Canadian Lottery Player Sues Loto-Quebec, Does Not Know How Odds Work

13.05.2019, 18:19

Martha Karas, a lottery player in Canada, has been buying lottery tickets for more than 20 years and did not know that she did not have good odds. Lotteries are, of course, synonymous with having low chances of winning. However, Martha decided to take Loto-Quebec to court for justice to be served.  

Karas claims that the company did not explain the odds. She thought that the odds of winning were five million-to-one. In reality, the lotteries she took part in had 14 million-to-one odds and 28.6 million-to-one. Gambler went to court, saying that actual odds were nowhere to be found. As compensation, she demanded $112 m for herself and all profits from the lottery to be allocated among everyone who played it for the last 6 years.

Although the difference in odds stops being relevant after about a million-to-one, she could still have a solid claim. However, the actual odds were featured prominently almost everywhere. This includes the official website, app and all tickets. These are the tickets that Karas frequently purchased.

Her case was rejected in 2017 and again last week. Karas also tried branding the lawsuit as class-action. However, she was the only plaintiff, so the case was obviously dismissed. 

Her last claim is even more oblivious. Apparently, the fact that the jackpot would be shared among multiple consumers was not indicated. “Prizes are calculated according to sales and divided among the winners in each category,” – says Loto-Quebec website.

Thinking that someone doesn’t know that they won the lottery would certainly make Martha’s blood boil. Or at least it would make her file another lawsuit.

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