That sucks!

precicely why you should educate yourself on any game you play, even the lottery.  If she played the lottery so much she should have read the rules about winning tickets over a certain amount.  She could have saved herself the trouble of going to Publix.

Many Publix have a small terminal where you can check tickets yourself .... might have been easier if she'd used it if it was available.  If she knew it was a winner she could have requested a photo copy of the ticket (for taxes) at the customer service counter where tickets are purchased.  Also she should have signed the back of the ticket if she knew it was a winner.

In the future she could use a yellow highlighter on the top edge of the ticket to make sure it doesn't get set aside.  

She will get the money eventually. With the ticket receipt and continuation ticket, the lottery dept. can confirm it is a valid claim. At worst, she will have to wait until the 180 days to claim timeframe is up. After that, if no one else claims the money for that ticket her claim will be honored. Even though the actual ticket is a bearer instrument "required" for payment, there are exceptions...

anyone else would have to be a straight up moron to try to cash that ticket after the press it has been given.

I don't blame Publix, I blame her irresponsibility.  That's like one of lottery's common sense; if you have the winning ticket, you need it for proof.

While possible, I doubt that it's anything more than an honest mistake, since the woman was given the receipt and continuation ticket. That would mean nobody has stolen the ticket with an intent to cash it, but somebody could potentially find it in the trash. Since it's not the only winning ticket, how would anyone else know it's the same ticket? Though the article didn't say, the lottery has presumably listed the ticket as paid so that it can be recovered if somebody does try to cash it. As duckman says, she should see the money eventually.

What's a continuation ticket?  They don't give those  out in MI.  U would

just b up S--t creek without a paddle.  Broke and disgusted

Well that sucks for her. That's a hard and costly lesson to learn. Always, get your ticket back if win more then the store is able to cash. Plus, one should check their own numbers to see how much they won. I hope that the reciept that she received will be enough for her to get her winnings if the investigation finds out that she really did have a winning ticket.

Smoothjuice- You might want to re-consider reading the entire article. The lady HAD the ticket. It was the clerk who kept it , tossed it or misplaced it. Once the lady turned the ticket over, short of her jumping the counter for it back, it was the clerks duty to return it.

For Publix's to ban the lady for speaking up on a matter is extremely poor customer service and BAD publicity.

  While I agree everybody on LP is going to lecture her about being more responsible, with her lottery playing, and ticket keeping up with,

     Mabey the Manager found it in the trash, and he was very rude with, "Don't ever come in this store again".

            I'd probably be in Jail if he said that to me,     .......ala a little gasoline down the 'ole, ventalation duct in the middle of the night.       

             She's right to avoid that store in the future I guess.

These young clerks don't care...most of the time they don't even want to be bothered with your lottery ticket.  That lady should write a letter to Publix's headquarters.....no....she should just get an attorney and sue for emotional distress, etc.  I'll bet they'll investigate a lot sooner then.  All they have to do is give her the money for the ticket that THEY threw away.

I[m with you Dopey!  I had a hunch that one of my numbers was coming straight and put on my ticket the straight version as well - I remember the number too - 681 - I gave the slip to the clerk and he didn't put it in - I fault myself because I should have checked behind this Joker.  I lost 500. that day and it taught me a lesson. 

CHECK YOUR TICKETS

DEMAND THAT ALL YOUR LOSERS BE RETURNED TO YOU

And if they are not paying attention to your slip I would find someplace else to play or complain to the management. 

YOU are making a purchase just like those that are buying a bag of chips or gas and should demand the same respect.

I can't wait for them to make more self serve machines and make them easier to use.  As it is now its a pain to use the self serve machines with it going back to the menu and not letting you say with the pick 3.

I have one place near me that takes lotteries seriously, and they have two machines going all the time, its a mess parking there, but they are friendly, attentive and make sure your tickets are right.  Once I played a number there and Mike (Oh my God this MAN is a hunk!) gave me two tickets on that number - straight - and it came out.  They also give you promotional tickets that the Lottery Commission gives them that are suppose to go to customers, and this is the ONLY place I have ever played that gives those tickets out FREE.   I do get a little mixed up with Mike there, but its the only place to play.  If I run short of cash I can come back later and pay and they don't hold your tickets for ransom.

Never leave the ticket out of your hands.   It is like cash.   It's hard to get it back or proof that it was yours after you lose it.   What is with the recipt anyway, seems like an dumb and unnecessary step.