Lottery Commission Ordered to Pay Up on Old Ticket

The State Appeals Court in Kansas City says it’s never too late to turn in a Powerball ticket. It has ordered the State Lottery Commission to pay $100,000 to a man from Dyersburg, Tennessee, whose wife found an old Powerball ticket while cleaning out his pickup truck. Lottery guidelines require tickets to be turned in within 180 days of the drawing. But Paul Barnett’s ticket didn’t turn up until almost four months after the deadline. The Appeals Court says the Lottery Commission and the Legislature improperly established the 180 day deadline in 2002. The ruling covers only the Powerball game. The Attorney General is considering whether to appeal.