Circle K Clerk Followed Company Policy to Buy a Forgotten Lottery Ticket, Then Got Fired When It Won $12.8 Million

A Scottsdale Circle K employee spent two decades with the company before a forgotten lottery ticket put his job on the line. Robert Gawlitza says he followed the store’s own policy when he bought tickets a customer left behind in November 2025. One of them matched all six numbers for a $12.8 million jackpot. Instead of a payout, Gawlitza got fired, and now a judge must decide who actually owns the ticket.

The Ticket Print That Started It All

According to the lawsuit, the dispute traces back to Nov. 24, 2025, when a customer at a Scottsdale Circle K asked a clerk to print $85 worth of Arizona Lottery “The Pick” tickets. The customer paid for only $60 of them, leaving the rest on the counter. The unsold tickets sat untouched overnight, through the drawing that would soon make one of them worth millions.

Gawlitza Bought the Tickets After Clocking Out

The next morning, Gawlitza discovered one of the leftover tickets matched all six numbers drawn: 3, 13, 14, 15, 19, and 26, worth $12.8 million. The lawsuit alleges he clocked out and purchased the tickets with his own money. Gawlitza has said he ended his first shift to do so before clocking back in for a second shift, and Kolsrud says another employee on duty rang up the sale and gave him a receipt.

A Long-Standing Policy, According to Employees

Gawlitza’s attorney, Josh Kolsrud, says Circle K maintained a longstanding, unofficial policy requiring employees to buy any lottery tickets accidentally printed above $20. The rule, he says, was meant to hold employees accountable for misprints. If the employee who printed the tickets isn’t available, Kolsrud says, responsibility falls to the store manager. Six current and former Circle K employees signed affidavits backing that claim.

Text Messages With a District Manager

According to Kolsrud, Gawlitza also exchanged text messages with his district manager after buying the ticket, asking whether staff were allowed to end a shift, step out of company attire, make the purchase, and resume working afterward. The manager replied, “Yes.” Kolsrud also points to handbook language he says permits off-duty ticket purchases, though it bars them on the clock. Kolsrud says the exchange shows at least one manager endorsed the process Gawlitza followed.

Circle K Asked a Court to Sort Out Ownership

Circle K filed a declaratory judgment complaint seeking a Maricopa County judge’s determination of who legally owns the ticket. The company says the filing is not a lawsuit against Gawlitza specifically, but a request for clarity under Arizona Lottery rules. The Arizona Lottery, also named in the case, is holding the $12.8 million prize until the dispute is resolved, according to reports.

The Firing Came After Nearly Two Decades on the Job

According to the filing, Circle K fired Gawlitza in January 2026 after he had signed the back of the winning ticket. He had worked for the company for roughly 20 years. Kolsrud says his client only wants to clear his name and show he broke no rules. Gawlitza had planned to split the jackpot with former co-worker Marline Ybarra.

State Rules May Favor the Retailer

Arizona state Rep. Jeff Weninger has pointed to the state’s administrative rules, which he says generally hold that a retailer owns tickets accidentally overprinted. How that rule applies to this case is one of the questions the court will need to resolve. An Arizona Lottery spokesperson has called the situation unique, saying the agency isn’t aware of any prior litigation of this kind. Circle K has not publicly disputed that the retailer rule exists.

Circle K Says It Wants Clarity, Not a Fight

Circle K told PEOPLE it remains focused on “doing the right thing and maintaining a strong, transparent partnership with the Arizona Lottery,” adding that the filing seeks only legal clarity. Kolsrud, meanwhile, wants a jury, not a judge, to decide ownership. He describes Gawlitza as someone who “plays by the rules,” adding that he was punished for it despite following procedure.

The Case Remains Unresolved

As of writing, no judge has ruled on who legally owns the ticket, and the money remains untouched at Circle K’s corporate offices. Gawlitza says the ordeal drew him closer to his family and his faith, calling it a humbling experience. Until the court decides, the $12.8 million jackpot stays out of reach for now, while Gawlitza waits to find out if his years with the company end up counting for or against him.