California Woman Accidentally Gives Winning Lottery Ticket to Homeless Man…Now She Wants It Back
- Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:32pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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Lightning doesn’t strike twice without a catch.
Emily Leach of Mountain View, California, thanked her lucky stars in January when she won $1 million on a lottery ticket, which was desperately needed to payoff substantial medical debts. With the new revenue, she performed random acts of kindness, like offering $100 to a homeless man waiting behind her in line at the same liquor store where she bought the winning ticket.
Despite already hitting the jackpot, the past winner still plays, and was at the liquor store to pickup an armload of Scratchers cards. During the transaction with the homeless man, she accidentally handed over one of her cards. The San Jose Mercury reports that Leach’s act of generosity turned out to be much grander than she originally anticipated:
“Just how generous became apparent Sunday. That’s when Leach learned a lottery ticket purchased while she was in line had hit for $260,000. The still unidentified man she gave the $100 returned to the store Saturday to say he had the ticket, and according to Leach, to claim that her good luck had rubbed off on him.
There was just one problem: Leach insists she never intended to buy the lottery ticket for him, and she wants it back.
“That’s my ticket,” Leach said. “He knows it’s my ticket. I feel like I’m going to come off as a huge, huge bitch if I say, ‘You need to give me my ticket back.’ “
The California Lottery Commission is investigating Leach’s claim, but state officials tell ABC News that it looks like Leach gave the ticket away in security footage:
“Russ Lopez, spokesman for the California Lottery, told ABC News they investigate disputes with tickets, and their security and law enforcement division looking into this case.
‘At this point we would not make a judgment as to who owns the ticket. The ticket has not been claimed yet. Once the ticket has been claimed then we can say a little bit more,’ Lopez said.
However, he has seen part of the surveillance footage from the store and says it appears to show Leach giving away the tickets she bought to patrons in the store. They are trying to determine all the information before making a formal decision on who actually owns the ticket, he added.”
Lopez went on to say that the odds any one person could have won the $1 million lottery last January were 1 in 1.2million, and the chances of winning on the scratch-off last Friday were a staggering 1 in 3.9million.
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Comments (85)
deeberj
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:38pmEven if she didn’t “mean” to give away the ticket, and the only way I can imagine this being true is it was stuck to the money she gave the guy, she did give it to him and so it’s his. She should not be able to get it back.
The only way she should be able to get it back is if he picked her pocket and took it.
Report Post »deeberj
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:47pmI mean, if saying you didn’t mean to do something completely invalidates it, I can think of some things I didn‘t mean to do that I’d like to take back.
Report Post »charleyrocks
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 4:16pmStupid woman, how much is enough twit.
Report Post »chrisden
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 10:00pmThere have been legal cases just like this and since she freely gave the ticket to the homeless man it is his and she has no right to get it back. The homeless man could give it back to her or share the winnings with her, but that is strickly up to him.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:13amI agree. She gave it to him and it is his. Go away, maybe he will give you a couple of thousand for your giving it to him, but I wouldn’t give it back. She is an “indian” giver. Tough cookie.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:37pmApparently, the little angel on her shoulder giving cash and lotto tickets away was really a devil in disguise.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 6:16amShe is foolish. She made one of those “mistakes” people call everything besides a real mistake (which is, to me like punching in a wrong number or writing one down.) She gave him the ticket. It is his. I hope he goes and spends all of it he wants. She thought she would give someone something worthless just to look like she was giving him something. Tough break, lady so just suck it up.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:35pmShe definitely did not intend to give him a winning ticked. She just wanted him to know how good it would feel to have the promise of hope and change in his life.
Report Post »bertdorf3
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 7:57pmThat’s freaking hilarious… really though, all he owes her is $100, out of the kindness of his heart.
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:31pmRule #1: Never give the homeless more than $5 or else they will drink themselves to death.
Better yet, give them a McDonald’s coupon. This way you’ll learn some new vocabulary.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:26pmFoolish woman, don‘t you know you’re only suppose to give away LOSING tickets. Idiot.
Report Post »tmplarnite
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:24pmIndian giver………
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 11:03pmPlease specify which type of indian.
Report Post »She would probably buy more lottery tickets with it anyways.
