$12.8M ticket could vanish as judge weighs urgent request

What happens when a winning lottery ticket has no clear owner, and time is about to run out? That's the question at the center of a $12.8 million jackpot dispute, as Circle K turns to the courts in a last-ditch effort to keep the prize from vanishing.

Circle K asks judge to intervene

A winning The Pick ticket worth $12.8 million is about to become worthless on May 23, 2026, unless a judge intervenes. That is exactly what Circle K has asked the judge to do. Currently, the court is deciding who legally owns the winning ticket.

While they figure that out, Circle K has filed a request for a temporary restraining order. This order seeks to block the Arizona Lottery from enforcing the 180-day claim deadline for the ticket, which will expire on May 23.

If the judge doesn't intervene, then the ticket will expire, and the whole lawsuit will be pointless, as there will be no winnings for anyone to claim.

The original lawsuit

This lawsuit involves a The Pick ticket, which a customer tried to buy on November 24, 2025, at a Circle K, located at 5601 E. Bell Road in Scottsdale.

The customer ordered $85 worth of tickets, but then they only had $60 to pay for them. They bought $60 worth of the tickets, but then left the store without paying for the rest.

That night, the drawing for The Pick was held, with the winning numbers being 3, 13, 14, 15, 19, and 26.

On November 25, 2025, Robert Gawlitza, a manager at the Circle K, heard that a winning lottery ticket was sold at the store. Gawlitza recalled that a customer had left some tickets behind the day before, so he went looking for them.

As it turned out, one of the tickets left behind by the customer was the winning ticket. Gawlitza clocked out, removed his Circle K uniform, and bought the remaining ticket, including that jackpot-winning ticket. He then signed the back of the ticket, which winners are instructed to do.

Was the manager legally allowed to purchase the ticket?

This is where the courts get involved. Was Gawiltza legally allowed to buy the ticket? Or did he use insider knowledge after hearing there was a winning ticket that had been sold at the store?

The Circle K claims they are the rightful owner, but then the manager paid for it later. Who owns it?

Attorney Josh Kolsrud told local media:

Who goes out to their car and changes their clothing to come in to purchase tickets unless you have a plan?

Kolsrud continued:

If there's any evidence that he was aware of what was going on, and used that knowledge, that insider knowledge, to buy that ticket, Circle K wins this case.

Circle K is asking for a delay

While the dispute is in the courts, the actual winning ticket is set to expire on May 23. By asking for a temporary restraining order, it wouldn't determine the rightful owner of the jackpot.

Instead, it would just temporarily stop the deadline from happening and the ticket from expiring while the lawsuit proceeds.

Kolsrud stated:

It's basically Circle K telling the lottery to push the brakes and not do anything until Judge Kramer decides the issues in the case.

Current Arizona Lottery rules

Under current Arizona Lottery rules, any tickets that are printed but not purchased become the property of the retailer. That would mean Circle K is the rightful owner of The Pick ticket.

However, this particular ticket was purchased by Gawiltza, who then signed the back of the ticket.

For now, the winning ticket is being held in a safe at Circle K's corporate office while the case moves through court.

A hearing is scheduled for May 15 regarding this temporary restraining order.

Enjoy playing the Arizona Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.