Lottery winner wasn't supposed to gamble

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071128/ap_on_fe_st/odd_robber_lottery_winner

Lottery winner wasn't supposed to gamble

By MARK PRATT, Associated Press WriterWed Nov 28, 6:49 PM ET

The winner of a $1 million lottery scratch ticket may not be so lucky after all: He's a convicted bank robber who isn't supposed to gamble. Timothy Elliott faces a Dec. 7 court hearing over whether he violated his probation when he bought the $10 ticket for the $800 Million Spectacular game at a supermarket in Hyannis.

Elliott was placed on five years' probation after pleading guilty in October 2006 to unarmed robbery for a January 2006 heist at a bank on Cape Cod. Under terms of his probation, he "may not gamble, purchase lottery tickets or visit an establishment where gaming is conducted, including restaurants where Keno may be played."

Elliott, 55, has collected the first of 20 annual $50,000 checks from the Massachusetts lottery commission. A picture of Elliott, holding his first check, was posted on the lottery's Web site Monday, though it was removed by Wednesday.

As part of his sentence, Elliott was put under the care of the state Mental Health Department and sent to a hospital for treatment, and state officials refused Wednesday to say whether he was still being treated.

A telephone number for Elliott could not immediately be located Wednesday, and it was not clear whether he had a lawyer.

The lottery routinely cross references the names of winners with the state Revenue Department to see if they owe back taxes or child support, lottery spokesman Dan Rosenfeld said. In those cases, winnings go straight to the Revenue Department.

But in this case, it will be up to the court to determine what will happen with Elliott's winnings.

"This is kind of new territory," he said.

Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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[JODO 2]

Looks like Lady Luck may be about to run out.

[Nessa 23]

uh oh

[trueimage 0]

Ya know, i though i had bad luck, but to be teased with $1 mil and then told you can't have it.......i feel bad for him even though he violated probation.

[Nagishkaw 510]

sheesh!

[Jasman0717 9]

They should just give the guy the money for heavens sakes....maybe he wouldn't need to rob any more banks

[mawilson 2,133]

Can't he just give the ticket to someone else who can collect the money for him, for a fee?

[eric&gen 0]

Ill take half of winnings lol.

[mawilson 2,133]

Ill take half of winnings lol.

LOL - so would I.