Man Who Claimed $750,000 California Lottery Prize Just Got Ordered to Pay the Lottery $153,200

A Los Angeles man who spent three years suing the California State Lottery Commission over a $750,000 scratcher prize just lost — and it’s going to cost him.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile signed a judgment Thursday dismissing the breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by James Densley, and ordered Densley to pay the Lottery Commission more than $153,200 in attorneys’ fees and costs.

What Densley Claimed

Densley bought the ticket in September 2021. According to his lawsuit, it revealed a flush — a winning poker hand that beat three queens and carried a $75,000 base prize. Multiplied by 10, that put the payout at $750,000. He filed his breach-of-contract suit in April 2022, after the Lottery denied his claim three months after he submitted it, without explanation, he said.

What the State Argued

The California Attorney General’s Office, representing the Lottery Commission, told the court the ticket wasn’t what it appeared to be. In court papers urging dismissal, the state said the original ticket had been torn into pieces and reassembled with cellophane tape — in a way that rearranged the play symbols to create a winning hand that wasn’t there originally.

Judge Brazile sided with the state, granting the Attorney General’s motion to toss the case entirely.

So What Does This Mean?

This isn’t a class action, and there’s no fund or claim form here — it’s the opposite. Densley lost his case, and now he owes the Lottery Commission’s legal bill on top of the $750,000 he never got. If you’re wondering whether this affects you as a lottery player: it doesn’t. It’s a single dismissed lawsuit, not a settlement.

It’s also a reminder of how scratcher disputes tend to get resolved. California Lottery rules require a ticket’s play symbols and security features to be intact and unaltered for a prize to be paid — and once a state investigation flags physical tampering, courts have generally sided with the Lottery over the ticket holder.

Sources

• Court papers obtained by MyNewsLA.com, reported August 28, 2026: mynewsla.com — “Judge Signs Judgment in Favor of Lottery Commission, Awards Fees”
• Densley v. California State Lottery Commission, Los Angeles County Superior Court, filed April 2022

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Last Updated: August 28, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.