$1 million lottery winnings may violate probation

BOSTON – The winner of a $1 million lottery scratch ticket may not be so lucky after all: He’s a convicted bank robber who isn’t supposed to gamble.

Timothy Elliott faces a Dec. 7 court hearing over whether he violated his probation when he bought the $10 ticket for the $800 Million Spectacular game at a supermarket in Hyannis.

Elliott was placed on five years’ probation after pleading guilty in October 2006 to unarmed robbery for a January 2006 heist at a bank on Cape Cod. Under terms of his probation, he “may not gamble, purchase lottery tickets or visit an establishment where gaming is conducted, including restaurants where Keno may be played.”

Elliott, 55, has collected the first of 20 annual $50,000 checks from the Massachusetts lottery commission.

The lottery routinely cross references the names of winners with the state Revenue Department to see if they owe back taxes or child support, lottery spokesman Dan Rosenfeld said. In those cases, winnings go straight to the Revenue Department.

But in this case, it will be up to the court to determine what will happen with Elliott’s winnings.