You see these stories from time to time and what's going on isn't exactly what is on the surface. Stores typically have a policy that any ticket that is printed in error may be sold to someone as an auto pick ticket, but if it can't be sold then the store will buy the ticket and put the winnings in the register (if any).

With virtually every convenience store doing this it's simple odds that a few of them will get lucky. However what I do wonder is how many owners and managers try to write off loosing tickets as a business expense while pocketing the winnings for themselves. I'm not saying that's what this man did, but I do imagine that quite a few do and that's not to say it's even wrong. After all if you are being honest with the winnings and putting them into the business then tickets printed with can not be sold isn't much different than a shattered coke bottle that can no longer be sold.