Man won 17.5 billion VND jackpot but did not receive the prize due to mistake

Social Affairs - Although the event happened a long time ago, it remains one of the most unusual and widely discussed stories to this day.

The man won the 17.5 billion VND lottery but was not allowed to claim his prize.

A lottery winner won 17.5 billion VND but was unable to claim the prize due to a small oversight. (Illustrative image)

In March 2008, the Beijing Times reported that a man named Wang Liangjie, originally from Henan Province and residing in Beijing, had sued the China Sports Lottery Center. Wang Liangjie had previously won a jackpot worth 5 million RMB (over 17.5 billion VND). However, when he went to claim his prize, the Sports Lottery Center refused to pay because he had missed the deadline.

According to Wang Liangjie, after buying the lottery ticket, he visited his hometown for over a month. It wasn't until he returned to Beijing that he learned he had won the jackpot, missing the deadline for claiming his prize by 19 days. Wang Liangjie contacted the Lottery Center and requested an extension, but his request was denied. Considering the 28-day deadline set by the Lottery Center unreasonable, the man decided to file a lawsuit.

It's impossible to receive 17.5 billion VND just because of a small oversight.

Based on the "lottery management" regulations in China at the time, the prize redemption period was set at 60 days. If no one claimed the prize within that time, it was forfeited. However, the ticket that Wang Liangjie bought had a shorter redemption period of only 28 days. This raises the question of what is a reasonable timeframe for claiming a prize?

Wang Jiehong, executive director of the Peking University Lottery Research Institute, said: "The deadline for redeeming lottery tickets is uniformly regulated. As a lottery player who has bought tickets for seven years, Wang Liangjie should be well aware of this. Even first-time lottery players need to understand these basic terms. If the buyer feels that the 28-day redemption period is unreasonable, they should not buy or participate in that activity."

Accordingly, when Wang Liangjie decided to buy a lottery ticket and participate in the game, it meant he agreed to the relevant lottery regulations and had to comply with them. Each type of ticket or issuing authority has its own regulations that buyers need to be aware of. Wang Xuehong also added that the rules cannot be modified simply because one person missed the deadline to claim their prize.

The Beijing Supreme Court argued that Wang Liangjie had started buying lottery tickets in 2000, more than seven years prior to the incident. He was considered to be well-versed in the rules regarding prize redemption. Furthermore, the 28-day redemption period had been reviewed by Chinese authorities and printed on the back of each lottery ticket, and had been publicly announced through various channels.

Wang Liangjie's failure to redeem the award in a timely manner was due to his own negligence and a failure to protect his own rights. The Beijing Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the 28-day deadline for redeeming the award was in accordance with regulations, rejecting Wang Liangjie's appeal.

Undeterred, after the trial, Wang Liangjie stated that he would continue to appeal to a higher court. Throughout the course of the lawsuit, Wang Liangjie was exhausted, depressed, and spent a great deal of time and money. However, he never stopped hoping to recover his lottery winnings.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-trung-doc-dac-175-ty-dong-nhung-khong-duoc-linh-thuong-boi-sai-lam-ai-cung-co-the-mac-phai-172241104084541413.htm