US man sues lottery after being told $340m win is error
A resident of Washington DC who believed he had won a $340 million (£270 million) jackpot is taking legal action against Powerball and the DC Lottery, alleging that they erroneously published his winning numbers.
John Cheeks expressed feeling “numb” upon discovering that the winning numbers announced by Powerball in January 2023 matched those on his ticket. However, when he presented his ticket to the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG), his claim was rejected.
“One of the claims agents told me my ticket was no good, just to throw it in the trash can,” he recounted to the BBC.
Refusing to discard his ticket, Mr. Cheeks sought legal representation and is now suing the lottery for damages amounting to the Powerball jackpot, plus accrued interest totaling $340 million.
According to court filings, Powerball and its lottery partner, Taoti Enterprises based in Washington DC, attribute the confusion to a technical glitch.
A Taoti employee stated in a court document that on January 6, 2023, the day Mr. Cheeks purchased his ticket, a quality assurance team was conducting tests on the website.
On that day, a set of test Powerball numbers, which matched Mr. Cheeks’ numbers – was posted on the website “accidentally”, according to court documents. Those numbers remained online for three days, until 9 January.
The numbers online did not match the numbers that were drawn at the last lottery draw, according to the Taoti employee.
Neither Powerball nor Taoti responded to the BBC’s request for comment.
Mr Cheeks is now suing on eight separate counts, including breach of contract, negligence, and infliction of emotional distress. and fraud.
Mr. Cheeks’ lawyer, Richard Evans, said in court documents that because the winning numbers matched Mr. Cheeks’ numbers, he is entitled to the “entire jackpot”. Otherwise, Mr Evans said, Mr Cheeks is entitled to damages for the “gross negligence” of the lottery in posting erroneous lottery numbers.
“This lawsuit raises critical questions about the integrity and accountability of lottery operations and the safeguards – or lack thereof – against the type of errors that Powerball and the DC Lottery contend occurred in this case,” Mr Evans told the BBC in a statement.
“This is not merely about numbers on a website; it’s about the reliability of institutions that promise life-changing opportunities, while heavily profiting in the process,” he said.
Mr Cheeks told the BBC he is hopeful. “I know the justice system will prevail,” he said, adding that the lottery winnings would have been life-changing for him and his family.
If he wins, he plans to open a home trust bank, meant to assist aspiring homeowners.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 23 February.
The odds of Mr Cheeks, or anyone, winning the jackpot are exceedingly rare, about one in 292.2 million. In comparison, the odds of being struck by lightning over the next year is 1 in 1.22 million, according to the US National Weather Service.
