California man loses lawsuit over $750,000 lottery prize after ticket was allegedly pieced together

The California State Lottery Commission has been awarded judgment along with more than $150,000 in attorneys' fees and costs following the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a man who claimed he was improperly denied a $750,000 payout on a winning high-stakes poker ticket, according to court documents obtained on Friday.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile signed off on the judgment on Thursday, disposing of the breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by plaintiff James Densley in April 2022. Densley stated he purchased a ticket in September 2021 that revealed a flush, which he contended was a winning hand over three queens with a prize of $75,000.00 multiplied by 10, or $750,000.

Densley claimed he was denied the money by the commission without any explanation three months later. In court filings seeking to dismiss the case, the Attorney General's Office contended that the original ticket was torn into pieces and reassembled with cellophane tape, thereby rearranging the play symbols to create a winning hand.

Brazile granted the Attorney General's Office's motion to toss out Densley's suit and awarded the commission $153,200 in attorneys' fees and costs.

The case is not the first recent legal battle involving the California State Lottery Commission. Earlier this year, a lawsuit brought by a woman claiming she was the rightful owner of a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot was dismissed after a ruling in favor of the Multi-State Lottery Association and the California State Lottery Commission.

Stacy Tru filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court in January 2025, seeking the full jackpot plus interest dating back to October 15, 2023, which she claimed was the date she submitted a claim for the prize and was denied.

Judge Upinder S. Kalra stated that Tru’s legal action was dismissed "with prejudice," a designation meaning the case cannot be resurrected. In documents filed with the court, lawyers acting for the association noted that Tru had failed across two amended complaints to present a viable lawsuit capable of moving forward, offering nothing more than "threadbare" claims.

The Multi-State Lottery Association is a non-profit, government-benefit organization owned and administered through an agreement between its 34 member lotteries, established to manage multi-jurisdictional lottery draws, including Powerball.

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies