Overview
- The case centers on a Spiel 77 receipt worth €1,477,777 that a customer played in April 2024 in Grasbrunn near Munich and later left at a petrol‑station lottery counter after being falsely told there was no win.
- The employee, identified in reports as Patrick D., took the receipt and showed up at the Bavarian lottery headquarters in July 2024 to claim the prize, where trained staff flagged him as an outlet worker and escalated checks.
- A judge convicted him of fraud following his confession and issued a 15‑month sentence on probation, and his lawyer said he will accept the ruling.
- Lotto Bayern’s spokesperson said investigators still have not found the rightful ticket‑holder, and without the original paper receipt there is no legal claim to the €1,477,777.
- Lottery rules in Germany require the physical play receipt to prove ownership, and staff at acceptance points are barred from redeeming tickets, a safeguard this case shows can fail if a player relies on a verbal check and leaves the slip behind.