John Cheeks, a resident of Washington DC, was elated when he thought he had won the Powerball jackpot worth $340 million. However, his excitement quickly turned to disappointment when the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) denied his claim, stating that his ticket was not valid. Now, Mr. Cheeks is taking legal action against Powerball and the DC Lottery, claiming that they mistakenly published his winning numbers.
According to Mr. Cheeks, he felt "numb" when he first saw that the winning numbers matched those on his ticket in January 2023. Despite being told by a claims agent to throw his ticket away, Mr. Cheeks held onto it and sought legal counsel. He is now suing for damages, seeking the full jackpot amount plus interest.
Powerball and a lottery contractor, Taoti Enterprises, have claimed that the confusion arose from a technical error. A set of test Powerball numbers, which matched Mr. Cheeks' numbers, was accidentally posted on the website on the day he bought his ticket and remained online for three days. The numbers online did not match the numbers drawn in the actual lottery draw.
Mr. Cheeks is suing on eight separate counts, including breach of contract, negligence, infliction of emotional distress, and fraud. His lawyer, Richard Evans, argues that because the winning numbers matched Mr. Cheeks' numbers, he is entitled to the entire jackpot or damages for the lottery's gross negligence.
"This lawsuit raises critical questions about the integrity and accountability of lottery operations," Mr. Evans said in a statement. "It's about the reliability of institutions that promise life-changing opportunities while heavily profiting in the process."
Mr. Cheeks, who views the lawsuit as a matter of justice, hopes to open a home trust bank to assist aspiring homeowners if he wins. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 23 February.
Winning the Powerball jackpot is exceedingly rare, with odds of about one in 292.2 million. Despite the odds, Mr. Cheeks remains hopeful that the justice system will prevail in his case.
