Woman sues TV station over lottery numbers error

Feb 27, 2011, 8:25 am (63 comments)

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FORT LEE, N.J. — A Fort Lee, New Jersey, woman who says she thought fortune had smiled on her with a $250,000 winner in a 2009 Mega Millions drawing is suing WABC-TV for allegedly broadcasting the wrong winning numbers and leaving her devastated when she discovered she had won nothing.

Rakel Daniele is seeking $75,000 in damages from WABC-TV, American Broadcasting Co., the Walt Disney Co. and an unidentified "Jane Doe" in a lawsuit that was transferred to federal District Court in Newark last week from state Superior Court in Hackensack.

Daniele's lawyer, Evan Baker, did not return several calls on Thursday and Friday seeking comment.

James Altieri, the Florham Park attorney representing ABC and Disney, said it is "the company's policy not to comment on pending litigation."

According to Daniele's lawsuit, WABC-TV, the ABC network station in New York, broadcast the winning numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, with the mega ball 12, for the multistate Mega Millions lottery on June 19, 2009.

Daniele held a lottery ticket with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, with the mega ball 6, the lawsuit says.

Despite the fact that the numbers WABC-TV broadcast were wrong, the suit asserts, it compounded Daniele's alleged pain by "negligently, carelessly, recklessly and/or intentionally" rebroadcasting the erroneous numbers the next day.

The correct Mega Millions numbers for June 19, 2009, were 4, 9, 12, 16 and 46, with a mega ball of 44, according to the Mega Millions website.

Daniele was under the impression that she had won $250,000 as a result of the broadcast, the suit states, adding that she was "severely damaged" by relying on the "false and incorrect" lottery results.

The company should have known the numbers were incorrect, the suit states.

The broadcast and rebroadcast of the wrong Mega Millions numbers went "beyond all possible bounds of decency, and were atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community," it asserts.

The Record

Comments

kyokushin187's avatarkyokushin187

Are u kidding me? Let's say it all together now: douche bag. She should be slapped for even bringing that s**t to a judge.

megamanX's avatarmegamanX

another frivolous lawsuit

myturn08

Quote: Originally posted by kyokushin187 on Feb 27, 2011

Are u kidding me? Let's say it all together now: douche bag. She should be slapped for even bringing that s**t to a judge.

I agree with you, she should be slapped twice!!!

luisM

Normally I would agree with the comments posted above.

But why would the TV station broadcast 1,2,3,4,5 ? Looks like someone at the TV station wanted to have some fun.

and shame on the lady for playing 1,2,3,4,5, MB 6. Could happen, but unlikely.

So, in the end she wouldn't have won anyways, and shame on the TV station for pulling such a prank.

pantherjon

In all likelyhood, what was broadcast was a 'template' with the numbers in those positions as 'place holders'..Makes for simple 'copy/paste' when putting the numbers in..Accidentally showed the template..so, the TV station had an 'oops' moment..This woman needs a boot up her ass...

Littleoldlady's avatarLittleoldlady

A big boot.  What she is really doing is to try to get them to offer her a "settlement" which she will gladly accept.  Poor dummie.

LottoLin

Me thinks she was already Damaged before all this came about. You have to give her credit she knows how to count to 5. She is just a money grubber, and wants quick cash. If she wins this, watch how many more low lifes are going to try to pull this scam on the lottery for quick cash. It's a shame that everyone is out for a quick buck these days.

tiparker119's avatartiparker119

She should be sued for be "Stupid"...!!!!

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Really!!!!!

Stack47

"The broadcast and rebroadcast of the wrong Mega Millions numbers went "beyond all possible bounds of decency, and were atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community," it asserts."

If broadcasting the wrong numbers caused her pain and suffering, why wouldn't rebroadcasting the correct numbers over and over again cause pain and suffering to all the non-winner?

Just when you thought you saw it all.

time*treat's avatartime*treat

If one could sue the TV stations every time they broadcast inaccurate "info" ... Roll Eyes

Boney526's avatarBoney526

She may have a case, though.  Especially if it is true that they broadcast the wrong numbers AND she lost something or something happened to her as a result.

