I just won on a ticket at a Tedeschi's and went to cash out. The clerk scratched off the code on the bottom of the ticket and scanned it in the machine but wasn't sure how to finish paying out (she said). I walked away with the ticket thinking i would cash it tomorrow morning but it occurs to me that she might have lied to me and be stealing the payout. Was i scammed?

Winner!

She did not scam me, she was as confused as i was. I got my dough. So all the money i've spent on scratchers in my lifetime, i have now won back, making my lottery balance equal to ZERO.

just as i would expect, having learned how to do math a long time ago.

still, i like having a wad of 20s and some "play money"