GAITHERSBURG, Md. – A Washington D.C. man is taking legal action against Powerball and the DC Lottery after believing he had won a $340 million jackpot. John Cheeks claims that his winning numbers were published by mistake, leading to a denial of his claim by the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG).
According to court documents, the confusion arose from a technical error by a lottery contractor, Taoti Enterprises, who claimed that a set of test Powerball numbers, which matched Mr. Cheeks’ numbers, was posted on the website “accidentally.” These numbers remained online for three days, leading to the mix-up.
Mr. Cheeks is now suing for damages totaling the Powerball jackpot, plus interest, stating that he is entitled to the entire jackpot due to the matching numbers. His lawyer, Richard Evans, emphasized the critical questions raised about the integrity and accountability of lottery operations and the need for safeguards against such errors.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 23 February. The odds of winning the jackpot are exceedingly rare, about one in 292.2 million, making the likelihood of Mr. Cheeks, or anyone, winning the jackpot very low. In comparison, the odds of being struck by lightning over the next year is 1 in 1.22 million, according to the US National Weather Service.
Mr. Cheeks expressed hope in the justice system prevailing, emphasizing the life-changing potential of the lottery winnings for him and his family. He also mentioned plans to open a home trust bank to assist aspiring home owners if he wins the case.