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ArtVandalay

Arizona
United States
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June 10, 2007
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Oct 22, 2008, 9:01 pm

Okay, so I go to my local grocery store to buy some Powerball lottery tickets. And I'm in line at the customer counter, and I notice that the clerk behind the counter is on the phone, and my impression is that he really isn't paying attention to what he's doing. I finally get up to the counter and hand him my one winning ticket and play slips and he runs them through and says, "That will be $32.00." And I said, "There must be some mistake, it should be only $27.00" and sure enough, I show him where he ran one of my play slips through, twice. Now, I don't play quick picks, I pick all my numbers using a system. So he says, "well, you can buy this ticket, or I'll have to buy it," and I said, "I'm not paying extra because of your mistake. You need to pay attention to what you're doing." So he says, "Okay, but if one of these tickets is the winner, then I guess we'll have to split the jackpot." I just left without saying anything else.

But after thinking about it, later, I thought that if we did actually have to split the jackpot that I would start talking to lawyers. Now, I realize the odds of both of us actually winning the jackpot, but what if...? I just don't see why I should have to split the jackpot in half because of his incompetent, stupid mistake. And remember, I didn't pick these numbers by chance. I did use a system.

I guess that the thing that really gripes my behind is that there is so much incompetence and ineptitude in this world that one might actually have to split a winning jackpot in half because of it. Is it too much to ask for a competent sales clerk that can run lottery tickets without making a mistake?

Now don't get me wrong. I've worked as a sales clerk in the past, and I know what it's like to have to deal with the general public. And I know that mistakes on occasion, do happen. But at the very least, I did try to pay attention to what I was doing.

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ThatScaryChick

Idaho
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November 21, 2007
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Oct 22, 2008, 9:23 pm

Powerball tickets can't be cancelled, so if by chance those set of numbers came out, you would have to split them unless you bought the mistake tickets. Either the store would pick up the tab or they would sell them to someone else.

Sorry, but I don't see how you would have a case. Since the tickets can't be cancelled once printed, someone has to buy them. Either you buy the mistakes, the store buys them or another customer. Even if the clerk wasn't paying attention to his job, someone has to buy the mistakes. It sucks, but that is how it is.

Plus, what if they sell the ticket to another customer? That person bought the ticket fair and square and doesn't deserve to be sued.

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four4me

MD
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Oct 22, 2008, 11:29 pm

It's not hypothetical if it actually happened to you.

After the transaction i would have brought it to the attention of the owner of the store that the clerk put your play slip in twice and wasn't paying attention to their job . And while the ticket cant be canceled not much the manager or owner could do except reprimand the employee and offer you an apology.

I wouldn't be using that store again with that same clerk unless i handed the clerk one play slip at a time.

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pacattack05

United States
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June 22, 2005
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Oct 22, 2008, 11:37 pm

Quote: Originally posted by ArtVandalay on Oct 22, 2008
Okay, so I go to my local grocery store to buy some Powerball lottery tickets. And I'm in line at the customer counter, and I notice that the clerk behind the counter is on the phone, and my impression is that he really isn't paying attention to what he's doing. I finally get up to the counter and hand him my one winning ticket and play slips and he runs them through and says, "That will be $32.00." And I said, "There must be some mistake, it should be only $27.00" and sure enough, I show him where he ran one of my play slips through, twice. Now, I don't play quick picks, I pick all my numbers using a system. So he says, "well, you can buy this ticket, or I'll have to buy it," and I said, "I'm not paying extra because of your mistake. You need to pay attention to what you're doing." So he says, "Okay, but if one of these tickets is the winner, then I guess we'll have to split the jackpot." I just left without saying anything else.

But after thinking about it, later, I thought that if we did actually have to split the jackpot that I would start talking to lawyers. Now, I realize the odds of both of us actually winning the jackpot, but what if...? I just don't see why I should have to split the jackpot in half because of his incompetent, stupid mistake. And remember, I didn't pick these numbers by chance. I did use a system.

I guess that the thing that really gripes my behind is that there is so much incompetence and ineptitude in this world that one might actually have to split a winning jackpot in half because of it. Is it too much to ask for a competent sales clerk that can run lottery tickets without making a mistake?

Now don't get me wrong. I've worked as a sales clerk in the past, and I know what it's like to have to deal with the general public. And I know that mistakes on occasion, do happen. But at the very least, I did try to pay attention to what I was doing.

Poor thing...How will you ever get thru this?
kwint

Chesapeake, VA
United States
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September 15, 2008
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Oct 22, 2008, 11:48 pm

Imagine if you did win the jackpot on the ticket that was ran twice...TWICE THE JACKPOT

Its like poker: you can play your best but you gotta know when to fold your cards and take a rest. Hold your cards, take a breath, and hope that nobody else is stacking the deck.
ThatScaryChick

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November 21, 2007
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Oct 23, 2008, 12:19 am

Quote: Originally posted by kwint on Oct 22, 2008
Imagine if you did win the jackpot on the ticket that was ran twice...TWICE THE JACKPOT

He would only win twice the money on any prize except the jackpot. If more then one ticket wins the jackpot, it gets spilt among the winners.

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KY Floyd

NY
United States
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October 16, 2005
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Oct 24, 2008, 1:57 am

I've wondered if one of the reasons that tickets can't be cancelled is because it increases sales by forcing somebody to pay for the ones that are printed by accident.

Nobody has any kind of proprietary right to the numbers they play, but in the situation you describe "your" numbers aren't being played by simple coincidence. That second ticket was printed by *mistake* and the lottery says that tickets printed in error aren't valid. That's the argument I would expect an attorney to make if presented with such a case. The possibility of the court agreeing is a good reason not to buy tickets that weren't printed for you. You could think you were buying a perfectly good ticket and then have the court rule that the ticket is invalid.
savagegoose

adelaide sa
Australia
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April 11, 2006
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Oct 24, 2008, 4:01 am

the more i hear about american lotteries the more suckey they sound. if it wasnt for the huuuge jackpots no one would play em.

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