They use lottery tickets to gauge taxation if you can buy them you are not taxed enough.
Lotteries are voluntary taxation.
theshortwhiteguy
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:20pmI had something like this happen to me one time. When I was younger, I ended up with a nice young lady at the state fair. Me being the young innocent virgin at the time, I invited back to the horse barn to roll around in the hay and eat some funnel cake. That nice young lady stole my funnel cake. I didn’t intend to give it to her – she stole it, and to this day I still want it back!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 5:40pmDid you get any Hay on your Funnel cake??
Report Post »theshortwhiteguy
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 5:53pmI never got to taste that funnel cake, so I don’t know if it had hay in it or not.
To add insult to injury, I had to yell for the stable manager to turn of the horsey ride and refund my nickel when I fell of and got my foot stuck in the stirrup.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:15pmHmm, seems like she is out of luck. You willingly gave the ticket away. You lost sweetheart. Learn your lesson and move on.
Report Post »GODBLESSOURCOUNTRY
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:10pmI wonder why she isn’t going after all of the winning tickets? With all of the tickets passed out, there have to be more winners than just the 260K. Why pass them out at all? Did you think no one was going to win?
Report Post »Lover of America
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:08pmYou’r an idiot
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:08pmGiving 100 dollars to a homeless man in a liquor store – she should be imprisoned, lol!
Well, at least we know she’s a democrat – she has no job, has debt she cant pay, and already needs the winnings of her next lotto ticket.
The homeless man will be dead within 6 months.
Report Post »Lover of America
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:07pmYou people are pathetic!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 5:51pmThen you go get it from him.
Report Post »Silversmith
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:06pmBless it and move on. You were buying tickets and giving them away to give others a chance to win – the universe has heard your prayer and made it manifest. You should be happy!
Silversmith
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:00pmBet she will not be giving away anymore tickets………..bad , bad person.
Report Post »forthepeople
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:58pmLife has no ‘ Do- Overs ‘ or ’ Re – Do‘s ’ , but mankind / humans are trying to change that …. sad day ?
Report Post »RediPatriot
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 4:47pmI beg to differ with your for_the_people! You can get a do-over or a redo – it is call being saved and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Hence a do-over, your sins are now forgiven. Now if everyone will just go out and do one thing nice each day for a person the world will start becoming a better place. God Bless America!
Report Post »NoNannyState4me
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:57pmLet no good deed go unpunished. Tough luck, honey.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:56pmI wonder has Glenn Beck ever prayed on about who he really is? Glenn, did you run to the Sepulcher to see the linen clothes “Lie?” You sure do remind me of someone named Simon.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:00pmAnd you sure do like fishing for men.
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:03pmYou sure remind me of an idiot tim.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:08pmIt doesn’t matter, because when the new earth and New Jerusalem comes down, all will be revealed. And we will learn Jesus’ New Name, and the New names of the Apostles.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:13pmHmm, earth and Heaven, earth and Jerusalem? Huh, who would have thunk it?
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:17pmJerusalem is not a geographical location, it is an idea.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:19pmThe Lord couldn’t care less who controls that city over there, because it isn’t Jerusalem.
Report Post »Face...Palm
Posted on March 29, 2012 at 2:11amtim….. you need a nap or something.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:55pmYou’re gonna save the word right? LMAO You just paid for some derelict’s booze and drugs for a while.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:49pm.
Report Post »Boy it must Suck to Be You about right now LMAO……………
poster
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:48pmShe HAS to be a Liberal. She’s all “giving” until it costs HER something. Kiss it good-bye, lady. Take comfort in knowing YOU have truly helped your fellow man. We, the humble public, say, “thank you”. You have taken one of the downtrodden off of the cruel streets. You are a saint!
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:46pmDefinitely a message from God to reveal to this woman what is really in her heart.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:54pmNot much character, eh? Love of money…
Wanted people to think she was generous. LOL
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:43pmPossession is 9/10s of the law?
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:43pmRat FARTS!!!!!!! ZAP!!!!
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:01pmdid somebody call me?
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 3:40pmHa!
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:41pmAnd I thought Encinom was the idiot of the year, then comes along Monicne to claim the title.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on March 28, 2012 at 2:40pmIt was an accident. LOL
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