Misprint causes American Couple to think they'd won a $4.3m lottery

OutlawPete

Have your numbers ever come up, but you hadn't bought a ticket for that specific draw when they did?

Couple in the states thought they had won the Lottery but the newspaper had printed the numbers from the previous draw instead:

Newspaper Misprint Leads Colorado Couple to Think They Won $4.3M Lottery

For a moment it seemed like their world had changed.

Jim and Dorothy Sprague believed that they had become millionaires overnight when matched six numbers in the Colorado Lottery.

They began celebrating and thinking about the new life of luxury they would be living with the $4.3m jackpot.

But their hopes were dashed a few hours later when they realised the local newspaper in which they checked their numbers had printed the wrong draw.

The couple had chosen their numbers for the draw last Saturday and checked them the following day in the Pueblo Chieftain newspaper.

To their surprise, the numbers on their tickets matched exactly the six that were in the local newspaper.

'I woke up and found out we were millionaires,' Jim Sprague told NBC station KOAA.

Mistake: Jim Sprague with 'wining ticket' and newspaper with draw.

Mr Sprague, from Pueblo, Colorado, called his children and excitedly told them that he had won the jackpot in the Lotto and Cash 5 draw.

The family no doubt had started dreaming of their new life - and how to spend the millions they believed they had won.

But a few hours later after checking the numbers again they were politely informed that they had actually matched the numbers from the Friday Matchplay draw which had been printed again by mistake.

'We had told my son and my daughter, and we were getting ready to tell our other kids, but we found the mistake, that it was wrong,' Sprague said.

Source

Couple seem to be taking it in their stride, not sure I would be tbh.

Got me thinking about my own numbers and the times that I haven't done the draw. As I always pick the same seven numbers (which is seven lines, need any six of the seven numbers to come up to win) I had always wondered had the numbers stuck on a week when I hadn't done it. Been doing them on and off for maybe 12 years and so tonight, I bit the bullet and checked.

Anyway, turns out I didn't, most I would have got were four numbers up in 2007 but if it had of told me that I would have won had I stuck with them each week, I'm not sure I could get it out of my head for months maybe years. How about you? Do you pick the same numbers all the time? Could you handle knowing that you should have kept doing them?

If you think you could, then here's an online tool for checking the archive for them since the lottery first began.

RichieC

sick as a dog... no doubt they'll try sue for some made up american bollocks.

KeithM89_old

OutlawPete wrote: »

How about you? Do you pick the same numbers all the time?

I havent bought a ticket in years but i still hope that il somehow win it.

Saila

I forgot my ticket a while back and was the actual winner and when I went back to get it the girl said it was hers :mad:

hondasam

That would be so disappointing. If I do it I only get a quick pick.

cul-2008

I had an American woman thank me for taking away her starter cutlery today at work - "now I know which ones to use first".

This story does not surprise me in the least.

Dj Stiggie

cul-2008 wrote: »

I had an American woman thank me for taking away her starter cutlery today at work - "now I know which ones to use first".

This story does not surprise me in the least.

Hardly a comparison?

cul-2008

Dj Stiggie wrote: »

Hardly a comparison?

Come on, who would call their kids to say they've won the lotto without at least checking the teletext or online..

I was merely pointing out my opinion of the intelligence a small proportion of Americans have.

That is all.

whatsamsn

Americans?
Suprised they dont sue.
Wouldnt be suprised if they won. :rolleyes:

Kojak

Is it not a bit unusual that they took a full hour before they rang their children to tell them the "good news". You'd have thought that after maybe 5 minutes that they would have been on the phone.

Dj Stiggie

cul-2008 wrote: »

Come on, who would call their kids to say they've won the lotto without at least checking the teletext or online..

I was merely pointing out my opinion of the intelligence a small proportion of Americans have.

That is all.

The paper printed it wrong. If you saw it in the Irish Times or something you'd think that the writers there would have the intelligence to report that day's numbers.

However, the fact that the paper got the day wrong back up your argument about the intelligence of some Americans.

Jesus Wept

Pete, you are a complete amature, you should never pick the same numbers. Always choose a quickpick for this very reason.

JamieK

Surely somebody else had the same immediate mental reaction?
"Waaaaaaaaaaaayyyy"

Anybody? No okay so...

Aoifey!

I always hope I'll win, even though I've never bought a ticket in my life.

Thrill

RichieC wrote: »

sick as a dog... no doubt they'll try sue for some made up american bollocks.

Mental anguish, severe depression, whiplash etc, etc.

OutlawPete

The-Rigger wrote: »

Pete, you are a complete amature, you should never pick the same numbers. Always choose a quickpick for this very reason.

But my numbers are "due" I tell ya

Dj Stiggie

OutlawPete wrote: »

But my numbers are "due" I tell ya

Pete, don't argue with The Rigger. His username suggests he's done this stuff before

Lapin

The-Rigger wrote: »

Pete, you are a complete amature, you should never pick the same numbers. Always choose a quickpick for this very reason.

I always choose 2 lines of my own numbers and 1 quick pick on the same ticket.

Almost every time, at least 2 numbers on the quick pick match my own chosen numbers.

On one occasion 5 numbers were identical. (I kept that ticket and still have it somewhere.)

