A Texas woman is suing the state’s Lottery Commission after officials allegedly refused to pay out an $83.5 million jackpot, despite her ticket matching the winning numbers more than three months ago, NBC News reports.
The lawsuit, filed on May 19 in Montgomery County, identifies the plaintiff only as Jane Doe. She claims she purchased the winning ticket for the February 17 “Lotto Texas” drawing using Jackpocket, a third-party courier service that buys lottery tickets from authorized retailers on behalf of users.
According to the suit, Doe’s ticket was bought through Winners Corner, a licensed lottery retailer in Austin. The numbers on her ticket matched the winning combination for the $83.5 million jackpot.
But instead of a celebratory payout, Doe was met with silence — and ultimately, resistance. Just a week after her win, the Texas Lottery Commission abruptly banned the use of courier services, citing concerns over the security and fairness of lottery games.
Doe argues that the Commission is trying to invalidate her win through a retroactive rule change. Her lawsuit states she submitted her winning ticket to the Commission on March 18 and was not informed at the time that her claim was ineligible.
“The Commission is not allowed to change the rules after the drawing,” the suit says.
A Commission spokesperson confirmed the ticket is under review but declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing ongoing litigation and an external investigation.
“The claim is being reviewed under the Commission’s claim validation requirements and is the subject of external investigation,” the spokesperson said.
Jackpocket and other courier services operate in a legal gray area in Texas. Though they allow users to buy tickets through official retailers, they are not regulated by the state. A November 2024 report from the Texas House noted that only three states — New York, New Jersey, and Arkansas — currently regulate such services.
At the time of the ban, former Texas Lottery Executive Director Ryan Mindell expressed concern that courier services were undermining public trust in the lottery system.
“The proliferation of couriers in the state has raised serious concerns that the integrity, security, honesty, and fairness of lottery games is being undermined,” Mindell said in a February statement.
He resigned in April amid broader investigations. Interim Executive Director Sergio Rey is now overseeing the commission and is named in Doe’s lawsuit.
Governor Greg Abbott also called for a formal investigation into the February 17 jackpot win.
The outcome of the case could have wide-ranging implications for both the Texas Lottery and third-party courier services. If the court sides with Doe, it could set a precedent that challenges the state’s authority to retroactively block payouts based on policy changes.
As the case heads to court, Doe remains in limbo — with her $83.5 million prize still hanging in the balance.
