The odds of hitting a Caesars Palace instant game ticket for $1 million are one in 3,024,000. But when John Falvey thought he'd beaten the odds, he discovered instead he'd been jilted by Lady Luck.
Now Falvey, a Rhode Island resident formerly of Swansea, Mass., wants his day in court.
He filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit this week against the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and State Treasurer Tim Cahill seeking the $1 million he was denied because of his purported misinterpretation of how the prizes are awarded.
Falvey, who declined to comment on the civil action, claims he bought a $5 scratch ticket in Fall River on Dec. 11, 2001. But when he tried to cash it in at Lottery headquarters in Braintree on April 11, 2002, he was told his ticket wasn't worth the paper it was printed on.
Falvey took exception. The ticket said, "Get a 7 or 11 in any spot, win that prize automatically." Falvey had scratched his way to a 7 that he took to mean he'd won $1 million.
But the directions were printed on the right side of the ticket, under a game called "Dice," while the prize was offered on the left side for a second game called "Roulette."
The Lottery defended the seemingly confusing language, telling Falvey it didn't matter what the directions said, the ticket's computer bar code and serial number are what really determine a winner.
A Lottery spokeswoman did not return a call yesterday.
i don't get it
Why bother suing if the prize is annuity-only?
Cashonly, you can give your next annuity-only prize to me -- I'll unburden you from it.
http://www.masslottery.com/igodds/CaesarsPalace_odds.htm
Look at the ticket. I'd be bullsh*t and ready to sue too.
Oh come on! The dice directions and the roulette directions are obviously separate and refer to their respective games.
Although I don't blame the guy for trying to make a quick buck.
If by some ungodly chance he wins, maybe he'll pay his lawyer an annuity-only fee....
After he went to all that trouble to scratch a 7 and 11, which he wouldn't have done if he'd not believed that's what he had to do to win, they ought to just hand over the annuity to him.... after all, it's worthless. I know because I've been brainwashed into believing it by constant repitition of bumper sticker slogans about it from CO.
Jack
There have been other similar cases in MA where the lottery was sued for what the customers said were "confusing" directions and the customers did not win! I think the guy is not really confused and should be embarassed to sue.
The only thing I don't like with the MA scratch tickets is that they do not put the winning numbers on top in numerical order -- It's a pain to remember/match, especially on the $10 tickets!
Cashonly, you can give your next annuity-only prize to me -- I'll unburden you from it.
i'll take it also if you don't want it!
I don't think he plays a lot of annuity only games. I could see him playing the Canadian lottery though since the prize is cash only.
http://www.masslottery.com/igodds/CaesarsPalace_odds.htm
Look at the ticket. I'd be bullsh*t and ready to sue too.
Thanks for that link. I've been studying that ticket for a while. Although it's fine print on the front, I think the guy might just have a case. That ticket-face was what was available for him to see .... on display where he bought the ticket... That's probably all he could see, that face. That face has a faulty set of instructions, but it appears to say if you do what he did, you win.
Responsibility for representing the game as it is where it's viewed by the purchaser falls on the lottery commission. If they display that set of instructions to ticket buyers, displayed in view at the time of purchase, and if there isn't some detailed card giving the game rules available to him, except on the back of the ticket, which he can't examine until after the purchase, I think this guy might just get his mil.
I'm sort of rooting for him.
Jack
After looking at the ticket, I too think they should pay him. I also think Mass. should have printed Dice game and Roulette game in the game instructions to specify the two games in each directions. Personally I wouldn't have thought I won but the way they printed the ticket it's worth a shot in court.
Cashonly, you can give your next annuity-only prize to me -- I'll unburden you from it.
LOL ! I'll fight you for first place in line, Todd !
Seriously though, we have $5 scratch-offs that are similar here I believe. They have multiple games on them. Each game stands on its own. I would have to see the ticket this guy played, but if it is similar to what we have here, he's wasting his money on lawyers. No chance.