A Pennsylvania woman is reportedly required to return a $4.15 million winning lottery ticket to the Acme store where it was printed.
Beverlie Seltzer, an employee at the store, said that the winning ticket was hers, according to Newsweek. The court ruled that the ticket, which was printed by mistake, belonged to the store.
Woman can’t keep $4.15M winning lottery ticket, court rules https://t.co/R2Ew0Zskzd
— masslivenews (@masslivenews) December 16, 2020
State Judge Mary Jane Bowes reportedly said that Seltzer found the winning ticket after the winning lottery numbers had been announced.
Bowes goes on to say that security cameras show Seltzer paying $10 for a ticket, but took the winning ticket instead of a new one, according to Newsweek. (RELATED: Florida Man Arrested After Trying To Cash In Stolen Lottery Ticket At Same Store He Swiped It From, Police Say)
“Acme became the owner of the mistake ticket as soon as it was printed,” Bowes reportedly said.
Stores are required to pay the lottery commission for any ticket printed by mistake, but the store is also allowed to keep any winnings, reports Newsweek.
“Even viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to Ms. Seltzer, no reasonable fact-finder could conclude that Ms. Seltzer acted with the good faith belief that she was permitted by law or by Acme’s policies to give Acme $10 in exchange for $4,150,000,” said Bowes, according to Newsweek.
An earlier hearing and Superior Court panel reportedly also agreed Acme was the actual owner of the ticket.