Man Wins Rs 2,800 Crore In Lottery, Company Dubs It As Website 'Mistake'

A man's hopes of winning a life-changing $340 million jackpot were dashed after being told that his seemingly winning Powerball ticket was not valid, sparking a lawsuit against Powerball and DC Lottery.

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He thought he had become the year's first multimillionaire

John Cheeks, hailing from Washington DC, purchased the Powerball ticket on January 6, 2023, with anticipation of potentially striking it rich.

Upon discovering that the numbers on his ticket matched those displayed on the DC Lottery's website, Cheeks believed he had become the year's first multimillionaire, meaning the ticket won him the $340 million (INR 2,800 crore) jackpot.

Ticket was deemed invalid

However, his excitement was short-lived when he learned that his ticket was deemed invalid.Despite the numbers seemingly aligning with the winning combination, discrepancies emerged when Cheeks visited the DC Office of Lottery and Gaming prize center to verify his ticket's legitimacy.

It was then revealed that the numbers posted on the website did not correspond with those drawn live on the program.?Recounting the incident, he said: “’Hey, this ticket is no good. Just throw it in the trash can."

The numbers were up on the website for some three days according to a complaint that he is making.??

Cheeks is now suing Powerball and DC Lottery after being told that his ticket was not valid, despite the numbers matching up. Cheeks' attorney, Richard Evans, alleged that contractor Taoti Enterprises had erroneously posted incorrect numbers on the website, leading to the misunderstanding.

In response, Cheeks initiated legal action against Powerball and DC Lottery, seeking recourse for what he perceives as a missed opportunity to claim his rightful winnings.

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