85 Illinois lottery checks were returned

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Eighty-five Illinois Lottery winners whose checks were invalid can now get their money and be reimbursed for any bank fees, lottery spokesman Mike Lang said.

Lang said officials failed to put the required security verification on 85 checks, totaling $159,000, issued Dec. 28, but the winners can now resubmit the checks to claim their winnings, WBBM-AM, Chicago, reported Friday.

"We apologize for the inconvenience that these players have incurred," Lang said.