Man loses ₹1.17 crore on lottery tickets, sues shop and authorities; court says he knew the risks

A man in China who spent 900,000 yuan (about ₹1.17 crore) on lottery tickets in a single month has sued a sales agent and the local lottery management centre, demanding his money back with interest.Zhang said he had issued a notification warning He about the risks of spending large sums on lottery tickets. (Unsplash/Representational image)According to a report the South China Morning Post, the man, surnamed He, lives in Hefei in central Anhui province. He purchased numerous lottery tickets in September 2023 from a shop run Zhang, a certified sales agent for the local lottery management centre.He selected tickets and completed transactions through a social media app, transferring payments directly to Zhang’s bank account. After buying the tickets on He’s behalf, Zhang photographed them and sent the images to the buyer as confirmation.Zhang said he had issued a notification warning He about the risks of spending large sums on lottery tickets, which the buyer acknowledged. But after failing to win any prize, He took Zhang and the lottery management centre to court. He argued that the manner in which the tickets were promoted, sold, paid for and shared on social media violated legal norms. On that basis, he contended that the purchase contract should be declared invalid and sought a refund of the entire 900,000 yuan along with interest.(Also Read: Chinese man discovers neither of his sons is biologically his after DNA test prompted fight)What did the court say?But the Baohe Drict People’s Court in Hefei rejected his claims. The court said there was no evidence that Zhang had deliberately induced He into buying the tickets or that his sales methods encouraged excessive spending.Judges also noted that He, as an adult with full civil capacity, should have understood that purchasing lottery tickets does not guarantee a win. Despite repeated reminders to spend rationally and having read the risk notification, he chose to proceed, the court observed.“Buying lottery might possibly bring a big prize, but there is also a big risk of loss. Lottery players should be rational and cautious when buying lottery tickets, especially when it involves a lot of money,” the presiding judge said in a statement to the media.