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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Home -> Forums -> Lottery News -> New lawsuit claims Indiana Lottery did not award all prizes New lawsuit claims Indiana Lottery did not award all prizes Indiana Lottery: New lawsuit claims Indiana Lottery did not award all prizesMan who spent $40,000 on lottery sues to get money back; lawsuit claims Hoosier Lottery overstated number, amount of prizes in 'Cash Blast' game Two men filed a lawsuit Friday against the Hoosier Lottery, seeking class-action status as a result of the lottery's admitted misrepresentation of the number and amount of prizes available in a scratch-off game. Jeff Frazer, Carmel, and Jeff Koehlinger, Auburn, seek reimbursement in the lawsuit filed in Marion County for the losses they incurred when playing the scratch-off game "Cash Blast." Frazer purchased $40,000 of the $10 tickets and Koehlinger $2,470. The game promised seven grand prizes of $250,000 each, plus several lesser prizes of up to $10,000 each. But in July, after selling 5 million tickets, the lottery abruptly reduced the number and amount of prizes in the course of two weeks, according to the lawsuit, which was assigned to Marion Circuit Court. "It was because the prizes never existed," said Richard Waples, Indianapolis, the plaintiffs' attorney. "About 60,000 prizes weren't available that people were buying these tickets for," Waples said. "They said, 'Oops, sorry.' " The Hoosier Lottery has admitted to overstating cash prizes in a statement on its Web site. The lottery attributes the problem to a mistake in printing by the lottery's scratch-off vendor that affected up to 2.5 million tickets, which amounted to about $25 million spent on the potentially defective tickets. However, the lottery maintains that the odds of winning were not compromised. The lottery's new director, Kathryn Densborn, of Indianapolis, had no comment late Friday on the lawsuit. She identified an attorney in the Indiana attorney general's office who is representing the lottery in the case. The attorney could not be reached for comment. The lawsuit claims the lottery overstated the number and amount of prizes in the Cash Blast game by as much as $8 million from May 2005 to July 2006. Frazer and Koehlinger complain that the lottery's advertising misled them into thinking the odds were on their side at the time they bought the scratch-off tickets. "As the game wrapped up, the last 10 to 20 percent of the tickets being left, virtually all the prizes were still available," Frazer, 51, a real estate contractor, said Friday. "And that's where a gamble becomes an investment. When you know every couple of tickets is going to be a nice winner, that's when you play hard," he said. He said he doesn't often play lottery games. When he does, he said, he focuses on those with many prizes and few tickets remaining, winning several thousand dollars that way. "That's the way that you play the lottery when you know you can't lose," he said. This time he lost. Confused and suspicious that there may have been a problem with the tickets, he and Koehlinger separately contacted the lottery repeatedly by phone and e-mail about their concerns, but they say they were ignored. When the problem with the ticket printing was discovered, both men received apologies from the lottery by e-mail, but the lottery refused to refund the money they spent on tickets. Both men say lottery officials told them that despite the defective tickets, the losses could've been coincidence. The two men weren't convinced and contacted Waples, who fought and won a case last year against Hoosier Lottery regarding a man whose winnings were not paid when he presented his ticket. The men want a court to order the lottery to refund money to any player affected by the problems in the scratch-off game and award any other appropriate compensation and attorney fees. Frazer said he wonders, "If they did it with this game, how do we know they don't do it in other games? It's come down to a situation where, if they didn't know, they should've known." Indianapolis Star We'd love to see your comments here! Register for a FREE membership — it takes just a few moments — and you'll be able to post comments here and on any of our forums. If you're already a member, you can Log In to post a comment. 39 comments. Last comment 5 years ago by . Atlanta, GA United States Member #1288 March 13, 2003 3316 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 6, 2007, 9:17 pm - IP Logged | |
This is going to be very interesting!!  Good luck to everyone!
