Should I report this error or not?

Reply #35

RJOh — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:02:05 GMT

I doubt if a clerk was pulling that scam, he would come forward unless the prize was $100K or better and if that never happened no one would ever know the scam existed.

I remember a clerk trying to keep my free QPs once when Ohio had a promotion of a free QP with each $5 ticket saying she thought the free tickets were for the clerks.

When NBC Dateline approached the NY lottery about running a program like they ran in California to catch clerks stealing customers winning lottery tickets,... [ More ]

Reply #34

CARBOB — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:11:43 GMT

Spoke to Publix clerk today about PB tickets. She told me about an incident that happen a couple of weeks ago. A customer wanted to purchase some PB, advanced play tickets. She ask , are you sure, the price will be $98, the customer said, yes. After she printed the tickets, customer refused them and wanted different tickets. She refused to sell her any, until she paid for the printed PB tickets, the customer left without paying. Make a long story short, the clerk and 5 other employees bought the... [ More ]

Reply #33

KY Floyd — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:55:25 GMT

How does our litigous society relate to the plausibilty of RJ's idea? RJ suggested the possibility that a clerk might buy tickets, resell them, and then try to claim the prizes for any of those tickets that happened to be winners. The vast majority of winning tickets are worth less than $600, so there's no record of who they were sold to or who claimed the prizes. Who would you sue? It varies from game to game, but for megamillions such a clerk would, on average, have to buy and resell 689,000 t... [ More ]

Reply #32

guesser — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:22:59 GMT

'I'd say that RJ's idea sounds like a paranoid delusion, but it would certainly be possible.'

I disagree.

The USA is a litigous society, people get sued for looking at others the wrong way, gee, maybe you'll give me 25% to 'go away'.

Reply #31

KY Floyd — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:39:43 GMT

There's a huge difference between a clerk taking the opportunity to steal a winning ticket that's worth several thousand bucks and reselling tickets in the hopes that they can claim the possible prize anyway. With the former there's a fairly good chance they'll get away with it. With the latter probability says that if they buy and resell about 1000 tickets they could jump through a lot of hoops and devote a few hours of effort to maybe collect $50. On average they would need to resell 100,000 t... [ More ]

Reply #30

HoLeeKau — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:58:51 GMT

Did you report it ShyGirl? What did the Lottery Commission say

Reply #29

RJOh — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:03:27 GMT

When I lived in Ohio, they couldn't cancel MM mistakes there were many arguments between players and clerks over who made the mistake.

On the back of Ohio's PB and MM play slips is the following:

ALL TICKET SALES ARE FINAL AND POWERBALL/MEGAMILLIONS TICKETS CANNOT BE CANCELLED.

That is still the policy for non local games. The best way to guarantee you get what you want is to make out a play slip and check it before having the clerk run it even if it for QPs. I pick my numbers and alway... [ More ]

Reply #28

Stack47 — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:16:03 GMT

In other states the terminals can cancel mistakes and probably why some clerks will hold the tickets and sell them to another player or cancel them before the drawing. The lotteries understand that clerks may make mistakes selling tickets, they can't force the player to buy the clerk's mistake and don't want to force the clerks and/or the stores to buy the tickets so they programed the cancel option into the terminals.

When I lived in Ohio, they couldn't cancel MM mistakes there were many arg... [ More ]

Reply #27

JezzVim — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:19:49 GMT

Win with leftovers, as long as its not an expired ticket I'll buy it. My clerk, Mike makes mistakes on my ticket order and I buy em willingly. Also he has a bunch of tickkets that are on the window that are mistakes and I'll buy a few of them also. Mike made a mistake on my order twice and it was a whopper of hits for me, loads of dough.

Think about it, those lottery tickets that are in the news that are about to be expired with a jackpot could be the mistakes of a clerk and then misplaced... [ More ]

Reply #26

CARBOB — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:15:08 GMT

I buy my PB tickets in Publix, if I tell the clerk, QP and forget to say, PP, I still have to buy the ticket. The clerks are not allowed to take them back and they are not allowed to stock-pile for future sales. I think the lottery commission would frown on a clerk buying tickets in one store and selling them in another.

