LOTTO CHAOS
I had to wait three WEEKS for lottery payout & jump through 6 ‘hoops’ – I’ve sworn never to play again despite huge win
Winner hits out at operator after three week wait for win
A LOTTERY winner had to wait three weeks for his winnings after jumping through six hoops and has sworn not to play the game again.
Andrew Leese's delight at winning £1,500 soon turned to frustration when he hit a brick wall of bureaucracy.
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The Brown Lees resident said he had to go online, fill out forms and take photographs of the ticket.
The Staffordshire man, who has been playing the National Lottery since the 1990s, explained how he had to wait for an email with a barcode.
Only when the ticket holder receive the bar code can they claim the cash.
Speaking to StokeonTrentLive he said: "You have to go online, fill all the forms in, give them your address, and take photographs of the ticket, front and back.
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"Then you have to wait for an email from them to get a barcode that you take to the Post Office, for them to scan and print your label off to send to the Lottery people.
"I rang them three times before I could even get a barcode."
Allwyn replaced Camelot as the National Lottery operator on February 1 - implementing new changes to its payout rules.
Prizes between £500 and £50,000 can no longer be collected from Post Offices.
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Andrew said he expected to return from a holiday to find a cheque waiting for him when he opened the front door. But there wasn't.
He said that he had won the lottery in the past when Camelot managed the franchise.
Andrew said his experience with current operators Allwyn was disappointing.
He claimed that whenever he phoned Allwyn he was "fobbed off" and was now disillusioned with the game.
He added: "I don’t trust the National Lottery any more. I have done it from day one, and I’ll never do it again while this company is running it."
An Allwyn spokesperson said: "We're very sorry to hear of Mr Leese’s concerns and have been in touch with him with an update.
"This is a new claims process we’ve had to introduce following the Post Office's decision to no longer pay National Lottery retail prizes between £500.01 and £50,000.
"As a result of it being new, we’ve been experiencing higher volumes of players contacting us and some initial delays to players receiving their prizes.
"We've since increased the number of colleagues to assist with claims – which is helping us send out prizes more quickly – and are continuing to work to make improvements to the process.
"We'd like to reassure anyone affected that they will receive their prize."
In March Peter Wilson told The Sun about his frustration claiming his lottery win.
The pensioner said that he has to wait weeks to receive an £800 payout.
He said: "I can’t be bothered with the stress. “It is chaotic and I am worried about the impact it will have on local communities, as well as charities missing out on money.”
Meanwhile, Graham Crerar, 64, has spent five weeks chasing the £800 prize for getting three numbers on February 7.
Carpenter Mr Crerar, of Notting Hill, West London, said: “They are just dragging their heels and it has made me feel like I’ve done something wrong.
“They don’t know what they’re doing and are acting really unprofessionally. Never mind Allwyn, they should be called No-win.”
Elsewhere, Peter Wilson, from Nuneaton, also waited for a £800 payout for six weeks.
The retired sales manager fumed: “I don’t know what else I can do to claim my prize. I won’t be doing it any more. I can’t be bothered with the stress.
“It is chaotic and I am worried about the impact it will have on local communities, as well as charities missing out on money.”
Allwyn has contacted Mr Crerar and Mr Wilson to update them.
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It comes as another lotto jackpot winner was left "fuming" after being turned away by the Post Office as she went to collect her cash.
Amelia Barnham, 69, won £800 on a £1 HotPicks ticket but the Londoner has been left with empty pockets a month later.
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