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State of Play’s TL;DR
- A California man lost his case to be paid $750K on a lottery ticket he claimed he purchased in 2021.
- He was instead ordered to pay $153K.
A California man’s bid to collect a claimed $750,000 Scratchers prize ended with a court loss and a $153,200 bill. The case is a stark reminder that state lotteries can refuse payment on tickets deemed altered or counterfeit.
James Densley sued the California State Lottery Commission in April 2022 after it refused to honor a poker-themed Scratchers ticket he said he bought in September 2021.
According to the lawsuit, the ticket showed a flush beating the lottery’s hand of three queens, which Densley argued was worth a $75,000 prize multiplied by 10 for a total of $750,000.
Judge sides with California Lottery in ticket dispute
The California Attorney General’s Office argued the ticket had been torn into multiple pieces and reconstructed with cellophane tape. State lawyers also alleged the play symbols had been rearranged to make the ticket appear to be a winner.
California law bars the Lottery from paying prizes on altered or counterfeit tickets, as well as certain unreadable tickets or those missing required play-symbol captions.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile granted the state’s motion to dismiss and entered judgment for the lottery.
Densley was then ordered to pay $153,200 in attorneys’ fees and costs. Densley was not directly accused of altering the ticket himself.
Why the ruling matters
For players, the case shows how little room there is for dispute once a ticket’s condition is challenged. Even a claim tied to an apparent winning combination can fail if the ticket is considered altered under state law.
Attempting to fraudulently claim a lottery prize with a tampered ticket can lead to criminal exposure in California, including possible felony grand theft or forgery charges.
Casino.org cited a prior California case involving James McMinn of Menifee, who was convicted of felony perjury in September 2018 after allegedly taping together different Powerball ticket pieces to claim a $435 million jackpot. He received three years’ probation.
Based on reporting by Philip Conneller for Casino.org.