 

I'm not saying it's the right thing to do.

TheGameGrl's avatarTheGameGrl

True that!!!!

ALso, the regulations require that the ticket holder get the ticket "validated". That is the Key to this lawsuit. The state will counter and remind her and the judge of this. Her case will be dismissed with NO compensation.

The newstation will receive a harsh reminder that broadcasting does require accuracy. They really should have done a retraction and a public announcement of the error to clarify things.

Our station that airs it had that same glitch, within ten minutes they aired the CORRECT numbers and made a public announcement that they are responsible to have their tickets validated thru the state lottery system.

BaristaExpress's avatarBaristaExpress

Despite the fact that the numbers WABC-TV broadcast were wrong, the suit asserts, it compounded Daniele's alleged pain by "negligently, carelessly, recklessly and/or intentionally" rebroadcasting the erroneous numbers the next day.

 

The key to her lawsuit is the rebroadcasting of the wrong numbers again the following day!

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by BaristaExpress on Feb 27, 2011

Despite the fact that the numbers WABC-TV broadcast were wrong, the suit asserts, it compounded Daniele's alleged pain by "negligently, carelessly, recklessly and/or intentionally" rebroadcasting the erroneous numbers the next day.

 

The key to her lawsuit is the rebroadcasting of the wrong numbers again the following day!

Right, what other "news" has incorrectly been reported by journalists who refuse to double check information BEFORE reporting/broadcasting! BS

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

I am devastated that I did not win the PowerBall last nite!

They should have picked my numbers ............................................ 

.............................   Crazy

ahulette83

I think all of you that say the lady is stupid for the lawsuit are JEALOUS!!! I think she SHOULD WIN the lawsuit!!!! The news stations should NEVER have broadcast the wrong numbers the first time, and DEFENITLY shouldn't have done it the next morning! If I was her, I would be going for $500,000 - My $250,000 that I should have won and $250,000 in damages by the station!!!

 

FACE IT... you all are just hating because it didn't happen to you... your JEALOUS!!! And anyone else that should have won... even for a $1 should be in on the lawsuit. Teach the TV station a lesson!

 

Oh and about her trying to get rich quick or looking for quick cash... obviously ALL OF US are in for the same if you play the lottery.

ahulette83

Quote: Originally posted by TheGameGrl on Feb 27, 2011

True that!!!!

ALso, the regulations require that the ticket holder get the ticket "validated". That is the Key to this lawsuit. The state will counter and remind her and the judge of this. Her case will be dismissed with NO compensation.

The newstation will receive a harsh reminder that broadcasting does require accuracy. They really should have done a retraction and a public announcement of the error to clarify things.

Our station that airs it had that same glitch, within ten minutes they aired the CORRECT numbers and made a public announcement that they are responsible to have their tickets validated thru the state lottery system.

My validation would be the numbers matching what the TV station broadcasted. What if she had no other means to validate the ticket?  That "ticket validation" crap is them trying to cover their own @ss.

Your KEY to the lawsuit is simple... the TV station is guity of NEGLIGENCE! The station failed to correct their error in any REASONABLE amount of time, and in the process caused her pain and suffering.

megamanX's avatarmegamanX

I hope the TV station owner has the balls to not settle with her

grwurston's avatargrwurston

  No other means of validating the tickets? Are you kidding me? How about calling the lottery winning numbers line? How about going on line? How about going to a retailer to have the ticket checked? How about checking the numbers in the newspaper?

  The quality of the stupidity of some people is AMAZING!!!!

Dee88's avatarDee88

Quote: Originally posted by grwurston on Feb 27, 2011

  No other means of validating the tickets? Are you kidding me? How about calling the lottery winning numbers line? How about going on line? How about going to a retailer to have the ticket checked? How about checking the numbers in the newspaper?

  The quality of the stupidity of some people is AMAZING!!!!

