Former NFL Player Gets Involved in Circle K Lottery Dispute

A former NFL player is supporting a former manager’s statements in a legal battle over a $12.8 million Arizona Lottery jackpot, according to the manager’s attorney. The dispute centers on an unusual series of events: a customer ordered the tickets, a store employee left them unpaid, a manager bought them the next morning, and one ticket led to a multimillion-dollar jackpot. The Dispute Continues to Intensify Robert Gawlitza, who managed a Circle K store, bought a batch of lottery tickets printed for a customer but never paid for. Customer Anna Kim asked a store clerk for $85 worth of $1 lottery tickets. However, she had only $60, and 25 tickets were left on the counter. One of those tickets later won the jackpot in Arizona’s “The Pick” lottery. The next morning, Gawlitza learned one of the tickets had won the $12.8 million jackpot. He then allegedly took off his Circle K uniform and bought the remaining tickets from another employee for $10. Gawlitza insists he was following company policy. His attorney, Josh Kolsrud, claims that employees are expected to buy lottery tickets for customers who asked for them but did not pay. According to a recent 12News report, the attorney also reportedly referenced a former NFL player who managed Circle K stores before becoming chairman of the Arizona Lottery. This individual is believed to be Tony Bouie, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player who briefly served as Arizona’s lottery director before resigning in 2016. Kolsrud says the former player supports Gawlitza’s version of what happened to unpaid lottery tickets inside Circle K stores. Circle K Contends That the Ticket Purchase Is Invalid Despite Kolsrud’s efforts, the jackpot remains hotly contested. While six other current or former Circle K employees allegedly support Gawlitza’s version of events, Circle K is disputing his claim to the prize. The company has asked a judge to rule on who legally owns the winning ticket and has filed a motion to dismiss Gawlitza’s counterclaims. Circle K’s argument points to Arizona lottery regulations on ticket sales. According to the company, even if Gawlitza’s account of the events is true, the transaction involving the winning ticket would be invalid. Kolsrud disputes these claims, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the purchase do not cleanly fall within established lottery regulations. Curiously, Kim, the customer who originally purchased the other tickets, has so far chosen not to get involved in the lawsuit. Her position could become very significant if she decides to press her claims. The court is expected to rule on the motion to dismiss within the next two months. If the case proceeds, a jury trial could commence sometime next year.