A man from California won half of a multi-million-dollar jackpot from Mega Millions - a whopping total of $394 million - about one year ago. But now, he has sued the California lottery for the remaining half, claiming he should have won twice.

In a highly unusual turn of events, a man from Los Angeles who won half of a Mega Millions jackpot - around $197.5 million in total - last year has just sued the California Lottery for the remaining half, claiming he purchased both winning tickets.

The unusual circumstances

Faramarz Lahijani came forward in June of last year to claim his share of the prize - a staggering $197.5 million - after the December 8, 2023, Mega Millions drawing. However, he did not publicly comment on his win, expressing a desire for privacy.

The Lottery announced shortly after the drawing of the Mega Millions that both winning tickets had been sold at the same location: a Chevron gas station along Ventura Boulevard in the town of Encino, California. This unprecedented occurrence immediately raised eyebrows.

A spokesperson from the California lottery confirmed the winning tickets were purchased in separate transactions but offered no explanation for the unusual circumstances. "While this is incredibly unusual and interesting, it's not unheard of," stated the spokesperson. "There are any number of explanations. Perhaps one person wanted to try their luck on two different rows for whatever reason, or maybe a couple of buddies wanted to try their chances with the same exact numbers. We won't know exactly how this happened until the prize is claimed."

Lahijani claims sole ownership

Now, Lahijani is taking legal action. In a lawsuit filed just last Friday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, he claims to have purchased both winning tickets with identical numbers from the Chevron gas station. He is, in fact, alleging that he is the "sole winner" and therefore entitled to the whole jackpot "by virtue of his having timely submitted the first matching ticket."

Legal battle ensues

Lahijani argues that the Lottery possesses enough information to confirm his claim and that its refusal to pay the full amount constitutes a breach of contract. He emphasizes that the purchase of lottery tickets constitutes a contractual relationship between the buyer and the Lottery. The lawsuit was filed just days prior to the expiration date of the alleged lost ticket - December 8, 2024 - "out of an abundance of caution to preserve all rights" to the entirety of the jackpot.

Meanwhile, the California Lottery has declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

Gas station reaps record bonus

There is one party with no complaints regarding the situation, and it is the Chevron gas station - the same gas station that sold the winning tickets to Lahijani. Under the rules of the state of California, retailers that are able to sell a lottery ticket that is worth more than a million can earn a bonus of 0.5% of the value of the prize. With two winning tickets sold, the Encino Chevron received an amazing bonus of $1.9 million.

This case has generated significant public interest, raising questions about the rules and regulations surrounding lottery winnings, particularly in the state, and the potential complexities that can arise from such extraordinary circumstances.