This is a wild one that started in a local convenience store with Ernie Bendszsuk purchasing a PA Lottery ticket, like he frequently does. The difference this time, he didn't just win a few bucks... he hit a big one... $50,000. It was an exciting win until the lottery responded to his mailed-in claim form asking telling him the ticket was missing.
Watch the video on this page to see Ernie tell his story to Marty Griffin and how Get Marty reached out to "Get Phil" to help Ernie get his payday.
Ernie and his wife Marty were in disbelief when the Pennsylvania Lottery told them the winning ticket they submitted with the claim was not there. The lottery told them that without it, they wouldn't get a penny of the winnings.
Ernie reached out to Get Marty and right away we reached out to "Get Phil" attorney Phil DiLucente and Associates. Phil, who's been a longtime Get Marty advocate and friend, put his guy Ken Nolan on it. Ken says that Ernie did several things that helped win their appeal, starting with pictures of the winning ticket to prove they had it.
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The store where it was purchased also helped Ken fill out the claim form and verified that Ken had the ticket when the paperwork was completed.
They also learned the importance of signing that ticket right away to prevent someone else from being able to cash it in.
Check out the full guide above from the PA Lottery Winners Guide. You can also call toll-free Mon-Fri between 8am and 4pm: 800-692-7481
In Ernie's case and for anyone with substantial winnings, Phil recommends consulting with a trusted attorney.