A Washington, D.C., man has sued Powerball for $340million after he claimed he was unfairly denied prize money despite having the winning numbers that were displayed on the website.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
John Cheeks purchased a Powerball ticket on January 6, 2023, and chose his numbers based on his family members’ birthdays.
He missed watching the live drawing the following day, but discovered on January 8 that his numbers matched what he found on the D.C. lottery website and saw the whopping $320million prize.
‘I got a little excited, but I didn’t shout, I didn’t scream. I just politely called a friend. I took a picture as he recommended, and that was it. I went to sleep,’ Cheeks told News4.
He soon realized the numbers on the website and ticket did not match the numbers that were drawn on TV, even though his numbers were displayed online for three days, the lawsuit claimed.
According to the filing, the lottery contractor, Taoti Enterprises, made a ‘mistake’ and posted the wrong winning numbers on the website.
Cheeks’ lawsuit has requested that Powerball pay him the winnings from the ticket he thought he held, plus an additional $72,000 per day of interest payments ‘due for failure to pay.’
The amount equals roughly $340million.
Cheeks said he didn’t rush to claim his prize as he was busy with his job. He is working on creating a home trust bank that would provide individuals with loans who don’t qualify for traditional mortgages.
‘The crisis of the homeownership situation here in the District, Virginia and Maryland,’ he said.
‘Tent cities over at the State Department. Tent cities at Union Station.’
According to the legal documents, Cheeks discovered his fortune was threatened after he went to a licensed lottery retailer and his prize was denied.
He then moved on to the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming prize center, where he received another denial and a request from a claims officer.
Cheeks said the officer told him his ticket was not valid and that he should ‘just throw it in the trash can.’
‘And I gave him a stern look. I said, “In the trash can?”‘ He then recalled the officer confirmed that he should throw the ticket away and said: ‘You’re not gonna get paid.’
Against the officer’s orders, Cheeks kept the ticket and stored it in a safe deposit box before he reached out to a lawyer for help.
‘They have said that one of their contractors made a mistake. I haven’t seen the evidence to support that yet,’ Cheek’s lawyer, Richard Evans, told News4.
‘Even if a mistake was made, the question becomes: “What do you do about that?”‘ he said, before adding a similar case occurred in Iowa, and that the contractor paid the winnings out to the plaintiff.
DailyMail.com contacted Powerball and Taoti Enterprises but did not hear back.
Taoti Enterprises previously replied to News4 request for comment and said that a response would be coming. The other organizations told the outlet that they cannot comment on ongoing lawsuits.
The jackpot that Cheeks thought was his eventually grew to $754.6million and a ticketholder won the prize on February 6.
According to U.S. News, the odds of winning the Powerball is about one in 292.2million, and the chances of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is about one in 302.6million.
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
______________________________________________________________________
“Bridging Theory And Courtroom Practice” — Hagler Sunny Okorie, Nathaniel Ngozi Ikeocha Unveil ‘Functional’ Tort Law Book For Nigerian Legal System
The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209.
