Disputed Ticket Worth $20,000
A Westborough, Massachusetts man faces a charge of larceny in the alleged theft of a lottery scratch ticket believed to be a $20,000 winner.
According to the ticket buyer, the lottery agent claimed the ticket was only worth $100 and then refused to return it to the buyer.
Erika Schmitt, 18, said Monday she bought a lottery ticket and scratched it while at a Quick Mart convenience store in Westborough.
"I was scratching and it was all stars, 10 stars. And I said, 'I think I won $20,000 because I have 10 stars,' and he snatched it out of my hand," said Schmitt.
"So she was just scratching and he grabbed it right away and said, 'No, you only won $100,' and told her to get out and spend her money," said Schmitt's friend Virginia Orlando.
Schmitt said she asked the clerk to let her check the ticket repeatedly.
"(Schmitt asked the storeowner) 'Let me see the ticket,' and he would not let me see it. He absolutely would not let me see it to make sure it was only six stars. He would not give me the ticket," said Schmitt.
Quick Mart storeowner Antoine Reyche was in court Friday after Schmitt contacted the police.
Reyche refused to produce the ticket for authorities. The Massachusetts Lottery Commission told investigators that a $20,000 ticket was in the group sent to the Quick Mart. Schmitt had another ticket purchased at about the same time.
Westborough police say Schmitt has a good case. On Friday, the lottery stopped sales at the Westborough Quick Mart.
"With the numbers that we have from the tickets that were bought afterwards, along with the confirmation from the lottery commission that there was a $20,000 ticket sold, " said Westborough police Chief Alan Gordon.
Reyche will return to court on Monday for a formal arraignment.
Schmitt, a college freshman, lives with an ill aunt and said they could really use the money.
"He took advantage of her, he basically robbed her. She didn't want to get him in trouble. He stole $20,000 from her. Nobody needs it more than her," said Schmitt's friend, Billy.
According to the Westborough police report, Reyche tried to pay Schmitt an additional $100 to drop her claim. She refused and contacted police.
if found guilty, i certainly hope they throw the book at that guy and shut down his lotto terminal for good...and the gall of him offering her another $100 if she keep quiet about the incident. if what she says is true, and the article sure seems to support her claim, she deserves a whole lot more back from that fellow than just the prize money. i'd love to sit on that jury :)
This sad story reminds me of dumb people who always ask the clerk to check their ticket when they have a big win. I don't know if it's because of shock or what, but I would never need to confirm with the store clerk whether or not my ticket was a winner and how much it was worth. If you can read, there's never any need to hand over your ticket to anyone!
This guy is a real Loser!
in new york state 99.5%
I think people ask the store clerk to check their ticket simply because they can't believe that they won and they need someone to "validate" it. I'm not surprised this happened though. Greediness never takes a holiday off.
If you think you won... SIGN your ticket!!! It's that easy...
retailers can't pay out big amounts anyway, you have to claim them at the state's lottery office anyway.
The only exception to signing your NAME on the ticket is if you plan to use a trust's name, but still put in address and phone info...
a signed ticket is no longer HOT...
I agree with all the sentiments thus far. But I was thinking about the disclosure from The Massachusetts Lottery Commission of a $20,000 ticket being distributed at that location. I wonder how are large prize winning tickets distributed? Is it completely random? How would one be sure of that? Would a lottery commision be more likely to distribute big winners to less affluent communities for obvious reasons? For example, I live in Toronto, and it seems to me that you hardly ever hear of big lotto winners around here. We got that Belleville, Ontario winner last week but that's many hundreds of miles away for Toronto.
Does anyone have any thoughts or insights into the process regarding ticket distribution?
all games are fix by the gover
That's why I tell anyone, the agents are supposed to give you a ticket showing you how much you won off the ticket. If they don't give it to you, ask for it. Even if it is only for $2, If you feel you have a big money ticket winner. Write down the numbers of the ticket before you turn it over to be cashed. People are not to be trusted.
i was wondering exactl
retailers usually have to a
If I understand correctly the lottery system here in Virginia does not know where winning tickets go and that it is completly random. At least that is what I read a couple of months ago.
time,
That is correct. In VA, the only place where Scratcher "master winning" lists are kept are at the manufacturer who produced the ticket. From what I understand of the process, these lists are kept on two computer disks, neither of which has enough complete information to identify a specific winning ticket without the other. The validation prize table information is loaded into the central computer to be used in validating the tickets.
Ticket shipments are controlled by a completely separate system at the central warehouse. Packs are sent to the retailers out of the warehouse on as random a basis as you can get in this type of system. What I mean by that is this:
Since the warehouse is sending packs out on a "They need X number of packs" basis and not a "Give them pack #xxxxxxxxx", and since the computer systems are completely separate (they are even on different platforms), Scratcher distribution, as to packs, is as completely random as possible.
Of course, if you work for the lottery you can't play; but, if you are crooked lottery employee, you can tell a friend what store to go buy a ticket at and split the winnings!
