Welcome Guest
Log In | Register )

Quick Links

USA Mega Lottery Results Gadget for Windows Vista

NetConnect

Internet Domains, simple and cheap

Find a domain name:

  Home

Petition for True Lottery DrawingsMegaplier Petition
You last visited November 8, 2009, 12:07 am

Sopranos' Vinny Vella fumes over $5M lotto misprint

Jun. 20, 2008, 10:18 a.m.

New York Lottery New York Lottery: Sopranos' Vinny Vella fumes over $5M lotto misprint
  • E-mail to a friend
  • Printer-friendly
  • Link to this story
  • Bookmark and Share

Former The Sopranos star Vinny Vella is threatening legal action against New York state lottery officials after they rejected what he believes is his $5 million winning ticket.

The 61-year-old actor — who played Jimmy Petrille on the hit U.S. drama — purchased an Extravaganza lottery ticket last Thursday, June 12, at a New York store to be in with a chance of winning a share of the $500 million jackpot.

He was shocked to discover what he believed to be two sevens on the scratch ticket — which would have made him $5 million richer.

But Vella's good fortune was shortlived after officials at a state lottery office refuted his claims, insisting one of the sevens was actually a number 17.

Vinny VellaThe official also pointed out an abbreviation underneath the numeral to dispel any further queries.

However, Vella remains unsatisfied with the verdict and took the matter to lottery headquarters in Schenectady on Monday.

Experts enlarged a picture of the ticket and found a 'one' next to the seven, checking the barcode on the ticket to determine it was not a winner.

But Vella is now threatening legal action, fuming, "I will do everything I can until these people are down on their knees... I'm going to put the lawyers on it. Without a doubt. Without a doubt."

Lottery spokesman John Charlson is blaming a "rare" printing issue for the mix-up, admitting an ink problem affected 4,500 tickets, which have had to be withdrawn.

But Vella remains unsatisfied, promising to make an issue of the incident the local TV show he hosts and to carry protest signs in front of state lottery offices.

He adds, "If it's a misprint, it's not my fault. You know what I look like after telling everybody I won? I look like some big ass."

Post Chronicle, Lottery Post Staff

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.

32 comments. Last comment 1 year ago by tntea.
Page 1 of 3 ForwardGo to Page

United States
Member #59008
February 18, 2008
710 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 11:25 am - IP Logged

Former The Sopranos star Vinny Vella is threatening legal action against New York state lottery officials after they rejected what he believes is his $5 million winning ticket.

The 61-year-old actor — who played Jimmy Petrille on the hit U.S. drama — purchased an Extravaganza lottery ticket last Thursday, June 12, at a New York store to be in with a chance of winning a share of the $500 million jackpot.

He was shocked to discover what he believed to be two sevens on the scratch ticket — which would have made him $5 million richer.

But Vella's good fortune was shortlived after officials at a state lottery office refuted his claims, insisting one of the sevens was actually a number 17.

Vinny VellaThe official also pointed out an abbreviation underneath the numeral to dispel any further queries.

However, Vella remains unsatisfied with the verdict and took the matter to lottery headquarters in Schenectady on Monday.

Experts enlarged a picture of the ticket and found a 'one' next to the seven, checking the barcode on the ticket to determine it was not a winner.

But Vella is now threatening legal action, fuming, "I will do everything I can until these people are down on their knees... I'm going to put the lawyers on it. Without a doubt. Without a doubt."

Lottery spokesman John Charlson is blaming a "rare" printing issue for the mix-up, admitting an ink problem affected 4,500 tickets, which have had to be withdrawn.

But Vella remains unsatisfied, promising to make an issue of the incident the local TV show he hosts and to carry protest signs in front of state lottery offices.

He adds, "If it's a misprint, it's not my fault. You know what I look like after telling everybody I won? I look like some big ass."

Maybe instead of calling in the lawyers he should ask Tony Soprono if he'll make the lottery an offer they can't refuse.

BaristaExpress's avatar - pyramid
Platinum Member
Experienced
Dover, Delaware
United States
Member #19109
July 20, 2005
654 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 11:45 am - IP Logged

Lottery spokesman John Charlson is blaming a "rare" printing issue for the mix-up, admitting an ink problem affected 4,500 tickets, which have had to be withdrawn. <<<< That statement in it's self should have been what happen to the whole run of tickets for that game! No excuse for anything less than to be done to avoid this type of thing that is about to happen to the New York Lottery! You see if they destroyed 4500 tickets then they should have destroyed the whole run and started over after the problem was fixed! Precedence has been set by them admitting they destroyed 4500 of the run because of the printing issue! And the courts/jury will see it the same way and hold the lottery accountable for their inability to use common sense! (As I see it 5 million would be a tidy sum to make the NY Lottery get some common sense for once in their pitiful existence.)

Keep dreaming the impossible dream, it just may come true!

