Stop Buying Lottery Tickets at Rapid Roberts: Local Store Accused of Shortchanging WinnersSpringfield, MO
A troubling incident at a Springfield convenience store has sparked community outrage and raised serious concerns about how some local businesses are handling Missouri Lottery winnings.
On July 2, 2025, a customer at the Rapid Roberts store located at 3405 S. Campbell Avenue attempted to redeem a $1 winning scratch-off ticket. As is common practice across Missouri, the customer asked the clerk—identified only as Will—to apply the $1 toward their purchase total. This method is supported by Missouri Lottery policy, according to statements made by officials in both the Springfield regional office and the main office in Jefferson City.
Despite this, the clerk reportedly refused the request, insisting that the ticket could only be exchanged for another lottery ticket due to the word "TICKET" being printed on it.
To verify the policy, The Daily Times contacted over two dozen licensed lottery retailers throughout Missouri, including major chains and small-town outlets. Retailers from Springfield to Climax Springs, Warsaw, and beyond—all confirmed the same: a scratch-off ticket marked with a $1 prize or labeled “ticket” can indeed be redeemed for either cash or used toward a purchase.
For example, Casey’s on North Kansas Expressway, Beth’s Osage Mini Mart in Warsaw, 7 Express in Climax Springs, and even local veterans' posts all confirmed that exchanging the prize for cash or store credit is perfectly acceptable and common.
This discrepancy raises questions. Why is Rapid Roberts reportedly refusing to honor legitimate lottery claims in a way that no other retailer appears to be doing? Is it a misunderstanding, or is something more intentional at play?
Some might brush this off as a trivial issue—"It’s just a dollar," you might think. But if this practice has been occurring for years, affecting thousands of customers, that single dollar adds up. A conservative estimate of 20,000 affected customers suggests that Rapid Roberts may have withheld as much as $200,000 from rightful winners—money that legally belongs to Missouri lottery participants.
Even more concerning: what’s to stop this same policy from being applied to tickets worth $2, $5, or $20?
Attempts to contact Missouri Lottery’s Security Division were unsuccessful. Although a representative briefly returned our call, the conversation was abruptly ended after we identified ourselves as press. We have since been unable to re-establish contact.
For those wanting to voice their concerns, the Missouri Lottery Security Office can be reached at (573) 526-7478.
The Daily Times is taking this matter seriously. We have retained legal counsel and will be sending Rapid Roberts an official intent to sue letter on Monday, July 7, 2025. If the company fails to respond, we plan to move forward with a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all affected lottery customers who made transactions at this location within a designated timeframe.
We encourage Springfield residents and concerned consumers across Missouri to stay tuned for updates—and in the meantime, consider purchasing your lottery tickets elsewhere.