Millions of Americans play the lottery on a daily basis, hoping to score a big win and be set for life. While the odds of winning the lottery are extremely slim, many people hold out hope that someday they will be that lucky winner.
Well one man, Ward Thomas of Long Beach, California, won a $5 million scratcher game from a local gas station, but he’s having to sue the California Lottery Commission.
The problem here is that he sent his 16-year-old son Benjamin into the gas station while he pumped gas to exchange the ticket and it’s against California law for a minor to purchase a ticket.
Can you imagine winning $5 million and the state doesn’t want to pay you because of this technicality?
Source: CBS Los Angeles:
Thomas’ lawsuit accuses the commission of discharge of mandatory duty, breach of contract, negligence, and intentional and negligent representation, claiming no one at the gas station—also a defendant in the suit—told his son he could not buy the ticket because he was under the age of 18.
Thomas says he sent his son into the station to exchange winning scratchers for new ones last October. One of the five he received in return was the $5 million winner, but the elder Thomas claims he, not his son, was the buyer.
CBS2 legal analyst Steve Meister says the family does not have a strong case. “It’s not the state’s responsibility to now say, ‘OK, because someone let you play, here’s your million dollars.’”
He sent a minor child to do something illegal and the business sold the minor child something he legally could not buy. The father does not own the lottery ticket, the minor does. And, the minor can’t be paid because he bought the ticket illegally.
How did the lottery commission know the kid bought the ticket? Even if the store knew, wouldn’t they keep it quiet? Otherwise, they would lose their bonus for selling a winning ticket, plus they would probably lose their license for selling to a minor. There’s something missing in this story.
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