Man Settles Holdem Poker Scratch Ticket Lawsuit

Edward St. John, the man who found a winning Texas Hold'em poker scratch ticket while rummaging through trash, agreed to settle with the family of the man who said that he accidentally threw the ticket away.

St. John agreed to give up $140,000 of his winnings as he wanted to enjoy having the money before he passed away

The 83 year-old St. John was sued after he found the Hold'em Poker scratch ticket in October 2005. Kevin Donovan claimed that he bought all of the tickets in the convenience store but didn't realize that he had the winning ticket, accidentally throwing it away.

The Massachusetts Lottery Commission sided with St. John, ruling that a lottery ticket is like cash, only needing possession to prove ownership.

Donovan passed away due to heart attack shortly afterward, and his surviving children continued to challenge the commission ruling in court.

"If Mr. St. John had passed away before he got a chance to enjoy anything, that would have been the biggest shame of all," St. John's attorney Scott Ambler said.

Under the settlement, St. John gets $43,000 annually for 20 years, while Donovan's estate gets $7,000 annually.

October 04, 2006
Brian Nelson