Worker keeps $25K lottery ticket, telling ‘customers’ it was a loser, OR officials say

A worker kept a $25,000 lottery ticket and told the “customers” the tickets were all losers, Oregon Lottery officials said.

Those customers were undercover detectives taking part in a “Retail Integrity Check operation,” the Oregon Lottery said in an Oct. 25 news release.

The detectives went to a Short Stop convenience store Sept. 19 in La Grande, lottery officials said.

They brought some lottery tickets to be scanned, including a ticket worth $25,000.

But when the worker scanned all the tickets, they told the detectives they didn’t have any winners, lottery officials said.

The clerk kept the winning ticket, signed it and mailed it to the Oregon Lottery on Sept. 26, officials said.

Oregon State Police Lottery detectives cited the worker with aggravated theft and computer crime.

The worker may also be accused of theft by deception and first-degree forgery.

“While it is rare to see an individual be dishonest at one of our retailers, we have a responsibility to ensure our games are played with fairness and integrity,” Oregon Lottery’s assistant director of security Justin Hedlund said in the release. “These checks are one way we accomplish that.”

Police conduct routine checks at retailers every year, the lottery office said.

La Grande is in northeastern Oregon.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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