Ohio Lottery investigating frequent winners

Comment #23

GAman03 — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 13:22:01 GMT

I don't really see the big deal or why Ohio Lottery Commission are investigating winners. As long as taxes are paid on the winning tickets, the winners aren't doing anything illegal. Ohio courts should garnish child support and taxpayers paychecks and stop depending on catching them through lottery winnings.

Comment #22

CDanaT — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 10:11:05 GMT

LL....There's a very simple theme that people who can only contain the urge for so long need to consider and it goes like this:

It's much easier to stay out of trouble rather than it is to get out of trouble.

If they are stealing from their customers by lying about a winning ticket that's another issue, but if they are cashing in tickets that are legal, then the lottery just has to live with it. For example, the gentleman that was shown on The Lottery Changed My Life. He owned a repa... [ More ]

Comment #21

Stack47 — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 03:19:08 GMT

Amanda Clayton won her prize on a game show so she couldn't have hid it if she wanted to. But even if she had, Federal and state taxes are still paid on the winnings by someone. She didn't have to pay back any of the benefits she got before winning, but continuing to collect, was what got her in trouble.

It doesn't look like they are cashing any $1 million tickets and based on the amounts, it probably prizes under $25,000. And makes more sense for someone winning $5000 to have someone cash to... [ More ]

Comment #20

RJOh — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 19:02:10 GMT

Using that logic (the only reason), should we assume anyone claiming a large jackpot anonymously are doing it to avoid legal obligations?

No because simply claiming a prize anonymously doesn't allow one to avoid getting a W-2G and not showing their prize as earned income.

Remember the mother in Detroit who was denied welfare after claiming her million dollar lottery prize legitimately? Had she used a discounter she wouldn't had to pay income taxes and could have continued receiving her we... [ More ]

Comment #19

Stack47 — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 18:27:30 GMT

I'm sure discounters aren't buying tickets that haven't been verified so the only reason for winners to use them is to avoid legal obligations and the retailers and discounters know this.

Using that logic (the only reason), should we assume anyone claiming a large jackpot anonymously are doing it to avoid legal obligations

Comment #18

Scratch$ — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 18:25:01 GMT

That old saying originated in the Bible, and actually states that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.

Comment #17

helpmewin — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 15:14:43 GMT

Maybe you go to the wrong store

Comment #16

RJOh — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 22:45:24 GMT

The state lotteries could make it even more difficult to cash winning tickets, but difficulty is probably why some players are selling their winning tickets.

In Ohio claims of $600-$5000 only require a local retailer verify the winning ticket and a claim form be filled out and notarized before being taken to a local bank to collect the winnings. I'm sure discounters aren't buying tickets that haven't been verified so the only reason for winners to use them is to avoid legal obligations and th... [ More ]

Comment #15

Stack47 — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 20:56:53 GMT

The Mass Lottery knew a small group of people were spending thousands to create a roll over in their Cash Win Fall game, but saw no problem because it didn't affect the bottom line. It wasn't until someone pointed out it was unfair to the average player who was unaware of the roll over that anything was done. Mathematically someone could wager $600,000 and get a 15% to 20% return when there was a roll over and the lottery still profited around 50 cents on every dollar spent.

It's more likely... [ More ]

Comment #14

Get paid — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 20:00:17 GMT

Wow intresting story, well u know the old saying.Money is the root of all evil.I really need some of that root. lol. A dollar or 2 dollars an a dream.

Comment #13

RJOh — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 19:09:35 GMT

The odds are pretty good that several LP members won't understand how the players spending hundreds a day on scratch-offs, pick-3, and pick-4 tickets will win more of the prizes than $5 a week player.

Obviously the state understands that it's unlikely anyone can afford to spend hundreds a day on scratch-offs, pick-3, and pick-4 tickets and win more per dollars spent than $5 a week players, the odds of winning are the same for all.

It's more likely these pretend winners are discounting th... [ More ]

Comment #12

noise-gate — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 04:36:23 GMT

I have no idea what the California Lottery thinks about frequent winners - what l do know is that they take up to 8 weeks to cut a check to a MM/ PB winner. They have been known to confiscate their equipment from convenience stores that screw with the betting public- like cashing a scratcher for less or telling people that their winning tickets are really losing tickets.

Comment #11

Stack47 — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 03:53:26 GMT

Actually I said the name Patel is about as common as Smith, Jones, or Brown and I haven't read any evidence where the Patel in this article did something illegal.

What are the odds?

The odds are pretty good that several LP members won't understand how the players spending hundreds a day on scratch-offs, pick-3, and pick-4 tickets will win more of the prizes than $5 a week player. The same people that can't understand how 70% of jackpot winners are QPs when 70% of the tickets sold are QPs... [ More ]

Comment #10

Jani Norman — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:38:38 GMT

that's what I agree with......

Comment #9

luckyladie — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:30:26 GMT

OMg! This is crazy! lol

I am not surprised if these stores has thousands of dollars of winners. It's as tempting as working for the federal reserve. When you have stacks of money laid before you everyday, you can only contain the urge for so long.

Comment #8

RJOh — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:42:18 GMT

Smith, Jones, and Brown names may be as common as Patel but I don't recall any of those names being involved with lottery scams. What are the odds

Comment #7

Stack47 — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:33:30 GMT

The name Patel is about as common as Smith, Jones, or Brown and many of the convenient stores are owned by members of the Patel family. It's probably more unlikely not to see the name Patel on a list of lottery winners over $600.

Comment #6

Stack47 — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:27:52 GMT

Why are you assuming these five people are criminals

Comment #5

RJOh — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:27:33 GMT

....the high number of claims Patel made 163 between April 2005 and November 2010 prompted an investigation by the lottery's security department.

With all the Patels around the country involved in lottery scams, the fact that he was a Patel should have been enough to prompt an investigation.

Comment #4

Stack47 — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:24:46 GMT

The top lottery winners in Ohio have claimed hundreds of large prizes over the past decades, some in such short spans of time that it seemingly defies the odds and has prompted investigations by the Ohio Lottery.

It's amazing that nobody working for the Ohio Lottery has figured out that some of their retailers are simply cashing tickets for their customers and they did it since the mid-1970s. These investigators aren't using any common sense if they believe someone cashed more than 300 stolen... [ More ]

Comment #3

Jani Norman — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:04:10 GMT

The most prolific lottery winners in Ohio

Rickey Meng, Cleveland, Ohio; 302 claims since 2008. Samuel J. Sliman, Canton, Ohio; 217 claims since 2001. Manojkumar Patel, Highland Heights, Ohio; 199 claims since 1996. Nimer M. Abuhamdeh, Westlake, Ohio; 185 claims since 1996. James R. Bennett, Polk, Ohio; 160 claims since 2009.

==========================================================

All I can say is it's about time, a poor man does not stand a chance, with all these swindlers....... [ More ]

Comment #2

IPlayWeekly — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 13:16:33 GMT

All these winners in my state and I can't break more than 35, lol.

Comment #1

Lildarryl — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 12:31:21 GMT

Seems like everystate trying to investigate winners now. Must be a start of a Country wide campaign..

Ohio Lottery investigating frequent winners

Lottery Post — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 12:29:02 GMT

The top lottery winners in Ohio have claimed hundreds of large prizes over the past decades, some in such short spans of time that it seemingly defies the odds and has prompted investigations by the Ohio Lottery.

State lottery investigators track multiple-winners to look for retailers who are either stealing prizes for themselves or store employees turning in tickets for others wanting to avoid paying off debts.

A local newspaper examined every prize claim of $600 or more going back to the... [ More ]