Reply #25

diamondpalace — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 07:33:50 GMT

It could be a scam, however most likely it was purchased and someone didn't want it so the clerk still kept the ticket to sell it towards the next player who happens to play the same game, for the same amount. That's why one ticket has 2 QP and the other by itself. It should listed all 3 QP (up to 5 lines, some places has up to 10 lines) on one ticket. Just to be on the safe side, report it to the lottery commission.

Reply #24

guesser — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 06:17:41 GMT

It may or may not be illegal to sell ticket A at location B.

That said, there are people that are superstitious - they will only buy tickets (printed) at a certain location, sometimes only on a certain day, and sometimes even in a certain timeframe.

I don't want to say I am superstitious, but I win NOTICEABLY MORE when I buy a ticket the day before the draw, from a certain store, on my way TO work. Any other time or store I don't win as much.

Reply #23

Mamma28z — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 02:41:12 GMT

You were sold a ticket that was a mistake- it was already generated- the customer either changed their mind or didn't want that certain game - the clerk said thats ok I will sell it and they sold it to you..

You wanted three quick picks- you got three quick picks..

There is nothing to report - what are you going to report? You purchased three quick picks and you got three quick picks..

It is not normal but it does happen.

Reply #22

RJOh — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:35:28 GMT

I'd say that RJ's idea sounds like a paranoid delusion, but it would certainly be possible.

Remember the recent LP news story about the $33M lottery winner in Canada having to go to court in spite of turning in a signed winning ticket because another player claimed he bought lottery tickets all over town and implied the winner was in cahoot with a clerk who actually stole the ticket from him. He didn't show up for court but had he ran such a scam, he could have made it even more difficult for... [ More ]

Reply #21

KY Floyd — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:18:36 GMT

A bearer instrument is presumed to be owned by the person in possession, but that's not the same as actually being owned by the person in possession. In RJ's scenario the clerk would know where and when the ticket was bought, and any other transactions that happened at the same time. The clerk might have a photo of several tickets that the lottery could link together, and might have a credit card transaction at the same time and location. That would all add up to very credible evidence that the... [ More ]

Reply #20

time*treat — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:14:54 GMT

These games have so many tracking/confirmation codes built in, it's almost comical reading about people busted trying to claim with a fake/altered ticket. e.g. https://www.lotterypost.com/news/227627

Reply #19

guesser — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:44:13 GMT

And in addition to that: if you did win a jackpot, the first things they asked me on the phone is - where you bought it? - when you bought it? - was it a quickpick or not? - how many other games are on the ticket? - did you fill out a slip with the numbers on it or did you verbally tell the clerk which numbers to select?

If you fail on any of those, you don't get far, AND they investigate the heck out of you.

Reply #18

Editgap — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:27:14 GMT

It might be a good idea for LP members to know what these numbers are. My tickets have 3 uniques series of numbers on the front and one or two on the back that indicates its position on the roll of paper it is printed on.

I bought a ticket once with the bar code completely cut off. I got home before I discovered it. Well, I thought I would take it up with the lottery commision if I win but it was a losing ticket so promblem solved.

Recently, I got a winning ticket, I went to cash it but ti... [ More ]

Reply #17

Editgap — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:05:23 GMT

Maybe she works for the lottery commision or a store clerk.

Reply #16

sully16 — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 03:28:09 GMT

Check the drawing date,make sure your not getting an old one.

Reply #15

HoLeeKau — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 03:15:14 GMT

Idaho's tickets have the date, the time (down to the second) and the terminal/store number. I have a Powerball and a Megamillion that I bought from a machine at the grocery store and they both have the same location number. Then there's some other stuff I can't decipher.

