A woman in Texas, identified as Jane Doe, has filed a lawsuit against the state’s lottery commission for allegedly withholding an $83.5 million jackpot after her ticket matched the winning numbers in a drawing three months prior. Doe purchased her lottery ticket on February 17 via the online courier service Jackpocket, which allows Texans to buy lottery tickets from authorized retailers. The lawsuit contends that her ticket was acquired from Winners Corner, a licensed retailer in Austin, and that the numbers drawn that night won the jackpot.
According to the lawsuit, one week after the purchase, the Texas Lottery announced a ban on unregulated lottery ticket courier services, which raised concerns about the integrity and fairness of lottery games. This announcement came from former Executive Director Ryan Mindell, who resigned amid ongoing investigations, with Sergio Rey currently serving as the interim executive director. A state report found that only three other states—New York, New Jersey, and Arkansas—regulate such courier services.
Doe claims that the lottery commission is not permitted to change the rules post-drawing and is trying to retroactively deny her winnings due to the ban. On March 18, she reportedly presented her ticket to the Texas Lottery Commission without being informed of any issues regarding its validity. A spokesperson for the commission stated that her claim is undergoing review and is part of an external investigation, emphasizing that they cannot comment on pending litigation or investigations. The case underscores the growing tension surrounding unregulated lottery courier services in Texas.
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