Thousands fume over lottery game typo

Mar 22, 2005, 9:36 am (4 comments)

New York Lottery

Hundreds Think They Won Grand Prize

It's become a scratch with a catch after thousands of people thought they had won a $100,000 jackpot in a newspaper lottery game.

The New York Daily News said a printing error led to a Scratch 'n Match debacle.

They lined up by the hundreds Monday outside the New York Daily News ready to claim their instant fortunes.

But the paper says not so fast -- there's been a mistake and those who think they won didn't. Many in the crowd weren't buying it.

According to the rules, numbers for each Saturday's Scratch 'n Match drawing are printed in the paper. Match any three numbers and win the corresponding prize. For many of the players -- that meant $100,000.

Now not all the would-be winners are in New York City. One $100,000 winner lives in Malden, Mass.

Bill, who doesn't want his last name used, said that he couldn't believe his eyes when he scratched off his card. Then anxiety set in.

"I couldn't sleep. I woke up this morning at 2 a.m.," Bill said.

Bill said that he headed down to the train station at 5 a.m. to go to New York to claim his winnings. That's when he bought Monday's Daily News and saw the correction, saying the wrong numbers had been printed and the winners aren't really winners.

"They should have had somebody check those numbers before they put it in the paper," he said.

The paper is blaming the outside agency that actually ran the contest for the error. The agency wants the would-be winners to turn in their scratch cards and enter another drawing for one grand prize winner. The paper says that's not enough.

"That's not adequate and it's not sufficient," New York Daily News President Les Goodstein said.

Bill said that the paper published the game and the paper should be responsible.

"Let the Daily News write out the checks," Bill said.

Goodstein said that the paper has launched an investigation. Bill said that he won the prize fair and square. He's already contacted a lawyer.

TheBostonChannel

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Comments

Hyperdimension's avatarHyperdimension

If I travel from one state to another to claim prize and prize doesn't exists. of course I'll get mad, and also I'll do whatever to obtain the "mistake prize".

Litebets27's avatarLitebets27

it seems that there are alot of errors happening when reporting lottery results now days.

litebets

Maverick's avatarMaverick

"Show me the money!"

Todd's avatarTodd
Quote: Originally posted by Litebets27 on March 23, 2005



it seems that there are alot of errors happening when reporting lottery results now days.

litebets




I agree litebets.  It is shameful that many of these errors are originating from the lotteries themselves.  With advances in technology, there should be zero errors in the reporting of lottery results over the lotteries' web sites and automated phone systems.  No excuses.
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