Texas Lottery Winner’s $83.5M Prize in Limbo Amid Courier Crackdown

An $83.5 million Texas Lottery winner has found herself “caught in the crossfire” of a political backlash against lottery courier services.

The unnamed woman was denied her payout by lottery officials on Tuesday pending the completion of investigations into her win and others, her lawyer, Randy Howry, told The Texas Tribune Thursday.

The investigations, by the Texas Attorney General and the Texas Rangers, were sparked by the revelation that a European betting syndicate had gamed the system by buying up 25.8 million tickets, enough to cover all possible winning combinations for the April 22, 2023 draw.

25.8M Tickets Purchased at Once

After 93 rollovers, the jackpot had reached $95 million, which meant it was mathematically exploitable. The syndicate used the bulk-buying capabilities of lottery couriers to ensure it had covered every base — all 25.8 million of them — allowing it to scoop the jackpot and millions in secondary prizes.

The unnamed $83.5 million winner’s claim is under scrutiny because she also bought her ticket via a lottery courier.

Following the woman’s win, DraftKings said in a statement that the winning ticket had been purchased through its lottery courier, Jackpocket.com, by a regular player in the state of Texas who chose her own numbers. It wasn’t part of a bulk buy, and no shadowy European betting syndicates were involved.

At the time the jackpot winner purchased her ticket, lottery courier services were a legitimate way for players to purchase their tickets online. They claimed to be legal and were tolerated – some lawmakers say encouraged – by the lottery commission because they improved ticket sales.

“She played by all the rules in play at the time,” Howry said. “She should be paid her winnings, but she’s being caught up because the politicians are now involved.”

A lottery commission spokesman told The Herald: “The claim is being reviewed under the Commission’s claim validation requirements and is the subject of external investigation,”

Bulk Ordering

Once players purchase their tickets through a courier app, the business fulfills the order by acquiring tickets through a licensed land-based lottery retailer. The tickets are then scanned by the courier and sent back to the customer.

Many are angry that the lottery commission provided three lottery retailers with the means to process the 25.8 million tickets for the syndicate without smelling a rat.

A bill that would ban lottery couriers by law is currently wending its way through the legislature.