Nowhere did I see where the retailer did not have to honor the ticket. If this is true then the GA Lottery need to clearly state that so the GA Lottery players can make an informed decision on if they will purchase a ticket or not.
Taken from the GA Lottery website...
http://www.galottery.com/help/faqs
Q. How do I claim a prize?
A. There are many ways for players to claim Georgia Lottery prizes. A player must present a valid winning ticket, along with proof of current address and a social security card. Prizes of $600 or less can be claimed at one of the more than 8,000 Georgia Lottery retailer locations. All prizes, including jackpot prizes, can be claimed at any Georgia Lottery district office or the Georgia Lottery's headquarters in Atlanta.
Q. What is the acceptable form of prize payment from a retailer?
A. A retailer can make payment in the form of cash, check or money order. Before a player cashes a winning ticket at a retailer location, it is a good idea to ask the retailer the form of payment to be given. This way the player knows the form of payment before the ticket is cashed.
How to Collect http://www.galottery.com/help/how-to-collect
All prizes up to and including $600 may be claimed at any Lottery retailer or from a Lottery District Office the following business day.
All prizes can be claimed at any Lottery District Office.
Winning tickets for on-line games (Powerball, Win for Life, Mega Millions, Fantasy 5, Georgia FIVE, CASH 4, CASH 3, KENO! and Sit & Win games) must be claimed within 180 days after the draw date. For Instant Games, players will have 90 days from End of Game date to redeem or claim Instant Game prizes for an individual Instant Game; thereafter, no claims shall be honored by the GLC.
If you wish to claim your prize by mail, please send a completed claim form supplied by any Lottery retailer, district office or by requesting one from a Player Information Representative, along with your signed ticket, to:
Georgia Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 56966
Atlanta, GA 30343
The Georgia Lottery Corporation is not responsible for tickets which are lost by the U.S. Postal Service or any other carrier.
For prizes over $600, winners must fill out a claim form and present two forms of valid identification. The GLC must be able to verify the winner's identity and Social Security Number (SSN), therefore; at least one form of identification must specifically identify the SSN. The preferred forms of acceptable identification are a valid driver's license with current address and a Social Security card. Please contact a Player Information Representative for other forms of acceptable identification.
Prizes of $600 or less can be claimed at a Georgia Lottery retailer or by simply filling out the back of the ticket and mailing it to the above GLC P.O. Box address.
For more information, call:
770-GA-LUCKY (770-425-8259) Metro Atlanta Only
1-800-GA-LUCKY (1-800-425-8259) In Georgia
1-800-255-0056 (Hearing Impaired-Georgia Relay Center)
1-770-GA -LUCKY (1-770-425-8259) Outside Georgia
Taken from the TX Lottery website.
This is what the rules in TX says....
Can I cash my ticket at the store? I tried recently and the retailer refused to pay my winning ticket. What can be done?
All retailers are authorized, but not required, to pay prizes of $599 or less. Retailers are not required to keep cash on hand to pay all tickets. They have the option of paying by check or money order. If they choose to pay by money order, they may not charge the player any fee for the money order.
You may also take the ticket directly to the Texas Lottery Claim Center nearest you, Claim Center locations.