A bewildering legal battle over the ownership of a $12.8 million lottery ticket has intensified with the introduction of an additional claimant to the jackpot.
This legal saga commenced on November 24, 2025, when a customer at a Circle K location in Scottsdale, Arizona, requested $85 worth of $1 tickets for “The Pick,” an Arizona lottery game that invites participants to match six numbers for a draw later that evening.
Upon realizing she only had $60 in her possession, the customer left 25 tickets unpaid on the counter, one of which turned out to be the $12.8 million winning ticket.
This oversight sparked a dispute between Circle K and Robert Gawlitza, a clerk at the store, who purchased the remaining tickets the following morning for $10, according to court documents.
A New Contender Enters
Joining the fray is Marline Ybarra, another employee from Circle K, who claims she has a stake in the jackpot because Gawlitza purportedly asked her to sign the back of the winning ticket. Ybarra was included as a defendant in an amended complaint filed last week.
She asserts that some of the tickets had fallen behind the printer, and it was she who retrieved them, as detailed in court filings.
While Gawlitza and Ybarra share legal representation, it remains uncertain from the paperwork whether they have agreed to divide the winnings.
The original ticket buyer, Anna Kim, who allegedly requested to rerun numbers from previously bought tickets, is not currently involved in the case and has not indicated if she plans to pursue the prize.
Circle K management became aware of the winning ticket and directed that it be secured at the corporate offices while they sought a court ruling to clarify the rightful owner.
Who Holds the Winning Ticket?
In their legal filing, Circle K contends that, according to the Arizona Administrative Code, lottery retailers maintain ownership of tickets that are left unpaid and never officially sold. The corporation is requesting the court’s guidance to ascertain whether the ticket was legitimately purchased and who is entitled to claim the $12.8 million jackpot.
The crux of the matter revolves around whether the unpaid, printed tickets remained part of the retailer’s inventory or if Gawlitza’s post-draw acquisition was valid—or constituted improper use of insider information.
The Arizona Lottery has consented to suspend its usual 180-day claim deadline, facilitating the ownership dispute to unfold without the prize lapsing.
The lottery has characterized this situation as “entirely unique.”