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Penn. woman sues for share of winning lottery ticket
Pennsylvania Lottery: Penn. woman sues for share of winning lottery ticket
A New Salem woman wants a Fayette County judge to stop her former roommate from cashing a $1 million winning instant lottery ticket because she believes the money should be shared. In a suit filed by attorney Samuel Davis, Yvonne Evans claimed it was her debit card used to pay for the $20 winning scratch-off ticket on which her roommate Mary Rechichar won the seven-figure prize. Rechichar called Evans from Dan's Marathon Gas Station in Republic, where Rechichar worked, to ask Evans for the money on March 11. When she called Evans, Rechichar already had scratched off the ticket and knew it was worth $1 million, the suit alleged. Rechichar called Evans and told her, "We won a million bucks," according to the suit. Davis said the "we" part of the statement and the fact that the women had treated past lottery winnings as joint, entitles Evans to half of the money. Davis said that the account the money came from was a joint one, but noted that it was Evans' bank card that was used to pay for the $275 Million Cash Extravaganza scratch-off ticket. The suit indicated that Evans has the receipt from that transaction. The women were "friends who shared a residence together," Davis wrote in the suit. They shared bills and played the lottery together on a daily basis, which included buying scratch-off tickets. Because the daily lottery play was a joint venture, the women agreed to split the winnings, the suit alleged. On March 13, the suit stated that the women mailed the winning ticket claim to the Pennsylvania Lottery Commission to collect their winnings. Rechichar has since moved out of their home, and on March 20, told Evans she would not split the winnings with her, the suit claimed. The suit called the refusal "mean-spirited." "The lottery winnings in question are of the utmost value to the plaintiff, inasmuch as they represent a total yet-to-be-paid amount of $500,000 and (Evans) cannot possibly in her foreseeable future earn or replace such a tidy treasure," Davis wrote. In a Wednesday filing, he asked a judge to issue an injunction prohibiting Rechichar from cashing or spending any of the winnings, arguing that Evans is entitled to half of the $1 million prize. According to the Web site for the Pennsylvania Lottery, the odds of winning the $1 million prize in the $275 Million Cash Extravaganza game are 1 in 960,000. The site describes the game as the state's "largest instant game payout ever." Players must match their numbers with the ticket's listed winning numbers. If that happens, the player wins the prize listed under the matching number, the site description indicated.
Herald Standard
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38 comments. Last comment 4 years ago by .
United States Member #3066 December 12, 2003 2061 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 2:27 pm - IP Logged |
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I thought you had to pay for lottery tickets with cash. I know that a debit card purchase is suppose to come right out of your bank account but still shouldn't the store that sold the scratch-off ticket get in trouble???
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Chief Bottle Washer New Jersey United States Member #1 May 31, 2000 17538 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 2:38 pm - IP Logged |
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I thought you had to pay for lottery tickets with cash. I know that a debit card purchase is suppose to come right out of your bank account but still shouldn't the store that sold the scratch-off ticket get in trouble??? It varies by state. Some states have rules about only using cash, others don't.
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MI United States Member #20554 August 14, 2005 51 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 3:26 pm - IP Logged |
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NY United States Member #24178 October 16, 2005 1828 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 5:13 pm - IP Logged |
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I thought you had to pay for lottery tickets with cash. I know that a debit card purchase is suppose to come right out of your bank account but still shouldn't the store that sold the scratch-off ticket get in trouble??? It varies by state. Some states have rules about only using cash, others don't. There are plenty of rules about not using credit cards to buy lottery tickets, but that's different than requiring purchases to be paid in cash. The only restrictions I've seen have only prohibited the use of credit cards, but I certainly don't know the specific rules for each state. Pennsylvania prohibits the purchase of tickets with credit cards, but debit cards are allowed. I would assume checks are also okay. As a practical matter, since the woman who bought the ticket worked at the store she could have used a credit card if she'd wanted to, and except for the meddlesome roommate nobody would ever have needed to know. It certainly would have a humorous side if using debit cards was prohibited and by bringing the lawsuit she made the ticket worthless.
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New Member  Midland, Texas. United States Member #10055 December 25, 2004 17 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 7:30 pm - IP Logged |
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Well folks
here we go again we just have to sit back and see how this one turns out in court.
Never fails it seems to happen every time money is involved!
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Denver, PA United States Member #6721 August 30, 2004 53 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 7:43 pm - IP Logged |
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I live in Pennsylvania and when I tried to pay for lottery tickets one time with my debit card, they would not accept it for payment. When I asked why not the clerk said it was against the law in PA.
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Delaware United States Member #30650 January 14, 2006 493 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 30, 2006, 10:47 pm - IP Logged |
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It is not against the law in PA. It's the store's policy or the clerk's misunderstanding. Most stores REQUIRE cash for tickets, which for lottery is probably a smart move anyway.
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Hamilton, OH United States Member #4236 March 27, 2004 176 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 2:28 am - IP Logged |
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If a woman who left her husband but didn't divorce him can claim half, then domestic partners should be treated the same by the law.
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Hard Luck, Ak United States Member #23813 October 13, 2005 119 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 3:28 am - IP Logged |
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I think that if they split smaller winnings in the past, then this million dollar win should be no different. I wonder if it was Ms. Evans that won if Ms Rechichar would have expected her to split the money? (We all know the answer to that question) Anyway I think she should do the right thing and split the prize money. I am willing to bet if she is able to keep the money to herself that she will be broke within a year anyway. I believe in Karma and what goes around will most certainly come around. Good luck Ms. Evans and don't let this unfortunate occurrence break your spirit, Your day will come!
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Memphis,Tennessee United States Member #8005 October 15, 2004 11302 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 5:22 am - IP Logged |
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it seems like this is happening more and more often.....
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Delaware United States Member #30650 January 14, 2006 493 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 9:12 am - IP Logged |
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United States Member #12731 March 15, 2005 76 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 9:19 am - IP Logged |
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I wonder if lawyer fee is tax deductable against the winning in this matter.
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Right here...can't you see me? United States Member #21854 September 10, 2005 122 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 10:19 am - IP Logged |
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In KS, as far as Clerks and Stores are concerned, you can use a debt or a credit card. Some stores have told me it's illegal to do it with a CC some just ask "Debt or Credit" I normally just use my debt card (has a visa logo). As for this story, she had no problem sharing a few dollars here and there, but GOD FORBID she wims big and has to share. Karma! Look what happened to whasshisface!!! He throws away a jackpot, a dumpster diver finds it, dumb@ss sues.....AND DIES! (whatever happened to that story?) The man was already weathy!!!! Karma! It does come back on you! 
Don't cry over spilled milk. Go milk another cow!!
Stephanie
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United States Member #569 August 14, 2002 433 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 31, 2006, 10:52 am - IP Logged |
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Another lesson of life: BUY LOTTERY TICKETS ALONE !!! Smart lottery winners form trust to claim their winnings. They send an attorney to the lottery headquarters to claim the prize in trust, so that ONLY the name of the trust is revealed. And they tell NO ONE, especially relatives.
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