Judge Lets $12.8M Lottery Ticket Dispute Proceed

A Maricopa County court will first decide who owns a winning Arizona Lottery ticket bought at a Circle K store.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Gambling

Judge Lets $12.8M Lottery Ticket Dispute Proceed

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A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled Friday that a legal fight over a ticket worth nearly $12.8 million can move forward. Circle K employee Robert Galitza found the ticket after a drawing, bought it himself after clocking out, and is challenging Circle K's claim to it.

Why it matters

The case tests whether retailers or employees own unclaimed lottery tickets under Arizona Lottery rules. Most other claims are on hold until the ownership question is resolved.

The winning ticket was valued at nearly $12.8 million and was purchased at a Circle K near 56th Street and Bell Road in Maricopa County. The ownership question is unresolved, and the extraction does not report any ruling on the remaining claims.

The players

Circle K

A convenience store chain whose Maricopa County location sold the winning ticket and which claims ownership of it under Arizona Lottery rules.

Robert Galitza

A former Circle K employee who found and bought the winning ticket and is challenging the company's claim to it.

Joseph Kreamer

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge who ruled the ownership dispute can proceed.

The details

A woman bought several lottery tickets at the store in 2025 but could not pay for all of them and left the rest behind. Galitza, who found the winning ticket after the drawing, says store practice required employees to buy tickets customers had not paid for, while Circle K says Arizona Lottery rules give retailers unclaimed tickets.

2025: A woman bought several lottery tickets at the Circle K and left some unpaid.
After the drawing (date not specified): Robert Galitza found and purchased the winning ticket.
Friday, November 6, 2026: Judge Joseph Kreamer ruled the case can proceed.

Legal Context

The case turns on how Arizona Lottery rules assign unclaimed tickets between retailers and others, a question the court must settle before other claims proceed. Its outcome could clarify ownership expectations for store workers who buy tickets customers leave behind.

Lottery players who leave tickets unpaid or buy from store counters may face unclear ownership rules if a winning ticket is involved. Retail staff should understand how Arizona Lottery rules treat unclaimed tickets before buying any themselves.

The takeaway

Customers who leave lottery tickets unpaid at a store may lose their claim to a winning ticket. Store employees should confirm the company's policy on unclaimed tickets before buying any.