
Audio By Carbonatix
Playing the lottery is fun every once in a while, even if you know your chances of winning aren’t too great. Many people have “methods” to win everything from scratch-off cards to lottery draws. In reality, one’s chances of winning are only as good as a game’s listed odds.
As one might expect, those listed odds never favor the average buyer. As noted by Investopedia, one’s chances of winning the jackpot in a Powerball drawing are one in 292.2 million—making it significantly less likely than being struck by lightning twice.
Still, some will occasionally find themselves buying a lottery ticket and, as detailed in a recent TikTok video from user Justin (@gentlemanjustin), getting scammed in the process.
What Went Wrong With This Lottery Ticket Purchase?
In his video, Justin explains how he was “ripped off” during a scratch-off purchase, which he describes as being “partially” his fault.
Justin says that he stopped at a Mobil station to get a scratch-off lottery ticket. The gas station is located in Auburn Hills, Michigan, as indicated by a hashtag on his video.
He says he couldn’t see all of the tickets being offered given the presence of bulletproof glass, so he asked someone behind the counter if one of the ones he was interested in was for $30.
“And the guy goes, ‘Yes, yes, a $30,’” the TikToker recalls, noting that the workers were speaking in a language he couldn’t understand.
He says he decided to purchase the ticket, using two $20 bills and getting two $5 bills in change.
When he got to work, however, he noticed that something was amiss with his lottery ticket.
“I get to work. I’m going to scratch him off. And I look at the ticket, and it’s a $20 f—— ticket,” he recalls. “It’s not a $30 ticket.”
While he says he was initially “so mad,” his mood soon shifted after realizing the ticket was worth $100.
“I probably wouldn’t have bought it if you would have told me it was a $20 one,” he admits. “And it’s not the money. I don’t care about the $10. It’s the principle of the thing.”
To conclude, he advises against going to the particular Mobil station that he visited.
What Should You Do If You’re Sold The Wrong Lottery Ticket?
While Justin is unlikely to want to rectify the situation, as he won $100, there are a few steps that someone in his position could take.
First, they could simply try to rectify the situation with the store. They could visit the store, explain what happened, and then try to work out a refund. Saving a receipt or having proof of the credit card transaction ready will assist in this process.
Second, if this resolution tactic does not work, they could begin filing complaints with the relevant state agencies. They could contact their state’s attorney general, or, in the case of a lottery-specific issue, they could reach out to their state’s lottery directly.
@gentlemanjustin Maybe I should have paid more attention. #Scammed #Mobil #PartyStore #Lottery #ScratchOffTicket #AuburnHills
Commenters Are Divided
In the comments section, users were mixed about what really happened in Justin’s story, as well as what resolution should be provided.
“You don’t think it was an honest mistake?” asked a user, to which Justin responded, “Unfortunately I really don’t. The ticket was easily visibile to him. Plus if he actually would have scanned the card, it would have came up $20 and not $30.”
“Go back! They have cameras. Ten bucks is ten bucks. It’s YOUR money,” stated another.
“I would call the lottery commission,” declared a third.
UPDATE: In a TikTok DM exchange with BroBible, Justin said that he has not pursued further action against this Mobil station.
“Didn’t even know there was a lottery authority I could reach out to until I posted this video,” he wrote. “Figured it was only a $10 loss, so I just accepted it.”
That said, he promised that he “will never do business with them again.”
BroBible reached out to ExxonMobil via website contact form.