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Um ex-manager claims to have followed an unwritten company policy when purchasing abandoned bets, but ended up being dismissed; meanwhile, the million-dollar prize remains blocked in an account managed by the state of Arizona during the process.
A Circle K manager who bought a winning lottery ticket worth $12.8 million claims to have been fired even after consulting his supervisor and following the company’s indicated procedure. The prize from The Pick draw, held on November 24, 2025, remains blocked while Arizona’s Justice decides who is entitled to the money.
Winning ticket was among bets left at the register
The case began at a Circle K unit located at the intersection of 56th Street and Bell Road, in Arizona. A customer asked an employee to print $85 in tickets but only had $60 to pay.
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The remaining 25 tickets were left near the register, available for purchase. The next morning, then-manager Robert Gawlitza discovered that one of the bets had hit the six drawn numbers: 3, 13, 14, 15, 19, and 26.
The $12.8 million prize was the fourth largest in The Pick lottery history. According to attorney Josh Kolsrud, Gawlitza bought the remaining tickets after confirming with a supervisor that this was the correct procedure.
The defense claims there was an unwritten policy that mistakenly printed and unsold tickets should be paid for by the responsible employee or the store manager.
Manager handed over bet and agreed to split prize
After the purchase, Gawlitza handed the ticket to Circle K and agreed to split the prize equally with the attendant who had printed the bets. Each would receive 50% of the amount, should the division be recognized.
Kolsrud maintains that his client tried to act correctly and sought authorization before paying for the tickets. A photograph presented by the defense shows Gawlitza in uniform holding the winning ticket.
According to the lawyer, the image metadata indicates that the photo was taken around 11:30 AM on November 26, 2025, after the manager bought the ticket, returned to work, and put on the uniform again.
Despite this, Gawlitza received a call from Circle K management on January 30 and was fired. The company allegedly cited a violation of internal policies as the reason for the dismissal.
Employee worked for 20 years at Circle K
Gawlitza had worked for 20 years in the store chain. He started as a cashier and rose to the position of unit manager.
According to Kolsrud, the former employee’s primary goal in seeking legal assistance was not to obtain the prize, but to restore his reputation and demonstrate that he had not committed any wrongdoing.
Circle K filed a lawsuit in February, asking the Maricopa County Superior Court to determine who owns the ticket.
The company stated that the lawsuit seeks judicial guidance and is not directed against a specific party.
Prize remains in account managed by Arizona
While the lawsuit continues, the Arizona Lottery holds the $12.8 million in an interest-bearing account managed by the state.
A judge ruled that there is no longer an applicable statute of limitations for the claim. Thus, the lottery must comply with the court’s decision regarding the ownership of the ticket and the release of the prize.
The parties are awaiting the judge Kramer’s review of the motions. Until a final decision is made, none of the parties involved will be able to receive the accumulated winnings from the winning lottery ticket.
This article was prepared based on information released by KTAR, statements from lawyer Josh Kolsrud, and Circle K’s position, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.
