New Delhi:

A man from Washington DC has decided to take legal action against Powerball and the DC lottery after he believed he had won a jackpot of $340 million (over Rs 2,800 crore).

John Cheeks reportedly purchased a Powerball ticket on January 6, 2023, which has become the subject of intense controversy protector.

The report added that despite missing the Powerball drawing the next day, Mr. Cheeks was surprised to find his number on the Washington, D.C. Lottery website two days later. However, Powerball and the D.C. Lottery claimed his numbers were published in error, sparking a contentious legal battle over the legitimate winner of the massive jackpot.

during an interview nbc washingtonMr Cheeks recalled his initial reaction, saying: “I was a little excited, but I didn’t shout, I didn’t scream. I just politely called a friend. I took a picture as he suggested and that was it. That’s it. I’m going to bed.”

However, Cheeks’ claim was rejected after submitting the ticket to the Office of Lotteries and Gaming (OLG).

Court documents reportedly said administrators denied Mr Cheeks’ jackpot claim. In a letter to him, they explained that his prize claim was denied because the ticket was not verified as a winner by OLG’s gaming system, as required by OLG regulations.

“A claims agent told me my ticket was bad and just threw it in the bin,” Mr Cheeks recalled to the BBC.

He remembers replying, “I gave him a stern look. I said, ‘In the trash can?’ ” ‘Oh yeah, just throw it away. You won’t get paid. There’s a trash can right there.”

Mr. Cheeks chose not to throw away the ticket, but put it in a safe and sought legal counsel to file a lawsuit against Powerball. The lawsuit filed by Mr Cheeks also names the Multi-State Lottery Association and gaming contractor Ceramic Enterprises as defendants, the report added.

The report adds that he is currently seeking lottery compensation equal to the Powerball jackpot, plus daily interest he earned on it, totaling $340 million.

Mr. Cheeks is currently suing on eight separate counts, including breach of contract, negligence, infliction of emotional distress and fraud.

His lawyer, Richard Evans, argued that because the winning numbers matched Mr. Cheeks’s, he should receive the entire jackpot.

Evans said in a statement to the BBC: “This lawsuit raises key questions about the integrity and accountability of lottery operations and the safeguards against errors of the kind that Powerball and DC Lottery claim occurred in this case measures (or lack thereof).”

Mr Evans stressed the issue was not just the numbers on the website.

An upcoming hearing in the case is scheduled for February 23.