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North Jersey United States Member #5812 July 18, 2004 14529 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 6, 2007, 9:23 pm - IP Logged | |
Man who spent $40,000 on lottery sues to get money back; lawsuit claims Hoosier Lottery overstated number, amount of prizes in 'Cash Blast' game Two men filed a lawsuit Friday against the Hoosier Lottery, seeking class-action status as a result of the lottery's admitted misrepresentation of the number and amount of prizes available in a scratch-off game. Jeff Frazer, Carmel, and Jeff Koehlinger, Auburn, seek reimbursement in the lawsuit filed in Marion County for the losses they incurred when playing the scratch-off game "Cash Blast." Frazer purchased $40,000 of the $10 tickets and Koehlinger $2,470. The game promised seven grand prizes of $250,000 each, plus several lesser prizes of up to $10,000 each. But in July, after selling 5 million tickets, the lottery abruptly reduced the number and amount of prizes in the course of two weeks, according to the lawsuit, which was assigned to Marion Circuit Court. "It was because the prizes never existed," said Richard Waples, Indianapolis, the plaintiffs' attorney. "About 60,000 prizes weren't available that people were buying these tickets for," Waples said. "They said, 'Oops, sorry.' " The Hoosier Lottery has admitted to overstating cash prizes in a statement on its Web site. The lottery attributes the problem to a mistake in printing by the lottery's scratch-off vendor that affected up to 2.5 million tickets, which amounted to about $25 million spent on the potentially defective tickets. However, the lottery maintains that the odds of winning were not compromised. The lottery's new director, Kathryn Densborn, of Indianapolis, had no comment late Friday on the lawsuit. She identified an attorney in the Indiana attorney general's office who is representing the lottery in the case. The attorney could not be reached for comment. The lawsuit claims the lottery overstated the number and amount of prizes in the Cash Blast game by as much as $8 million from May 2005 to July 2006. Frazer and Koehlinger complain that the lottery's advertising misled them into thinking the odds were on their side at the time they bought the scratch-off tickets. "As the game wrapped up, the last 10 to 20 percent of the tickets being left, virtually all the prizes were still available," Frazer, 51, a real estate contractor, said Friday. "And that's where a gamble becomes an investment. When you know every couple of tickets is going to be a nice winner, that's when you play hard," he said. He said he doesn't often play lottery games. When he does, he said, he focuses on those with many prizes and few tickets remaining, winning several thousand dollars that way. "That's the way that you play the lottery when you know you can't lose," he said. This time he lost. Confused and suspicious that there may have been a problem with the tickets, he and Koehlinger separately contacted the lottery repeatedly by phone and e-mail about their concerns, but they say they were ignored. When the problem with the ticket printing was discovered, both men received apologies from the lottery by e-mail, but the lottery refused to refund the money they spent on tickets. Both men say lottery officials told them that despite the defective tickets, the losses could've been coincidence. The two men weren't convinced and contacted Waples, who fought and won a case last year against Hoosier Lottery regarding a man whose winnings were not paid when he presented his ticket. The men want a court to order the lottery to refund money to any player affected by the problems in the scratch-off game and award any other appropriate compensation and attorney fees. Frazer said he wonders, "If they did it with this game, how do we know they don't do it in other games? It's come down to a situation where, if they didn't know, they should've known." I have a feeling this is going to get real juicy in court...! Wow, talk about deceptive practices huh ? Here's to the Liar-in-chief, exalted entrepreneur of the 3rd stage cancer of socialism. Barry..! In 2012, vote with your eye's open...! _________________________________________________________________ | | |
Illinois United States Member #47157 September 23, 2006 3692 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 6, 2007, 10:20 pm - IP Logged | |
I bet this happens alot more than we know, glad somebody with the muscle caught them | | |
Clarksville United States Member #489 July 15, 2002 14257 Posts Online | | Posted: January 6, 2007, 10:31 pm - IP Logged | |
About 60,000 prizes weren't available that people were buying these tickets for," Waples said. "They said, 'Oops, sorry.' " The Hoosier Lottery has admitted to overstating cash prizes in a statement on its Web site. The lottery attributes the problem to a mistake in printing by the lottery's scratch-off vendor that affected up to 2.5 million tickets, which amounted to about $25 million spent on the potentially defective tickets. However, the lottery maintains that the odds of winning were not compromised. How in the world did they figure the odds were NOT compromised? Somebody must be in La-la Land. The Odds at that point were slim to none. It takes Everyone's input to HIT the number..all are equally important. | | |
Coastal Georgia United States Member #2703 October 30, 2003 1867 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 6, 2007, 10:40 pm - IP Logged | |
This is a good story. I hope the plaintiffs win. | | |
United States Member #10921 January 23, 2005 933 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 12:24 am - IP Logged | |
The first problem is who spends 40 GRAND on scratch-offs? Wouldn't he be still to this day be checking them? Even the 2nd guy over 2 GRAND? The second problem is that scratch-offs normally state how many of the big prizes are still floating around BUT not saying how many NON-winners are, meaning the actual odds of a big prize could be whatever! WHICH IS WHY I stay away from the things most of the time. "That one.. Cash Blast"
"Yes, sir, how many?"
