Lottery Etiquette

Ok, when you get a group of people together to buy a batch of lottery tickets for the Megamillions Lottery or the Powerball Lottery, or even the state lottery, remember to do the following:

1. The organizer of the lottery purchase must get the required $5 or any specified amount from each participant

2. He/she would go the nearest convenience store that sells lottery tickets and make the necessary purchase

3. He/she would then make a copy of the lottery tickets and distribute it among the people that have entered the pool.

4. If any of the lottery numbers score, the group can choose to re-invest the winnings (if the amount won was really small), or ensure that each person gets the proper winning amount (if won 1st or 2nd prize).

Unfortunately, it did not happen for a group of Ohio lottery players in Warren. These ten people used to get together regularly for breakfast, and they would chip in five bucks apiece, and the organizer would buy the lottery tickets for the group. Sometimes they would win 10-12 dollars from time to time. But on October 7, one of the organizer's tickets did win -- $250,000.

The bad news is that the organizer said the winning ticket did not come from the group's batch but from his wife's who purchased them a few days earlier. The rest of the group investigated, got some data from the Lottery Commission, and confronted the organizer with evidence that the winning ticket was bought with the group's batch, not his wife. The result out of all of this -- LAWSUIT!

They are suing the organizer for $450,000 in punitive and compensatory damages. I guess that's one way to lose the group's friendship. This whole thing would not happen if the guy made copies of the tickets he bought to the rest of the players. It would have avoided any miscommunication or any mistrust. I know of some friends that would do a pool of tickets, then buy some on the side.

The preliminary hearing is being held next Thursday morning at Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

WKBN News - Friendly Lottery Club Turns to Lawsuit