After Losing Rs 1.17 Crore In Lottery Tickets, Man Moves Court For Refund, Loses Again

Last Updated:February 12, 2026, 19:05 IST

A Chinese man who spent 900,000 yuan on lottery tickets in a single month has lost his court bid to recover the money after failing to win.

A man in China who spent 900,000 yuan (approximately ₹1.17 crore) on lottery tickets in just one month has lost a legal battle to recover his money after failing to win any prize.

According to the South China Morning Post, the man, identified by his surname He, is a resident of Hefei in central China’s Anhui province. In September 2023, he purchased a large number of lottery tickets through a shop operated by Zhang, an authorised sales agent affiliated with the local lottery management centre.

He selected his tickets and completed transactions via a social media app, transferring the payments directly to Zhang’s bank account. After purchasing the tickets on his behalf, Zhang photographed them and sent the images to He as proof of purchase.

Zhang stated that he had issued a risk warning to He about the dangers of excessive lottery spending, which the buyer acknowledged before continuing with the purchases. However, after failing to win any prize, He filed a lawsuit against both Zhang and the local lottery management centre.

In court, He argued that the way the tickets were marketed, sold, paid for and shared through social media did not comply with legal standards. On those grounds, he sought to have the purchase contract declared invalid and demanded a full refund of the 900,000 yuan along with interest.

The Baohe District People’s Court in Hefei dismissed his claims. The court ruled that there was no evidence Zhang had intentionally encouraged or misled He into making excessive purchases.

Judges also emphasised that He, as an adult with full civil capacity, should have understood that buying lottery tickets does not guarantee a win. The court noted that despite receiving multiple reminders to spend responsibly and acknowledging the risk notification, He chose to proceed.

“Buying lottery might bring a big prize, but there is also a big risk of loss. Lottery players should be rational and cautious when buying lottery tickets, especially when it involves a lot of money," the presiding judge said in a statement to the media.

News world After Losing Rs 1.17 Crore In Lottery Tickets, Man Moves Court For Refund, Loses Again

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