What happens when you win the lottery and the state lottery is unable to give you your winnings? It might sound like a fortunate problem to have but it’s become a frustrating one for Georgia resident Dennis Kahler. Kahler won the grand prize of a 2021 C8 Chevrolet Corvette (the mid-engine version) as well as $250,000 off a scratch off ticket from the Georgia Lottery.

The problem now is that according to Corvette Forum, demand for the C8’s have been so high from the start that the lottery cannot obtain the Corvette Kahler wants without paying a massive markup over the manufactured suggested retail price.

Kahler’s original Facebook post showed the winning ticket as well as his annoyance that the Georgia Lottery thought it would be easy to get a brand new Corvette.

One reason why the lottery just didn’t have a car lined up from the start was they wanted to let the winner choose the car and color they wanted. Kahler picked a Rapid Blue 2LT Z51 Corvette that’s valued at $80,465. Because the lottery budgeted $107,000 for the car, Kahler would get the car and an additional $26,535 in addition to the $250,000.

The decision makers at the Georgia Lottery massively underestimated how difficult it is buying an expensive sports car, especially one of the first mid-engine versions of arguably the most iconic American sports car, that it was almost like they thought Kahler could just walk into any Chevrolet dealership, plop down the money, and drive away in a brand new Corvette. It doesn’t really work like that and now lawyers have reportedly gotten involved.

A reasonable solution is for the lottery to eat the markup cost on their end or somehow work out a deal with GM directly. It’s not Kahler’s fault that they offered a car they didn’t have and assumed it would be easy to obtain one. Right now, buying the car at a markup would eat into Kahler’s end and while he could do it, that’s not really fair to him.

It’s reported that a dealer can order Kahler’s car in the third quarter of 2021 but “can’t guarantee a delivery date” which sounds less than ideal. The silver lining is that the $250,000 can at least be given to Kahler. When he gets his Corvette will be anybody’s guess.

[Corvette Forum/Photo: Search Vehicles]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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