Kevin Layne, aged 63, a lotto enthusiast, won £140 in a Lotto draw, but the winnings were refused by two Tesco stores because of a "policy" against paying such sums in cash. Kevin, after a heated argument, was asked to leave the store, thus becoming frustrated and banned from his local Tesco.

Kevin Layne, 63, of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, had a bit of luck regarding lotteries recently. He won £140 in the Saturday Lotto draw and was understandably excited to claim his prize. Kevin had matched four numbers, which for any player is a decent catch. His ticket firmly clutched in hand, Kevin headed down to his local Tesco Express on Comberton Hill to come out with his winnings.

Kevin had been a regular customer to this particular Tesco store, who visited them for most of their needs, buying lottery tickets not being an exception. Little did he know that claiming his prize money would turn out to be a problem. He didn't suspect anything when he went to the cashier to cash in his £140 prize—just about to discover how things can turn sour.

Kevin explained that after he had paid for his meal deal, he handed the lottery ticket to the cashier. To his surprise, she said that she was unable to pay out the winnings because the amount was "too much." Kevin was nonplussed. "It's just £140," he said, explaining that he regularly spends large sums at the store, sometimes as much as £100 when he tops up his phone credit or buys tickets in bulk.

The cashier, however, insisted that the store's policy did not provide for such a cash payout, no matter how much Kevin tried to reason. Kevin felt he was being treated unfairly. If this was not enough, when he tried to question the policy and asked for further clarification, he was given an abrupt response: "Get out - you're barred!"

He was, of course left bemused, more than a little irritated and left the premises with his meal deal but without his £140. The situation did not stop there because rather than cut his losses, Kevin concluded that he would attempt a further Tesco store in the locality, presuming that the problem was localized to that store. As luck would have it, the same thing occurred, and in the second Tesco Store he had tried to claim his £140 he was consistently refused. It was a case of déjà vu for Kevin, who was told the same policy by staff at both stores, and he had no other option but to leave once more without his money.

Kevin was frustrated, not just by the denial of a prize he thought was his, but by the way in which he was treated. Having lived abroad in Thailand and China for the past 20 years, Kevin had returned to the UK just four years previously. He felt the country to which he'd come back was treating him unfairly.

Kevin is not new to lottery wins. He won much more about 10 years ago—£2,136—when he visited the UK. He was able to draw £500 over the counter then, and there were no problems. It was this experience that helped make this current situation all the more baffling for him. He couldn't understand why he was being refused his relatively modest £140 win.

To make matters worse, Kevin now found himself banned from the Tesco store where he used to shop regularly. Kevin considers the action of the store as unwelcoming and disappointing. He said that he felt he had been treated like a problem-maker rather than like a good customer.

Tesco, however, denied that Kevin had been permanently barred from the store. He was asked to leave after the situation escalated, their spokesman said. They gave no details on their policy regarding lottery payouts and have left Kevin and many others in this situation wondering what the rules are.

Kevin had hoped to enjoy his winnings and maybe even buy himself something special with the money, but instead, he just walked away with nothing more than a meal deal. This incident has left him with a sour taste in his mouth. What should have been one of the happy moments of celebrating a small lottery win turned into the ordeal of frustration and confusion.

This situation raises questions concerning the policies of shops and how they are passed on to customers. Kevin's case has been used to prove that even the smallest of victories may be outdone by the simplest of mishaps. Kevin is still unclear about his exact stand with Tesco at the moment, but there is one thing that is very clear: his £140 win has translated into an experience he won't forget for a long time.

Kevin will most probably be keener on where he purchases his lottery ticket in the future from Tesco. After all, winning should be a moment of joy and not one colored by frustration and unanswered questions. On their part, Tesco may have to reconsider how they handle such situations lest they leave other customers as let down as Kevin was.