Man sues Powerball for not honoring incorrect winning numbers on website

(CNN) - A man is suing Powerball for refusing to pay him a $340 million jackpot, saying the numbers on his ticket were posted as the winning numbers on the lottery’s website.

John Cheeks, a 60-year-old man from Washington, D.C., says he is owed $340 million from what he thought was a winning jackpot ticket. He bought the ticket January 6, 2023, for the Powerball drawing on Jan. 7.

Cheeks says the winning numbers initially posted on the D.C. Lottery’s website were the same as the numbers on his ticket. According to the lawsuit, the winning numbers listed on the website had changed by Jan. 10.

Cheeks claims in his lawsuit that when he tried to redeem his ticket from both a licensed retailer and the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming prize center, he was denied, according to WRC-TV.

In a hearing last year, the website agency for Powerball claimed it “accidentally” posted Cheeks’ numbers to the D.C. Lottery website. The company said the mistake wasn’t removed until Jan. 9.

The agency claims Cheeks’ “attempted scheme” is a way to capitalize on an obvious website error.

Attorneys for Cheeks say he should be paid out the winnings because of past situations, like one in 2013 where the Powerball paid a declared winner.