# Woman claims she lost winning lottery ticket **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 6, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000 "2004-01-06T14:08:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/1 "2004-01-06T14:08:12Z")
[Oh brother](http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,107454,00.html). :rolleyes: How much you want to bet if someone comes forward with the winning ticket, she’s going to try to sue to get the winnings? ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/2 "2004-01-06T14:17:29Z")
I dunno - this story makes the woman’s claim seem pretty legit. The winning numbers were hand-picked, not machine-picked, and she was able to rattle those numbers off from memory - I know it’s possible she could have memorized them afterward, but a lot of people always play the same numbers. It COULD be a scam, but my gut feeling (which, of course, counts for nothing, but still…) says it sounds good. I wonder if she DOES play the same numbers all the time? Maybe if she has a bunch of old tickets with the same numbers it would add some credence to her claim. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/3 "2004-01-06T14:33:47Z")
File this under TOO FUCKING BAD, DUMBSHIT! I’m not about to worry over inadequate protection for idiots. I don’t care if she presents a signed affadavit from the Pope claiming he sold her the ticket while moonlighting at the Quick-Stop, accompanied by a series of 8X10 glossies of every aspect of the transaction. The ONLY things you have to do to win the lottery is 1) purchase a ticket and 2) present a winning ticket for redemption. Would be pretty tough to dumb it down much more than that. Well, that may not be entirely fair, considering that the lottery is basically a tax on stupidity in the first place, … ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/4 "2004-01-06T15:02:11Z")
I live not too far from the market where the winning ticket was sold. You should have SEEN the people scouring the neighborhood looking for it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/5 "2004-01-06T15:18:11Z")
Buy another ticket w/ same numbers, even tho the date’s off. Make 200 copies. Distribute in fields around store. Sit back and enjoy the free entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/6 "2004-01-06T15:32:47Z")
**BREAKING NEWS!** According to Ohio Lottery Officials, someone’s turned in the winning lottery ticket! [http://treets.newsnet5.com/svc/lnk.cfm?l=29810186&t=1](http://treets.newsnet5.com/svc/lnk.cfm?l=29810186&t=1)\> ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/7 "2004-01-06T16:14:36Z")
Oh man! This is gonna get god! ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/8 "2004-01-06T16:15:24Z")
Aren’t you supposed to sign the backs of lotto tickets as well? I know at one point in time I did sign mine when the pot was big. Of course it did take her a week to notice she’d lost her purse? ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/9 "2004-01-06T16:47:51Z")
[http://www.local6.com/money/2743313/detail.html](http://www.local6.com/money/2743313/detail.html) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/10 "2004-01-06T16:51:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\*Oh man! This is gonna get god! \*\* —Did he buy a winning ticket, too? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/11 "2004-01-06T17:01:21Z")
It’s a different woman. Let the battle begin. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/12 "2004-01-06T17:11:34Z")
It’s a bearer instrument- he who has, collects. The person cashing is in a difficult position- you would like to help the unfortunate soul that bought the ticket but to acknowledge her claim in any way might open you up to a lawsuit. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/13 "2004-01-06T17:18:07Z")
She needs to do the right thing. Give her back the dollar. ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/14 "2004-01-06T17:37:03Z")
My favorite bit about the woman (Battle) who claims she lost the ticket. From the article: > [@](#): > > Battle said the numbers are significant in her life. > > 12-18 is her son’s birthday. > 32 is her other son’s birthday reversed. > 36 is year her sister was born. > 49 is her husband’s age. > 21 was picked for luck. “other son’s birthday _reversed_” Huh?? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/15 "2004-01-06T18:15:51Z")
The woman who turned in the ticket has a receipt for the sale. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/16 "2004-01-06T18:21:16Z")
Looks like Battle is a fraud. She never mentioned losing the receipt as well. > [@](#): > > Ohio Lottery Director Dennis Kennedy said officials were sure that Jemison is the rightful owner of the ticket, saying she provided a receipt from the convenience store marking the time the ticket was sold. Plus she played the same numbers the week before (although, I’ve seen no proof to that claim yet) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/17 "2004-01-06T18:32:57Z")
Maybe Battle didn’t ask for the receipt. Smart lady, Jemison…does the receipt show the numbers you’ve chosen? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/18 "2004-01-06T18:47:01Z")
I’m inclined to agree that the woman claiming to have lost it is mistaken. It could be she lost _a_ ticket but not _the_ ticket. I’d be interested to see if they have a security video at the lottery terminal at the time of sale. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/19 "2004-01-06T19:09:57Z")
> [@](#): > > _Ivylass wrote_ > **Smart lady, Jemison…does the receipt show the numbers you’ve chosen?** Just a nit-pick. The story (on CNN anyway) doesn’t say whether the receipt was for the ticket or _another item in the same store_. It just said “a receipt”. I rarely keep the little printout doo-hick lottery receipt thingamajig (in the extremely unusual times that I buy a lottery ticket) either. Presumably, if you lost the ticket (say from not sticking it in your pocket properly) you’d lose the receipt for it too. Though you might have a receipt for other items you purchased in the little plastic baggie. Either way, in addition to having the ticket in her hands, the receipt (for whatever it may be) puts the claimant in the right place at the right time, which is a helluva lot more proof than Battle’s presented to anyone. So unless Battle can produce something better, I’d say the rightful claimant has surrendered the ticket. (IMHO). ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000/20 "2004-01-06T19:50:20Z")
Well, looks like I was wrong. **Eats\_Crayons** , the story I read on AOL says that the receipt showed the date and time of the lottery ticket purchase. The lottery commision (or whatever it’s called) knows right away if they’ve got a winner, and since they knew where the ticket had been issued, they probably know when, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-she-lost-winning-lottery-ticket/223000.md?page=2)