Also, remember the scandal of the McDonald's monopoly game with the warehouse workers who printed the prize winning game stickers stealing them every year for 6 years? It makes you want to give up playing!
I like the sentiments said thus far.
This should be a valuable lessons for all of us Professional Players.
NEVER GIVE YOUR TICKET TO ANYONE other than the actual claims office. Do not even trust the post office.
I have driven to my regional office. All lottery headquarters has regional offices which are smaller offices that in the case of IL can pay on the spot any amount up to $25,000 but the amounts vary from state to state but they will give you a stub and the check for any balance minus taxes will be on its way in 4 to 6 weeks.
But in the case of IL d$25,000 will tie anyone us us nicely until "payday"
NEVER GIVE THE TICKET to a $5 or whatever an hour worker
Webmaster LeRoy
Ok You Midday Fans
Here are the results for IL using Wild Wheel 3 and no changing the system defaults. I entered
350, 364, 558, 550
And the system predictd:
Wild Wheel 3
PICK 3 Box/Straight Master System
Date: Wed Jan 28 09:50:17 CST 2004
Draw entries: 4
350 364 558 550
Filter Settings
High/Low: HHL HLL
Odd/Even: OOE OEE
Num.Type: Singles
Playing Suggestions: 80
721 921 972 281 621 671 672 691 692 741
742 781 782 941 942 974 981 982 710 720
732 910 920 932 970 184 641 674 681 694
784 984 180 381 382 387 610 631 632 670
690 734 736 740 780 934 936 938 940 980
730 930 384 386 380 630 521 572 592 516
526 541 542 574 581 582 594 510 520 532
570 590 546 584 506 534 536 538 540 580
(c) 2003 SNOHOME.COM, USA
All rights reserved.
For Entertainment Purposes only!
And the winning number for yester 1/27/04 was 964
Keep Up The Good Work Mike
Webmaster LeRoy
And The Midday Winners Keep Coming
Still haven't had to change the system defaults and thats GREAT NEWS Mike,
I entered 364, 558, 550, 300
And the system predicted:
Wild Wheel 3
PICK 3 Box/Straight Master System
Date: Wed Jan 28 09:54:21 CST 2004
Draw entries: 4
364 558 550 300
Filter Settings
High/Low: HHL HLL
Odd/Even: OOE OEE
Num.Type: Singles
Playing Suggestions: 81
721 921 972 621 741 742 761 762 941 942
961 962 974 641 764 964 281 781 782 981
982 481 681 732 784 932 984 631 632 734
736 934 936 381 382 387 938 384 386 710
720 910 920 970 610 740 760 940 960 180
521 572 592 780 980 541 542 561 562 574
594 730 930 564 630 581 582 380 532 584
534 536 538 510 520 570 590 540 560 580
530
(c) 2003 SNOHOME.COM, USA
All rights reserved.
For Entertainment Purposes only!
The Winning number for IL Midday 1/26/04 was 350
This time the winning number snuck in as the last entry but a winner is a winner
Thanks Again Mike K
Don't Hate The Wild Wheel 3 Yet because it is consistently produces IL winners . . . what is your chosen lottery software doing?
Still haven't had the opportunity to change the defaults and I only entered the last four drawings of:
558, 550, 300, 814
And the system predicted:
Wild Wheel 3
PICK 3 Box/Straight Master System
Date: Wed Jan 28 09:59:04 CST 2004
Draw entries: 4
558 550 300 814
Filter Settings
High/Low: HHL HLL
Odd/Even: OOE OEE
Num.Type: Singles
Playing Suggestions: 79
762 962 972 621 632 721 732 736 742 761
764 921 932 936 942 961 964 974 872 982
631 634 641 734 741 934 941 821 832 836
837 839 861 871 874 981 984 562 572 592
720 760 920 960 970 831 834 521 532 536
542 561 564 574 594 582 160 170 190 630
730 740 930 940 870 980 534 541 581 584
180 830 520 560 570 590 530 540 580
(c) 2003 SNOHOME.COM, USA
All rights reserved.
For Entertainment Purposes only!
The winning IL Midday number for 1/24/4 was 364
Thanks Again Mike
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Webmaster LeRoy
Ok guys,
Enough about IL what is your state doing and how does this compare with your current software?
At this rate Mike k is only beating hgis own software.
Thanks Mike
Webmaster LeRoy
i've been entering 6 for ga. ev. is 4 better???
Emily,
I can't answer that if 4 is better than 6 I just downloaded it today and am going through my normal TESTING procedures.
So I started with the minimum and so far I don't have to go any further for it to predict wins.
However, every state is different you need to find the winning area within your state and for everyone else reading this post.
There is no substitution for testing your own state.
The bottom line is while its nice that any program won X amt over is la la land I want it to win here at home for me.
So remember TEST TEST TEST
Report back your finding for all to SHARE who might be in your state.
Webmaster LeRoy
it's been good in ga, with auxillary wheel. thanks.
I have been using the master wheel it didn't give the same results with the aux wheel
go figure. . . Now, see why the testing is so IMPORTANT