Ontario ombud probing lottery winnings scandal
CTV.ca News Staff
Ontario's government watchdog is launching an investigation into allegations lottery-ticket retailers have won too many large prizes over the last seven years.
Ombudsman Andre Marin says he wants to know exactly how the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation responds to complaints of theft or fraud involving winning tickets.
"My office offers a completely independent investigative avenue reporting to the legislative assembly. We have that ability, we have that capacity. I think the public has an appetite for that kind of review," he said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Marin said he was surprised to hear allegations against an organization that "trumpets its system, its principles and integrity, and its monitoring of the subject of these kinds of allegations."
But Marin said the probe was needed to "clear the air."
The Liberal government said Wednesday the corporation would launch its own investigation into the allegations.
Prizes of $50,000 or more have been won 200 times by people selling lottery tickets since 1999, according to a news report.
It is a figure that at least one statistician with the University of Toronto says beats enormous odds.
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal said the odds of retailers winning that many times is a staggering one in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion.
The lottery corporation disputes the allegation that a disproportionate number of ticket retailers are winning big prizes.
Officials with the lottery company say the OLG has "extremely tight" security procedures and every major lottery win is investigated.
Marin expects the organization to be fully co-operative.
"Maybe our conclusion at the end will be that this is an organization that needs no further corrective measures, or maybe not. This is the beginning of the investigation," he said.
Marin expects to release his findings within 90 days.
CTV.ca News Staff
Ontario's government watchdog is launching an investigation into allegations lottery-ticket retailers have won too many large prizes over the last seven years.
Ombudsman Andre Marin says he wants to know exactly how the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation responds to complaints of theft or fraud involving winning tickets.
"My office offers a completely independent investigative avenue reporting to the legislative assembly. We have that ability, we have that capacity. I think the public has an appetite for that kind of review," he said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Marin said he was surprised to hear allegations against an organization that "trumpets its system, its principles and integrity, and its monitoring of the subject of these kinds of allegations."
But Marin said the probe was needed to "clear the air."
The Liberal government said Wednesday the corporation would launch its own investigation into the allegations.
Prizes of $50,000 or more have been won 200 times by people selling lottery tickets since 1999, according to a news report.
It is a figure that at least one statistician with the University of Toronto says beats enormous odds.
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal said the odds of retailers winning that many times is a staggering one in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion.
The lottery corporation disputes the allegation that a disproportionate number of ticket retailers are winning big prizes.
Officials with the lottery company say the OLG has "extremely tight" security procedures and every major lottery win is investigated.
Marin expects the organization to be fully co-operative.
"Maybe our conclusion at the end will be that this is an organization that needs no further corrective measures, or maybe not. This is the beginning of the investigation," he said.
Marin expects to release his findings within 90 days.
