Brandt’s Rants
By Christine Brandt

Maybe they should call it ‘scan and win’

Who among us hasn’t dreamed of how we’d spend a big lottery win?
Some would buy a new house, while others would opt to pay off their current home, after making a few upgrades.
I know people who are longing for a new car, an extended vacation or a designer wardrobe. Still others want to put some money aside for their children’s education and their own retirement, help out family members with their bills, and make charitable donations.
We’ve all killed a bit of time this way, wondering what we’d buy first and just where we’d spend all that cash. Personally, I’d want to do all of the above, and then some!
I’ve even pondered how much I’d need to win to wipe out my debts and have a bit of fun without being excessive. Win too little and it won’t really change your life; win too much and you’d be hounded by strangers wanting a handout until the end of your days.
Just what that perfect amount is varies from person to person and for me, it varies from day to day. Of course I’d be happy if I won any amount, no matter how small, but ideally... let’s just say $5 million is a nice round figure!
Okay, so imagine finding out you’ve won a lottery prize, only to have it taken away from you before you’ve even picked up the cheque.
That’s what happened last week when the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation apologized for a printing error on 1,100 Fruit Smash scratch tickets. Between 50 and 150 tickets in the batch were sold in southwestern Ontario before the error was realized. It turns out there were misaligned or mismatched symbols underneath the latex surface that you scratch away when playing.
Most people who thought they won money on the damaged tickets were, of course, disappointed when told their tickets were void. They were offered an apology, but no cash beyond a refund for their ticket(s). Bummer.
One man though, a 27-year-old father, just couldn’t swallow that disappointment. And I can’t say I really blame him. After all, Thomas Noftall of Brampton thought the four tickets he scratched on New Year’s Eve were worth $135,000.
Fuming mad, he vowed to take the OLG to court if it didn’t pay the entire amount he said was owed to him. The two ultimately settled on an undisclosed amount, and the OLG stressed none of the other 15 “winners” would be paid off in the same manner.
Noftall was only compensated, said the OLG, because when he called in and asked if he would be paid, knowing he had non-winning tickets that were misprinted, he was wrongly told he would receive his money.
Looks like he’s a lucky duck after all. Now I’m just left wondering how much he walked away with, and how he’s going to spend it.
I’ve got some ideas if he needs any!