Mega Millions jackpot winner sues California Lottery claiming he bought 2 winning tickets

[Zorro]

The plot thickens in the case of a missing jackpot-winning lottery ticket that expired over the weekend.

A man who won one of two Mega Millions jackpots from the same drawing, both sold at the same store, claims he actually purchased both winning tickets but lost the other. Now he’s suing the California Lottery in hopes of keeping the entire pot.

Faramarz Lahijani came forward in June to claim the winnings from one of two winning lottery tickets sold at the same gas station in Encino in December 2023.

He was awarded $197 million for presenting one of the winning tickets. But now, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Lahijani is claiming he’s the rightful owner of both winning tickets.

https://ktla.com/news/california/mega-millions-jackpot-winner-sues-california-lottery-claiming-he-bought-2-winning-tickets/

When $197M just isn't enough...

[Cartoonist]

1. He's gonna need that 197M

To pay court costs on a losing case. The burden is on him to prove he bought two winning tickets.

[NoRethugFriends]

2. What a dick

[Sneederbunk]

3. Maybe his dog ate it.

[ColinC]

4. So then he will split it with... himself?

[BadgerKid]

5. In many states, unclaimed funds go to the state.

What’s to stop states from claiming multiple winners to reduce payout?

[Emile]

6. What are the odds?

[Midnight Writer]

7. Really. There was a mathematician a few years back who won a bunch of huge scratch-off jackpots.

She studied the way tickets were distributed in the State of Texas. Texas divides the winning tickets by region so that all the winners don't come from the same area. She found a particular town in a remote area where there was only one store selling lottery tickets, and she arranged with the owner of the store to buy all the tickets they got before any of the public could buy them.

This upped her odds enough that she was able to make millions in winnings.

[DiverDave]

8. WTF?

Just take the money and go away.
You lost a winning ticket?
That's it. Time ran out.