MegaMillions theft victim speaks out
Friday October 30th 2009Willis Willis, the 67 year old named as the Texas Lottery MegaMillions theft victim speaks out recently to a news reporter for Austin News, Jenny Hoff. Mr Willis took his winning ticket to his local store to be checked when he realised his numbers had come in and expected to receive $1 million, instead the cashier gave him just $2.
The odds of picking the winning numbers for the MegaMillions are a staggering 1 in 3.9 million and Willis Willis has been playing the Texas Lottery game for about 10 years and spending about $1,000 a year on lottery tickets in that time making him the type of player the Texas Lottery and MegaMillions depend on.
Mr. Willis’s attorney said in the two minute news reel that in this case the Texas Lottery made the mistake, not Mr. Willis. Sean Breen , the attorney, then goes on to say that the “integrity of the lottery system depends upon winners being paid”. On Monday a meeting is scheduled between the attorney and the Texas Lottery Commission at which point it is hoped that the money will be paid to Mr Willis.
Although some of the money has been recouped from the bank accounts of the store clerk who claimed the money, the full amount has still not been recovered and the battle continues to see whether the rightful owner, Mr Willis, will be paid his winnings of $1 million by the Texas Lottery.
When you buy lottery tickets online situations like these don’t arise simply because all tickets purchased are done so in the name of the registered account holder. Maybe someone should suggest this to poor Mr. Willis.