"Give me four..."
"four?"
"...thousand. Four thousand, please."
"ok here you go, that'll be 40 thousand dollars.. good luck!" (beeping noise from forklift carrying out rolls of tickets) | | |
mid-Ohio United States Member #9 March 24, 2001 13919 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 1:35 am - IP Logged | |
According to the complaint filed in the lawsuit: http://wthr.images.worldnow.com/images/incoming/pdfs/Complaint.pdf
One of the plaintiffs, Jeff Frazer purchased no fewer than 4,000 none winning tickets after reading on the Hoosier Lottery website June 22,2006 that 80% of the "Cash Blast" tickets had been sold and seven (7) top prizes of $250,000 , seventy-five prizes of $10,000 and thousands of prizes of $50 and more were yet to be claimed. Two weeks later on July 7,2006 the numbers of prizes on the website were decreased to one top prize of $250,000 and ten prizes of $10,000 and no one had claimed any prizes leading the plaintiffs to conclude the prizes never existed. It's not unusual for some one to buy a whole roll of scratch-off, several LP members claimed they or a group of friends have done it. I understand a roll contain 500-1000 tickets so it should be fairly easy to check if Mr Frazer tickets are from 4-8 rolls or if they are just a bunch of losing tickets from all over the place. * that which happens most *
* is most likely to happen again * 
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Dump Water Florida United States Member #381 June 5, 2002 2659 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 1:50 am - IP Logged | |
Let's see now. Five million tickets already sold with 10% to 20% remaining that's still half a million to a million tickets left and this guy buys 40,000 what are the odds of winning even with most of the prizes supposedly available? The judge should give him half his money back and order he take a lottery math class.
BobP | | |
United States Member #39102 May 3, 2006 315 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 3:44 am - IP Logged | |
I am so glad that I don't live in that state........i hear so many stories about them being crooked.  waiting patiently for my jackpot
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Wisconsin United States Member #1327 March 27, 2003 1508 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 9:44 am - IP Logged | |
Let's see now. Five million tickets already sold with 10% to 20% remaining that's still half a million to a million tickets left and this guy buys 40,000 what are the odds of winning even with most of the prizes supposedly available? The judge should give him half his money back and order he take a lottery math class.
BobP Yes indeed ! The Hoosier Lottery gets yet another black mark to its file (like it already doesn't have enough) but this guy is just as much responsible. If I had $40,000 I didn't need, I would be using it to do many other things than purchase lottery tickets ! ============ How can you tell if a politician is lying? Answer: His lips are moving. | | |
United States Member #4494 April 22, 2004 1072 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 9:49 am - IP Logged | |
If I could afford to spend $40,000 on scratch-off tickets, I wouldn't be spending $40,000 on scratch-off tickets. | | |
Roslindale, MA United States Member #5472 July 1, 2004 125 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 11:30 am - IP Logged | |
If I could afford to spend $40,000 on scratch-off tickets, I wouldn't be spending $40,000 on scratch-off tickets. 
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mid-Ohio United States Member #9 March 24, 2001 13919 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 3:01 pm - IP Logged | |
If I could afford to spend $40,000 on scratch-off tickets, I wouldn't be spending $40,000 on scratch-off tickets. There are those who will say if they had an extra $10, they wouldn't spend it on a lottery ticket. There were others included in the complaint that claimed they spent over a $1,000 on those tickets, it's all relative to the amount of money you have to spend. * that which happens most *
* is most likely to happen again *
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The Carolinas - Charlotte United States Member #21960 September 12, 2005 4103 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 7, 2007, 3:25 pm - IP Logged | |
This has to be one of the most bizarre stories I've ever heard. $40k on scratchers? Wow...first of all, he needs his head examined. But, I do understand that he did the math, based on the number of top prizes available, and the odds of the overall game, and decided that if he had purchased that many, he would at least break-even. I get that. I still think his math was off though. Now, for the lottery itself, this is another situation like the California case. There should be some sort of restitution based on what he bought. There is no way he could get 4000 losers in a row without some sort of tainting of the game. Just when you think the Hoosier Lottery couldn't do anything more stupid than they already have, they prove you wrong, yet again. The North Carolina Education Lottery - so much a joke that here are their mascots: 
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