D.C. Man Suing Powerball For A $340 Million Mistake
A man in D.C. looked at his Powerball ticket and realized that all of his numbers matched up, making him an instant millionaire. Powerball Ticket – Mega Cash Prize John…
Powerball ticket being purchased at a local market.
Scott Olson / Staff via Getty ImagesA man in D.C. looked at his Powerball ticket and realized that all of his numbers matched up, making him an instant millionaire.
Powerball Ticket - Mega Cash Prize
John Cheeks, just like any other person looking to be an instant millionaire, bought a Powerball ticket. He took his ticket home and waited for the drawing to happen. When cheeks looked at his ticket and the numbers posted online, he realized his ticket matched all the numbers, back in January of 2023. John had just won a whopping $340 million!
In an interview with NPR, John told them, "I didn't shout or scream." He called his good friend to tell them about the amazing news. His friend immediately told John to take a photo of the numbers on the screen. The numbers John chose were numbers that resembled birthday dates in his family and additional numbers with meaning to him.
We're Sorry, You're Not A Winner
Cheeks tried to redeem his winning ticket for his monstrous prize. When he attempted to, it got denied. What do you do when you get denied a life changing prize, you try again. Same thing, denied. When he inquired about it, the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming told him the numbers they posted online were actually wrong states NPR. It was a mistake. As a result, cheeks wasn't actually the winner.
John Cheeks decided to take legal action. He is suing a few groups that run the lottery in Washington, D.C. And he isn't just suing for the full amount of the winnings, he's suing for more. That's $340 million plus he's suing for damages and interest. It was found that the the numbers that were "accidentally" posted were a result of a quality assurance test. The numbers were left up online for 3 days, according to the court documents in the case.
DC Lottery's stance is that the numbers John picked aren't an exact match to the numbers chosen LIVE on national television.
For those that may not play the lottery or be as familiar, lottery websites have a disclaimer on their websites that state how the numbers shown aren't official or winning numbers from the numbers that are actually drawn live.
NPR also reports how, John's attorney, Richard Evans says this whole situation puts the DC Lottery's integrity and accountability into question. This isn't the first time this has happened before either. In Iowa, the same thing happened. In that instance and others, the person with the ticket won money as high as $200.
Here's to hoping John Cheeks gets what he deserve. We have more on this story in today's Other News!
11 Places To Buy A Lottery Ticket Near Las Vegas
Over the years, the Powerball Jackpot has broken the record as the largest in United States history. And every time it comes back around, Las Vegas residents are scrambling to find a place to buy a lottery ticket.
Most of us run down to Primm on the border of California, but the lines there get ridiculously long. Sometimes more than and hour, or worse. But since the lottery still isn't legal in Nevada, there aren't a lot of choices for locals who want to play.
Ways To Cash In Your Lottery Ticket After You Win
Of course, many people who do win don't want to wait for payments and instead choose to get paid all at once in a lump sum. Even though it's significantly less money, it's still amounts to a ton for the old bank account.
Still, the chance of someone winning the jackpot in Powerball isn't great. It's hard to do because all six balls (five white balls and the Powerball red) have to be matched up with the ticket.
But players still play because the odds of winning another prize in the lottery is much better than winning the Powerball jackpot. Those odds are about 1 in 24.9. That definitely makes a ticket worth the cost, even when you factor in the gas it takes us to get to it.
Because for Las Vegas residents, it's not as simple as just buying a ticket. Since our jurisdiction in Nevada prevents companies from selling lottery tickets, locals have to travel to cities around Southern Nevada to find one. And most of us flock to Primm because it's the obvious choice.
But what we gain in travel time, we lose in the time we take standing in that line. So, if you're looking to get into a drawing in the near future, maybe consider getting a ticket from one of these nearby cities. They're all less than a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas. And the lines are most likely shorter than the ones at the state line.
11 Places Close To Las Vegas To Buy A Lottery Ticket
1. The Lotto Store in Primm - 50 minutes
This is one of the most-popular places for Vegas locals to go for a lottery ticket. Just factor in time to stand in those lines when you plan your trip!
Shell Gas Station & Country Store - 1 hour, 6 minutes
If you don't want to wait in the Primm lines, you could drive another 17 minutes and get them at the Shell gas station in Nipton.
Last Stop Travel Center - 1 hour, 8 minutes
This is a popular place for Las Vegas locals to grab a ticket because it's just 30 miles southeast of Hoover Dam. In May of 2021 this stop sold a Triple Twist jackpot lottery ticket worth over $665K (news3lv.com).
Grand Canyon Texaco in White Hills - 1 hour, 11 minutes
Referred to as a Conoco on the map, this one is a quick 71 minutes away.
Charles Brown Market - 1 hour, 26 minutes
A drive through Pahrump into Shoshone, California can get you a ticket at the Charles Brown Market. Maybe gets some peanuts while you're there. ;)
Baker - 1 hour, 28 minutes
There are lots of places is Baker, California that sell lottery tickets. And less than a 90 minute drive.
Dolan Station - 1 hour, 27 minutes
In Dolan Springs, Arizona.
Maverik Adventure's First Stop - 1 hour, 43 minutes
In Bullhead City Arizona, this one is just a few minutes under a 2-hour drive.
Jeff’s River Mart - 1 hour, 46 minutes
If Maverick's in Bullhead City is too busy, there's another stop close by. Bring a friend and divide and conquer!
Terrible Herbst in Bullhead City - 1 hour, 45 minutes
Or bring two friends and divide and conquer.
Flying J Travel Center in Kingman - 1 hour, 54 minutes
And coming in at just under two hours is the Flying J in Kingman, Arizona.
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