Please remember to support Your Lottery Post Community. Thumbs Up

ThatScaryChick's avatar - mysimselfld0
Platinum Member
Top 100 Poster
Senior
Idaho
United States
Member #56982
November 21, 2007
3187 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 2:11 pm - IP Logged

This is one reason why I dislike scratch off tickets. It's too easy for printing errors and other mistakes to occur. And if you believe you have won something, they can say, "Nope it was just a printing error."

"No one remembers the person who almost climbed the mountain, only the person who eventually gets to the top."
ThatScaryChick

four4me's avatar - gate1
Platinum Member
Top 50 Poster
Elite
MD
United States
Member #1735
June 18, 2003
5770 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 2:25 pm - IP Logged

And what if there were more big money winning tickets among the 4500 tickets they destroyed. I guess that doesn't matter to the lottery.

Big John says. You don't hit the number. The number hits you!!!!

nanolike's avatar - pink2
Standard Member
Rookie
WorldWide
United States
Member #55685
September 18, 2007
76 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 7:35 pm - IP Logged

Sorry Vinny this really really bites. I hope you do bring them to their knees!

Once I got a lotto ticket out of a machine and there were only two numbers on the ticket the others where not even there so there were 4 spaces invisible not a thing where numbers should have been. ___  ___ 23 ___ 42 ___ 

 

Didnt know what the hell to do with that ticket, maybe fill in the blanks myself!!!

It's a NanoLike World!

fja's avatar - gnome1
Standard Member
Top 50 Poster
Elite

United States
Member #91
January 19, 2002
6251 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 7:45 pm - IP Logged

Time to go to the mattressess Vinny....

"Those lottery officials are pimps,,,they never could have out fought Santino!!!!"

"Everybody has to believe in something...I believe I'll have another beer!"   = W.C.Fields                      

DC81's avatar - batman39
Standard Member
Experienced
MI
United States
Member #55299
August 31, 2007
812 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 8:09 pm - IP Logged

Someone is gonna get whacked!

With odds like 1 in 175,711,536 how can I lose?!

You can't predict random.

ptcruiser70's avatar - Lottery 008
Standard Member
Regular
roanoke
United States
Member #62316
June 6, 2008
439 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 8:15 pm - IP Logged

you dont mess with the sopranos they are all about bussiness you might get hurt Chair

Lotto*Love's avatar - lips
Standard Member
Regular
Washington *state*
United States
Member #62495
June 14, 2008
193 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 9:06 pm - IP Logged

NOTE TO SELF*

Next time I "think" I have a winning ticket....blow it up to billboard size just to make sure so I don't look like an ass.

WHAT>>EVER! I would so make them lottery people "swim with the fishes"

Give em da money!!!

Surrender You can run, but you can't hide mighty Jackpot...surrender to me at once!

KY Floyd's avatar - ysxqgbmxfua5f51qpjc
Standard Member
Senior
NY
United States
Member #24178
October 16, 2005
1736 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 20, 2008, 11:06 pm - IP Logged

Scratchers are like checks. The numbers that matter are printed twice, once as numbers and a second time as words.  If the number he thinks is a 1 doesn't say "one" under it, then it's not a 1. Thinking you won doesn't mean squat when your ticket isn't really a winner.

Avatar
Standard Member
Rookie

United States
Member #53640
June 27, 2007
19 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 21, 2008, 12:28 am - IP Logged

I agree 100%.  For them to allow 4500 tickets to be sold with a known error that could indicate false positives...I say they should eat this one and pay the man the money.

$5,000,000 to the NY Lotto is POCKET CHANGE.  I believe it is an appropriate penalty for their incompetence in not preventing these tickets from being delivered to the end buyer.  It will be a message to other lotteries to GET IT RIGHT when they print their tickets.  God forbid a single mother on welfare with 4 kids get this ticket and believe her prayers had been answered.

justxploring's avatar - villiarna
Standard Member
Top 100 Poster
Veteran
Wandering Aimlessly
United States
Member #25708
November 5, 2005
4379 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 21, 2008, 4:56 am - IP Logged

"You know what I look like after telling everybody I won? I look like some big ass."

 

Then just shaddupa you face!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFacWGBJ_cs

Avatar
Standard Member
Regular

United States
Member #26687
November 16, 2005
162 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 21, 2008, 11:51 am - IP Logged

When I read this it reminded me of the scene in goodfellas where Frankie Carbone is saying he can't hit a number.  LOL

Frankie Carbone: I could never hit that number
[unintelligible]
Tommy DeVito: Frankie, Frankie, Frankie. What the f... does 528 have to do with 460? I can't believe this guy. F...in' 528 ain't even close to 460. Now what the f... does that got to do with anything?
Frankie Carbone: Eh, I been playin' that numba for three years

Guru101's avatar - bling
Standard Member
Advanced
Indiana
United States
Member #49185
January 7, 2007
1201 Posts
Offline
Posted: June 21, 2008, 11:59 am - IP Logged

Normally, I would say tough luck, but they acknowledged that the tickets were defected and allowed them to be sold anyway. 4500 of them, and those suckers cost $20 each. That's $90,000 worth of defected tickets. That's way too much. I hope he wins in this case.

Gonna win.Big Smile