I'm not saying there's any shenanigans going on, but it does seem very coincidental all the same.

I just want my numbers to match the ones in the draw (preferably in week 10 of a rollover) whether they are quick picked by a machine or slow picked by me.

Tipsy McSwagger

If it was me I would check teletext, lotto.ie and those scanner things they have in shops just for full confirmation.

mikemac

Aertel Pg 150 for all your Irish lotto needs

I read on boards that when Ireland gets digital TV in the next few years, Teletext gets dropped and there will be no replacement.

A shame

desertcircus

If you have two lines of six numbers in a 1-42 lottery, the odds of a randomly selected number matching would be 12 in 42, or two in seven. Not surprising you get two numbers matching...

mikemac

Don't just laugh this off as an American thing

No, I don't have a link but I remember sort of a story in Ireland, was all over the radio a few years back, probably several years ago

A husband & wife bought the same numbers every week.
Whatever happened, they were given the wrong ticket by the shop assistant and they walked away. And the person behind in the queue bought their ticket with their numbers.
If you've ever been offered an already printed lotto ticket, these things happen.

The numbers won
The husband & wife contacted the winner and seems to be under the impression they would be given half as a goodwill gesture. Very naive.
The winner must have checked around and gotten legal advice as he gave them nothing!

So check your ticket when you leave the till. Some sickener to play the same numbers every week and they get nothing when they come up.

OutlawPete

feelingstressed wrote: »

No, I don't have a link but I remember sort of a story in Ireland, was all over the radio a few years back, probably several years ago

A husband & wife bought the same numbers every week.
Whatever happened, they were given the wrong ticket by the shop assistant and they walked away. And the person behind in the queue bought their ticket with their numbers.
If you've ever been offered an already printed lotto ticket, these things happen.

The numbers won
The husband & wife contacted the winner and seems to be under the impression they would be given half as a goodwill gesture. Very naive.
The winner must have checked around and gotten legal advice as he gave them nothing!

Oh I remember that too, here's a link:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/1203/lotto.html

mikemac

Here is how it finished up, I remembered the ending incorrectly

Got quite nasty and bitter, high court injuctions, settlements and then the newsagent got sued and the insurance company settled.

These cases realy bring out the worst in people. And the solicitors and legal teams were rubbing their hands, fighting a lotto case and they sure charged plenty

The Murrays rejected an initial offer of £250,000 (€317,000), insisting that they were entitled to at least half of the winnings, £800,000 (€1.015m). Mary Cullen says she and her husband were "offered a quarter", which they too declined. An out-of-court settlement was eventually reached on December 21, giving both couples an equal share. However, while the National Lottery agreed to pay the Cullens` legal bill of €138,303, there was no agreement to pay the Murrays` €150,000 costs. Nor did the National Lottery ever publicly confirm that the winning numbers had been the selection of Patricia Murray.

Having been bombarded with media attention as well as `begging` letters and phone calls (they had to change their number), Patricia and George felt they had been shabbily treated by the National Lottery and An Post. They sued them for their legal costs as well as The Gem for special damages. They received €85,000 from the newsagent`s insurers and decided last summer to abandon the outstanding legal proceedings because, "Frankly, we were worn out fighting the case," they say.

Seifer

So many people talking about teletext in this thread You know you have the internet right?

Seifer

Seifer wrote: »

So many people talking about teletext in this thread You know you have the internet right?

Old Dog, New tricks.

mikemac

Seifer wrote: »

So many people talking about teletext in this thread You know you have the internet right?

PG 150 for the lotto results
Very handy

Sir Gallagher

cul-2008 wrote: »

I had an American woman thank me for taking away her starter cutlery today at work - "now I know which ones to use first".

This story does not surprise me in the least.

it must be great craic to scoff at dumb Americans from the bastion of culture that is Limerick. :pac:

Kennie1

Kojak wrote: »

Is it not a bit unusual that they took a full hour before they rang their children to tell them the "good news". You'd have thought that after maybe 5 minutes that they would have been on the phone.

Hey when you are as Fat big as they are over there it really does take an hour to get off the couch and get the fone:eek:

Squirm

feelingstressed wrote: »

Here is how it finished up, I remembered the ending incorrectly

Got quite nasty and bitter, high court injuctions, settlements and then the newsagent got sued and the insurance company settled.

These cases realy bring out the worst in people. And the solicitors and legal teams were rubbing their hands, fighting a lotto case and they sure charged plenty

You'd have to feel a bit sorry for the Cullen's wouldn't you?
Imagine walking into a newsagent, buying your ticket, winning- yippee! Only to receive a call from someone you have never met, asking you for half, because apparently it should have been their ticket...
I appreciate the Murray's sueing The Gem, but it seems unfair that the Cullens were expected to give them HALF their winnings, despite the 'mix up' being no fault of their own.

mikemac

I'd say both sides walked away unhappy and the only winners were the lawyers, over 250k spent on legal fees

The lawyers always win!

I would support the Cullens there, they won the lotto and bought the ticket.
And made an good will offer to settle and it was rejected

I see why the Murrays sued but like buying phone credit or your change, you need to check these things before you walk away. Mistakes happen and while this was a freak event, it might happen again in the next decade or so