Man Sues Powerball for $340 Million Over Mistakenly Posted Winning Numbers

John Cheeks files a lawsuit against Powerball organizers after a website error led him to believe he won the jackpot, sparking a legal battle over lottery integrity.

John Cheeks, a Washington D.C. resident, is suing Powerball organizers for $340 million after mistakenly posted numbers led him to believe he had won the lottery.
The numbers were posted on the D.C. Lottery website by Taoti Enterprises as part of a quality assurance test, a day before the actual drawing.
Cheeks claims he was entitled to the jackpot because the numbers on the website matched his ticket, leading to a lawsuit for breach of contract, gross negligence, and infliction of emotional distress.
Taoti Enterprises argues the mistake was obvious and that Cheeks is trying to capitalize on an error, while Cheeks' lawyer cites a precedent in Iowa where a similar mistake led to winners being paid.
The lawsuit raises questions about the integrity and accountability of lottery operations, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Friday.