A LOTTERY ticket holder has been barred from his local shop amid a row over his winnings, he claims.
Kevin Layne scooped £140 on last Saturday’s Lotto draw but says a Tesco Express in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, refused to pay out, claiming it was against policy to give so much in cash.
The 63-year-old said during his attempts to question the decision he was told by staff: “Get out – you’re barred!”
However, Tesco denies that he is permanently banned and was instead asked to leave.
Kevin – who returned to the UK four years ago after living in Thailand and then China for 20 years – matched four winning numbers on the draw.
He went into the shop in Comberton Hill on Tuesday evening (August 13) and tried to claim his winnings while also picking up a meal deal.
“I paid for my food and then she (the cashier) looked at the lottery ticket and said I can’t pay that, it’s too much,” he told The Sun.
“I said it’s £140. I said I put it on here regularly and sometimes I put it on for a month, which is £80. I also put my phone credit on which makes it £90 – sometimes I’ve gone in that shop and paid £100.
“She said you can’t bring that in here,” said Kevin, adding that he was then barred from the shop.
Kevin is an avid lottery player and said around 10 years ago, during a visit back to the UK, he scooped £2,136 but could draw out £500 over the counter.
“That’s 10 years ago, and she’s telling me she can’t give me £140,” he said.
“What she did was, she printed me a ticket out that says ‘congratulations for winning but you’ll have to try and get paid by somewhere else’.”
He added: “I’m livid by now, I know she’s done it on purpose. I go in that Tesco regularly, there’s always a queue, they have security guards – it makes a fortune.”
Kevin – who is a plasterer by trade but also ran a pig farm in Thailand – then went to the nearby Tesco Extra in Castle Road but says he was told the same about company policy.
He said three store supervisors addressed him at once and one said “we’ll have to look up our policy on lotteries”.
“I said don’t mess about, just give me the money. That was it, I wandered off. Both Tescos. I use them for my shopping, never again.”
On Wednesday Kevin was working in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham and popped into a Tesco Express with his ticket and the cashier “just handed over the money” without an issue.
He said: “It’s a smack in the face.”
Asked if the matter has put him off playing Lotto again, he said: “No chance. I’ve been back in Britain four years.
“There’s more things disappointing in Britain than the lottery.”
A spokesperson for Allwyn, the National Lottery operator, said: “National Lottery retailers are required to pay out up to £100 in prize money, and up to £500 at their own discretion.”
They added: “It really depends on what Tesco’s own policy is with regards to paying out prizes over £100.”
The Sun has contacted Tesco for comment.
We understand Tesco tries to pay out on prizes up to £500 where cash is available but it is dependent on how much cash is in tills.