Reply #14

time*treat — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:45:33 GMT

There have been people who've won buying tickets that other people didn't want, but if you'd rather have fresh QPs, the way to get them is to mark 'QP' on the playslip. That way, Mr. Patel can't pull a fast one on you.

Reply #13

Stack47 — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:17:27 GMT

I was wondering how someone that doesn't play very often knew which numbers on the ticket shows which store printed the tickets. My tickets do have the date and time the tickets were printed, but I can't find any numbers that indicated a particular store and I looked at several tickets from different stores.

Just a guess but the ticket was probably a mistake or someone didn't like the numbers and the clerk sold them to the next person asking for 2 QPs.

Reply #12

time*treat — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 01:30:07 GMT

Different states show various info.

My state shows the time, date, terminal number (location), a number on the back showing the paper spool too, plus a half dozen other numbers (in decimal, hex, and 2D bar-code format) I haven't decoded yet.

Reply #11

redhot7 — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:58:00 GMT

How did you find out the the time where the ticket was printed? My ticket doesn't have any time printed on it. Only the date of the draw is printed.

Reply #10

kapla — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:11:30 GMT

Good point!! I am just getting used to using the machines. Also the machines don't give you a crappy look when you insert a bunch of playslips cuz you are holding up the line of beer cig buyers

Reply #9

redhot7 — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:11:37 GMT

This is why I much prefer to buy from a machine. Machine doesn't cheat.

Reply #8

RJOh — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:00:07 GMT

I make out play slips for my tickets so they have to be printed out in my presence but I do notice the retailer number on the bottom of the tickets because when I buy tickets at several locations, I prefer to cash my winners where I bought them.

Reply #7

rdgrnr — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:48:44 GMT

Report him.

It's most likely Mr. Patel.

And if he tries it again, knock him into next week.

Mr. Patel hates that.

Hi shygirl,

I'm kinda shy my own self too.

Reply #6

Stack47 — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:54:44 GMT

I don't play very often.

I play often but never looked at the tickets close enough to see the terminal number. Looking at 5 winning tickets from three different stores with three from the same store, I can't find any numbers that are unique to one terminal.

It's possible a regular customer bought the different ticket at another store, didn't like the numbers and the clerk exchanged it knowing they could sell it later. Sign the back of the ticket, cash if it wins, or throw it away if it's... [ More ]

Reply #5

TheOtherOne — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:21:34 GMT

Perhaps, but since she has the ticket and it is a bearer instrument, if she were to sign it and win then I think it would all go to her.

Then again, these days you never know with everyone being all sue happy (and winning).

Hopefully the lottery commission will help you on that one. good luck

Reply #4

haymaker — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:18:21 GMT

always inspect your tickets closely,including retailer number.

Reply #3

shygirl — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:15:46 GMT

Wow! I never thought of it that way RJOh. I guess I will go ahead and send a report. Thanks to the both of you for answering my post.

Reply #2

RJOh — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:12:08 GMT

What happened probably wasn't an error, if you put all that information in an e-mail to your lottery they would probably be glad to get to the bottom of what happened.

Considering the fact had you won a jackpot with a ticket that was generated somewhere else, you could have been accused of stealing it from it rightful owner.

It would be a scam if a clerk went somewhere else and bought a bunch of QPs, noted their combinations and resold them, check their combinations after the drawings and... [ More ]

Reply #1

HoLeeKau — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:22:44 GMT

I've had them give me mistake tickets that were printed earlier, but never one from another machine. Yeah something's up. I think I'd call the lottery commission to let them know about that.

Should I report this error or not?

shygirl — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:00:23 GMT

Hi all,

Last night, I decided to play a lottery on a whim. I don't play very often. I asked the clerk in Speedway if there which lottery game was up for the night. I purchased 3 QuickPick PowerBall tickets.

He gave me 2 separate tickets. 1 with one QP and 1 with 2 QPs. This is not unusual because a few months ago, a different Speedway gave me my tickets the same way.

Anyway, today, I noticed that 1 of the tickets was printed nearly an hour earlier, and was generated from a different mac... [ More ]