Colorado newspaper prints wrong lottery results; couple thought they won

Apr 12, 2011, 9:53 pm (22 comments)

Colorado Lottery

PUEBLO, Colo. — It pays to doublecheck those lottery numbers — if you want to avoid heartache.

A couple from Pueblo, Colo., found that out after they checked their tickets' numbers in the local newspaper. At first, Jim and Dorothy Sprague say, they experienced a lot of joy on Sunday morning when they looked in the Pueblo Chieftain to find that their numbers were winners.

"I woke up and found out we were millionaires," Jim Sprague told NBC station KOAA.

In his excitement, Sprague called his children to tell them he'd won the $4.3 million jackpot.

Then came the disappointment: The newspaper had mistakenly published Friday's Matchplay numbers in place of Saturday's Colorado Lottery drawing.

"We had told my son and my daughter, and we were getting ready to tell our other kids, but we found the mistake, that it was wrong," Sprague said. "It's a good thing that I didn't talk to too many people."

The Spragues are able to laugh now but admit they're still a bit frustrated.

The newspaper published a correction in Monday's paper, faulting the error on "misinformation and an oversight." Sprague said he decided not to push the issue and said the experience won't keep him from playing the lottery in the future.

"I hope that I'll find the right numbers one of these days," he said.

For the record, the Chieftain reported Monday, the correct numbers for the Colorado Lotto and Cash 5 drawn Saturday are:

  • Lotto:  3, 9, 19, 25, 28, and 34
  • Cash Five:  1, 5, 21, 26, and 31

MSNBC

Comments

Empress-N's avatarEmpress-N

AH AHA AH....LMAO..That was just wrong....

Future reference, check the web..if you have no access, call the state lottery office, or get a print out at your local store....etc...etc....etc...

sysp34's avatarsysp34

is Jim Sprague, related or the owner of Sprague Capacitors? just currious

 

 

ttech10's avatarttech10

This is why I would always check other sources to be sure I had won. I'd hate to think I won millions, get all excited and then find out later I hadn't. It would take seeing on both the main lottery site as well as the Texas Lottery site that there was a winner in my town to believe I won.

Savwa's avatarSavwa

Note to self: Validate before calling in rich.

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by Savwa on Apr 12, 2011

Note to self: Validate before calling in rich.

I remember Ralph Kramden calling his boss at the bus company like that one time:

"Mr Marshall, you are a bum!"

It didn't work out real well.

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by Savwa on Apr 12, 2011

Note to self: Validate before calling in rich.

yep, thats a no brainer.

nickey t's avatarnickey t

i ONLY and always check Todd's sites .. usamega - and then, i'll take the ticket and SCAN IT MYSELF to see if anything other than 'SORRY YOU'RE NOT A WINNER' comes out

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

but i already told the boss to shove it!

joshuacloak's avatarjoshuacloak

geez that sucks for them, paper is so Stone Age in todays world, when i think of paper am like, o that old thing that my grand parents got their news from.

now when am checking the tickets for my self.

i too check usamega , just to see if its rolled and what's the atfer tax 35% withhold amount, best site for math guy who lazy lol.

if i win, i also end up looking at powerball or mega millions site, my own state site, atfer that

then and only then would say i a word, hell i think i would keep it to my self a whole day

Tim Wins

April Fools' one week too late

tiggs95's avatartiggs95

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 12, 2011

I remember Ralph Kramden calling his boss at the bus company like that one time:

"Mr Marshall, you are a bum!"

It didn't work out real well.

Ralph Kramden..Good God ridge you are so old..

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

MSNBC article reads: "It pays to doublecheck those lottery numbers — if you want to avoid heartache."  Yet, I bet they did that!!!

The best plan is to doublecheck MULTIPLE SOURCES (e.g., online or paper newspaper, retailer's instant customer check machine, lottery phone#).

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by Savwa on Apr 12, 2011

Note to self: Validate before calling in rich.

Thumbs Up

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by tiggs95 on Apr 13, 2011

Ralph Kramden..Good God ridge you are so old..

I can't talk now, I think Ed Sullivan's coming on.

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