A Wal-Mart-sponsored charity raffle was manipulated to increase profits, according to one Baltimore County man who bought 65 tickets.
Bill Budka said he spent $13 on the tickets for a bike raffle in the lobby of the Carroll Island Road Wal-mart, where signs advertised a drawing date of April 15 ? in time to use the bike as an Easter gift. But when he called Saturday to see if he was the lucky winner, Wal-mart employees told him the drawing had been postponed.
The drawing didn?t happen until Tuesday, giving Wal-Mart an opportunity to sell more tickets, and lowering Budka?s odds, he said.
“You just can?t do that,” Budka said. “What if everyone did that? The lotto?”
Store managers confirmed Budka?s account, saying the raffle was for Wal-Mart?s main charity, the Children?s Miracle Network.
“They were looking to get some more donations,” said assistant manager Dave Harvy. “It was for a good cause.”
Harvey said Saturday was hectic and didn?t recall anyone asking about the drawing. Whether or not the store violatedlaws, however, is unclear.
Baltimore County only allows nonprofit organizations to sponsor raffles, and even then requires a permit, said Don Roscoe, deputy director of the county?s permits and development department. He said he could not identify a permit approved for either Wal-Mart or the Children?s Miracle Network.
“I don?t know if we care how they went about it, as long as the money goes to where they said it would,” Roscoe said. “Behavior is one thing we can?t regulate.”
The county?s police department also signs off on permits before they are issued, but spokesman Bill Toohey said he wasn?t aware of this raffle, either, and said he?s never heard of a postponed drawing.
Budka said he?s not planning to file a formal complaint or pursue legal action against the store, but called its actions “fraudulent.”
“It just seems like something that shouldn?t have happened,” he said. “When someone announces a contest and drawing, they have the drawing ? simple as that.”