          I Agree!

ameriken

I've heard that combinations like 1-2-3-4-5-(6) are extremely common, and tens, hundreds, if not thousands of people (depending on geography and popularity of the game) play that kind of combination. If the judge did allow that suit to go through, he may set a precedence that results in many more people following 'suit' (pun intended) and trying to cash in on and easy court award.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by ahulette83 on Feb 27, 2011

My validation would be the numbers matching what the TV station broadcasted. What if she had no other means to validate the ticket?  That "ticket validation" crap is them trying to cover their own @ss.

Your KEY to the lawsuit is simple... the TV station is guity of NEGLIGENCE! The station failed to correct their error in any REASONABLE amount of time, and in the process caused her pain and suffering.

She obviously had her ticket validated as worthless some where that was responsible for paying and validating lottery tickets, the radio station was never meant to be a validator of lottery tickets and I hope they sue her and her lawyer for the cost of defending themselves against such a scam.

grwurston's avatargrwurston

Quote: Originally posted by ameriken on Feb 27, 2011

I've heard that combinations like 1-2-3-4-5-(6) are extremely common, and tens, hundreds, if not thousands of people (depending on geography and popularity of the game) play that kind of combination. If the judge did allow that suit to go through, he may set a precedence that results in many more people following 'suit' (pun intended) and trying to cash in on and easy court award.

 How about the pain and suffering I suffer every time they announce the pick 3 number and I didn't have it? Or I do have it but on the opposite drawing?  Crying

ahulette83

Quote: Originally posted by grwurston on Feb 27, 2011

  No other means of validating the tickets? Are you kidding me? How about calling the lottery winning numbers line? How about going on line? How about going to a retailer to have the ticket checked? How about checking the numbers in the newspaper?

  The quality of the stupidity of some people is AMAZING!!!!

If she had NO OTHER MEANS, this could possibly be not having a phone, or having a computer to go online, or maybe a car to get to the retailer. There are people out there that don't have these things. Either way, she was still under the impression she won.

Before you judge the stupidity of others... I suggest you judge your own.

Like I said before.... PURE JEALOUSY!!!!Thumbs Up

ahulette83

Quote: Originally posted by grwurston on Feb 27, 2011

 How about the pain and suffering I suffer every time they announce the pick 3 number and I didn't have it? Or I do have it but on the opposite drawing?  Crying

If they announced YOUR numbers, and then they came back and said "oh sorry, we messed up. Those weren't the winning numbers, you really didn't win." I think you would be pretty pist off yourself. And probably be suing as well.

I feel sorry for you, I truely do. And I think that has happened to a few of us. Which is why I ALWAYS play the same numbers.Crying

Just not having the right numbers is painful, but nobody caused you to believe that you had the winning ones... which is what this case is all about.

ahulette83

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Feb 27, 2011

She obviously had her ticket validated as worthless some where that was responsible for paying and validating lottery tickets, the radio station was never meant to be a validator of lottery tickets and I hope they sue her and her lawyer for the cost of defending themselves against such a scam.

A SCAM??? She did nothing wrong! It was the station that is in the wrong...

And your right, she probably did eventually have it validated as worthless, but was still AFTER the station led her to believe that she was a winner.

grwurston's avatargrwurston

Quote: Originally posted by ahulette83 on Feb 27, 2011

If they announced YOUR numbers, and then they came back and said "oh sorry, we messed up. Those weren't the winning numbers, you really didn't win." I think you would be pretty pist off yourself. And probably be suing as well.

I feel sorry for you, I truely do. And I think that has happened to a few of us. Which is why I ALWAYS play the same numbers.Crying

Just not having the right numbers is painful, but nobody caused you to believe that you had the winning ones... which is what this case is all about.

  I have watched the evening news and have seen the pick 3 and pick 4 numbers on the news crawler at the bottom of the screen and known they were wrong. How did I know? Because I had called the lottery winning numbers line earlier in the day. So yes, the station goofed. It does happen. However I DID NOT have any "pain" from it. (I was trying to be funny in my earlier post.)   So this just proves once again what many other LP members have said before. Check your tickets yourself and sign the ticket, before giving it to anyone. In case of a large amount verify the numbers more than once.

sully16's avatarsully16

yikes, mis prints happen in newspapers all the time, we are sorry, here is the correct info, now lets move on. she was not harmed in any way shape or form .

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