What's the biggest ticket you've ever lost?

[Valuist]

I watch my bigger tickets pretty closely. A few years ago, I had a RSW total ticket where the ink had smudged badly and it almost wasn't cashable. It took about 20 minutes of trying different permutations before it finally went thru. For tickets that can't be cashed for several months, I usually keep with in a little plastic baggie to avoid smudging.

Last year, I had RSW total bets on Denver under 8 1/2 and Washington under 7 1/2. In January after week 17, I went to find the tickets. No sign of them. I had placed the bets in early July of 2017 and kept them with my MLB and NBA RSW total bets. I remember I had two losing MLB tickets that I threw out. I couldn't imagine being so careless I would've thrown them out. We had cleaners come by recently. Coult they have stolen the tickets? Not likely, but when they come by, I often put the tickets in a briefcase and put it in my car. I go to Vegas last March and they still hadn't turned up. I go to Reno 6 weeks ago, and they still hadn't turned up.

So I had some minor car work done on Saturday and went to put the receipt in a file I keep for that sort of stuff. It dawns on me, I don't think I've checked this little file. I look thru, and sure enough, I see the plastic and inside are the two NFL seasonal bets that I had given up as lost. Combined they were worth about $2500 so it was a huge relief. I was going to drive to Reno to cash them, but they can't be cashed in person after 120 days after the "event' is over. So I had to mail them in. If I hadn't found them until next January, then the ticket wouldn't have been cashable.

 

[winkyduck]

Suggestion for those who worry about losing tickets at Vegas Casinos:

Put them on a Players Reward card. Many years ago I bet 5 NHL games. I couldn't cash one before I left so I gave it to Dad to cash when he went back in a few weeks. He lost it. He didn't admit it but I found out he lost it. Instead of worrying I knew I put the bets on my Sis' Players Reward card at the Red Rock. Sis and Dad went back to the RR, they scanned the card and in seconds they saw the winning wager and that it had not been cashed yet. They flagged it. I had to wait 30 days to make sure no one cashed it. Once 30 days were over Sis came back, swiped the card and got the money. As easy as it gets. Yes - that means they track your bets but it also means if you lose the ticket they have a record of it that takes seconds to recover.

Can't recommend this enough

 

[John Kelly]

A few years ago, I bet a college hoop total at Westgate for $990.

The ticket was in a pants pocket, a pair of pants that I washed later that night.

When I went to cash the ticket the following day, I realized my mistake.

I filled out the "Lost Ticket" request and waited a month or so for the request to be processed.

And here's the strange twist to the story: The return on the ticket was not $1,890, but instead $990 because the wager "pushed."

Ugh.

 

[John Kelly]

Horseplayers have it much tougher than sports bettors.

Losing a winning pari-mutuel ticket is like losing cash.

 

[MrTop]

never lost a ticket , but I found one for $500 ( soccer ) after it won that day.

went to the sports book to return it.. Gave it to them. They said it was cancelled by looking at video. The guy picked up the money already. It seems like if they have the time, they can do it right away. I always wondered how they worked it out.

 

[Valuist]

Horseplayers have it much tougher than sports bettors.

Losing a winning pari-mutuel ticket is like losing cash.

Agreed. I remember a number of years ago, I hit a pic 3 at Hawthorne for about $950. I went up to cash and they scanned it and said race hasn't gone off yet. I re-checked the ticket. The numbers were all ok, but the clerk punched in Hastings Park instead of Hawthorne. Bad mistake on his part but a worse one on mine. I always check the numbers. It was the first time I recall the mutuel clerk getting the track wrong.

And Winky is right, but with a place like William Hill it could be a red flag. It took 20 minutes for approval just to make those wagers. And we've heard what they have been doing to New Jersey bettors, backing them off like card counters.

 

[Valuist]

The best lost ticket story I've ever heard. This goes back many years; probably late 80s. I was visiting some relatives not far from Minneapolis and the story was that Canterbury Downs (now Park) had a big pick six carryover. A father and son put together a big ticket to go after the carryover. They placed their bet and had to leave the track but were going to come back. They checked results and apparently got some incorrect information about two of the legs. They thought they were eliminated so they threw the ticket in the trash. They had the ticket numbers written on the program and when they listened to the full results on the radio, they realized they had thrown out the winning pic 6 ticket. Frantically, they called up the track and there were still some workers there, mostly maintenance. They got permission to haul all the garbage back to their house (this required several vehicles). After hours of going thru trash, they found the ticket. I can't remember how much it was worth but I believe over $100k.

 

[John Kelly]

Dumpster diving for six figures.

Give me a pair of gloves.

Good story, Valuist.

 

[Sol Diablo]

A few years ago, I bet a college hoop total at Westgate for $990.

The ticket was in a pants pocket, a pair of pants that I washed later that night.

When I went to cash the ticket the following day, I realized my mistake.

I filled out the "Lost Ticket" request and waited a month or so for the request to be processed.

And here's the strange twist to the story: The return on the ticket was not $1,890, but instead $990 because the wager "pushed."

Ugh.

I once lost a whole slew of NFL and College Games of the Year tickets in the wash. Half from Golden Nugget and the other half from Westgate (Hilton at the time). The Hilton process for lost tickets was MUCH easier.

Now I always take pics of my tickets on my phone if I know I’m going to be hanging onto them for awhile before cashing.

 

[John Kelly]

Photos on the phone clearly a winning idea.

As long as your wife doesn't spy on your gallery.

 

[ejd_5277]

Suggestion for those who worry about losing tickets at Vegas Casinos:

Put them on a Players Reward card. Many years ago I bet 5 NHL games. I couldn't cash one before I left so I gave it to Dad to cash when he went back in a few weeks. He lost it. He didn't admit it but I found out he lost it. Instead of worrying I knew I put the bets on my Sis' Players Reward card at the Red Rock. Sis and Dad went back to the RR, they scanned the card and in seconds they saw the winning wager and that it had not been cashed yet. They flagged it. I had to wait 30 days to make sure no one cashed it. Once 30 days were over Sis came back, swiped the card and got the money. As easy as it gets. Yes - that means they track your bets but it also means if you lose the ticket they have a record of it that takes seconds to recover.

Can't recommend this enough

While certainly well intentioned, this advice is terrible if you’re a serious, long-term winner betting sports.

You’re just handing the casino one more piece they need to connect the dots, especially a sweatshop like Stations or WH.

And the “rewards” you get for using such cards are literally peanuts.

Winky-don’t take this personally. I greatly enjoy your posts.

 

[winkyduck]

While certainly well intentioned, this advice is terrible if you’re a serious, long-term winner betting sports.

You’re just handing the casino one more piece they need to connect the dots, especially a sweatshop like Stations or WH.

And the “rewards” you get for using such cards are literally peanuts.

Winky-don’t take this personally. I greatly enjoy your posts.

Fair comments. For me it was no biggie because I didn't live there and didn't make a lot of bets but I can clearly see so "connecting the dots" can lead to trouble

 

[railbird]

lost a 4 pack of game 7 tickets to 2002 world series. street value= 300X4 is 1200. Im pretty sure was pick pocketed

 

[ChuckyG]

This is a good topic. I think everyone forgets about a ticket occasionally. And u don't want the day-limit to run.

Heard a stat that 1% of ALL tickets go un-cashed. A tourist could easily forget about a ticket. Adds a good bit to house's bottom-line.

 

[TheGuesser]

I used to bet at the self service machines with vouchers at the Meadowlands. Unfortunately several times I walked away from the machine without one of the vouchers, and remembered it a few moments later when looking for it in my pocket. Biggest loss was about $400. Lesson learned.