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!

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