Iowa Lottery requires winners to sign tickets

Not the worst change Iowa ever made to it's lottery, but still a big hassle just to protect those that are too lazy to check their own numbers.

I agree.  When I lived in the New York/New Jersersey area a few years back, I used to see the "Latino's" lined up for hours to buy tickets.  I don't think three of them could speak or read English.  All the receipts in the world are useless. If a divorce is not a divorce, when it comes to a whinny wife wanting compensation, then a recipt is as valid as the divorce papers.

Not a bad idea.

There's the key issue. The only people who have a problem are the ones who aren't on the ball enough to take care of themselves. A scanner that only tells you to see a cashier is almost worthless for checking tickets, since the cashier could have done that for you anyway, and it's completly worthless for protecting those who don't know how much they've won.

As far as having to sign the ticket, I suppose retailers will be happy when it stops people from simply handing over a huge stack of tickets to be checked, but I don't see what it will do to stop retailers from lying. The stories I recall seem to be about retailers lying about how much was won, not stealing the ticket outright. Is anyone who would have accepted $10 for an unsigned ticket that won $100 going to know they should get more money just because they signed the ticket?

I agree with you, since that certainly could happen if someone doesn't ask for a receipt. I got a receipt when I won $72.50 in January, but I wasn't asked to sign the ticket.  I guess it would also prevent a clerk or store owner from claiming a big prize at the lottery office, although when my tickets are scanned at Publix, I can see the total due.  Still, if everyone would just check the newspaper, call the lottery or, if they use the internet, check their tickets online, there wouldn't be any thefts. I know a sweet lady in her 80s who waits for a couple of months and then takes all her tickets to the supermarket to be checked. I warned her, but she said to me "They're nice girls." I sometimes wonder if she's one of the people with unclaimed tickets.

When I walk into a store I always say "this is a $5 winner" BEFORE I hand it to the clerk.  I don't think the clerks where I shop are dishonest, however.  If I had a $500 win, I wouldn't want to sign my name.  Also, unless they ask for a photo ID like a driver's license, how do they know it's really your name? 

Sounds time consuming to me. 

A winner is a winner no matter who has it. People do not deserve what they get if they do not know how much they won. Some people have crazy ideas what is right and wrong. Self scanners that tell the amount won are good. Signing the ticket is great and a receipt is good. So many people do whatever they like on the assumption that they will not get caught. The test of true character is not what people do when others are watching, but what people do when they are alone, in the dark. Many are found wanting. The people who win need the money too and the little old lady who has won with no idea may need to pay rent, buy groceries, pay her bills. She may buy a ticket on a whim and hope for a miracle but not remember to check until she finds it in her purse. The retailer who steals her winnings is stealing her destiny for a little happiness. People who are caught should not just pay back the winnings; they should repay the pain and suffering for stealing a little happiness in an otherwise dark life. A nice figure is 5x the amount in pain and suffering to be paid with assets or in nice painful monthly installments. I am sick to the teeth of this victimization due to chance opportunity. In my community an ex-nurse walked into a local hospice and disconnected the dying patients morphine drips and stole the drugs to sell and line her pockets. This is a sad world sometimes and opportunity crimes deprive needy people not only of money but dreams and hope.

I don't think it's a bad idea, but I'm responsible and I don't want to have to sign every little winning $1 to $10 dollar ticket I have. I know if I have a winner before I take it into the store. I don't shove the ticket in the clerks face and ask them to check my ticket. I wonder, does this mean that "TPTB" will be able to keep track of our small winnings and it be shown on are taxes or something?

Arizona plays the song were in the money when a winning ticket is checked and that way you know you have at least won a prize.  It is the players responsibility to ask for a players receipt to know they are being paid exactly what they won.  God bless and good luck.

TSC, do you know if they offer receipts in Idaho?  I've never been offered one and I've never asked.  But then again, I win so seldom, maybe I've just fallen thru the cracks. 

No, I've never been offered a receipt either. My biggest win was like $30 or something. lol. I tend to win bunches of small prizes, so I'm thinking they don't give receipts out for small wins.