The ticket was still in the bag when they threw it away. Miraculously, the couple remembered their lottery ticket and dug it out of a dumpster the next day. That ticket was worth a couple million dollars. Now the Zagamis always remember to check their bags to make sure they’re completely empty before tossing them away.

3. Forgetting About the Lottery Ticket

It is quite frequent for people to promptly forget about a lottery ticket after they’ve purchased it. Ron Yurcus of Illinois did the same. Fortunately, one day he decided to clean his desk where he found a pile of lottery tickets and decided to check the numbers. As it turns out, one of them was worth $1 million which he won 3 months before. The ticket was still valid and he claimed his cash prize.

4. Getting Your Ticket Stolen

Etta May from California finally won $15 million after playing the lottery regularly for 18 years. She was so excited that she gave her ticket to her son and asked him to sign the back of the ticket and claim it for her. But her son took the ticket and claimed it for himself. She successfully took her son to the court and sued him for fraud and took her money back. Remember not to trust anyone (sometimes even with your family) with your winning lottery ticket.

5. Purchasing a Lottery Ticket Online

A British couple bought a ticket from an online app. After realizing that they’ve managed to pick all 6 numbers correctly, they contacted the lottery organizer. Only then did they discover that the app had failed to register their purchase. The couple claimed to have won a £35 million lottery jackpot but lost it all because of a web blunder. Edwina and David Nylan picked all 6 numbers correctly, but due to a failed transaction, there is no record that they actually made a purchase. The lottery association does have a record that they attempted to buy a ticket; however, according to the lottery’s rules, people must successfully complete the lottery purchase to receive prizes. Only a successfully generated ticket is eligible for a win! This may be the worst web blunder ever, costing this couple a £35 million lottery jackpot. Purchase your ticket from a reliable online source only and make sure that you have a receipt or other documentation to confirm your purchase.