Illinois Lottery Bounces More Checks

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 18, 2013 4:00PM

You have better odds of being struck by lightning than you do of winning the lottery. In Illinois, the odds of winning a lottery and having a winnings check bounce are getting better, as well.

ABC 7 reports checks to eight Illinois Lottery winners sent out May 1 bounced. The total value of the bounced checks was $9,940. The largest belonged to Charles Cinquegrani, who had a check for $2,565 returned for non-sufficient funds.

Patti Crenshaw, who had an $847 check bounce, was stunned.

"So much money goes into the lottery, you would think that they would be able to pay out. And then when you find out that a check bounced, you're stunned. Why would a lottery check bounce? At first I didn't believe it!"

Believe it, Patti. This isn't the first time the Illinois Lottery has bounced checks to winners. They bounced 311 checks Dec. 28 worth a total of $159,000 to 85 winners. In both instances, Illinois Lottery spokesman Mike Lang blamed the cockup on a clerical error. In the December incident, Lang said a computer file that was supposed to be sent to the bank to authorize payment by 2 p.m. wasn't sent in time. This time Lang again faulted a Lottery employee who forgot to approve the winning funds on deadline.

And, as in the December incident, Lang said corrective measures would be taken. Except he really didn't.

"It was a mistake, we're not happy with it. We're actually looking at possibly, maybe in our procedures, minimizing the likelihood that this can happen again," Lang said.

"Possibly, maybe?" How about the Illinois Lottery minimize the likelihood this doesn't happen again by firing the employee(s) responsible. As the saying goes: "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."