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She thought she'd hit the jackpot — literally. But instead of cashing in on her $83.5 million Lotto Texas win, a Texas woman has found herself tangled in legal red tape, political controversy, and a showdown with the state lottery.
Jackpot win turns into legal battle
An anonymous Texas woman won an $83.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot earlier this year and now she has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Lottery Commission, claiming she has not received her prize because she purchased the winning ticket through a third-party app.
In the court documents, the woman, who is referred to as “Ms. Doe,” claims to have won the Lotto Texas jackpot during the February 17, 2025, drawing. Her attorneys at Howry, Breen & Herman, LLP filed the lawsuit in Travis County District Court on May 21 against Sergio Rey, the acting deputy executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission.
In the lawsuit, the attorneys claim:
It shouldn't take a lawsuit to get paid when you win the lottery. But that's exactly what has happened here.
Ticket bought through the Jackpocket app
The woman used the Jackpocket app to purchase her ticket, according to her attorneys. Jackpocket is a lottery courier service that allows users to buy official state lottery tickets via their phones. The app is affiliated with Winner's Corner, a lottery retailer in North Austin where the winning ticket was printed.
After presenting her ticket to the Texas Lottery Commission on March 18, the Commission allegedly confirmed she was the lawful ticket bearer. However, the lawsuit claims she still hasn't received her prize.
Courier apps face political scrutiny
The complaint alleges the Commission's refusal to pay stems from political pressure, not legal merit. It states:
We all know the Commission is not allowed to change the rules after the drawing. But the Commission has apparently tried to do so and relied, at least in part, on this ex post facto announcement to continue to refuse to pay Plaintiff her lottery winnings simply because she utilized a lottery ticket courier service to buy the winning ticket.
Controversy surrounding third-party lottery apps has escalated in Texas. On February 24, just one week after the February 17 drawing, then–Lottery Commission Executive Director Ryan Mindell said such services were not allowed under Texas law and that new rules would be proposed to ban them. Mindell has since resigned, and Rey was appointed interim director in April.
Stonewalling the winner
Despite the Lottery Commission determining she held the winning ticket, the lawsuit claims state officials have avoided responding to her inquiries and delayed payment without justification. “They are simply stonewalling the winner,” the filing reads. “Stalling and not being responsible or acting with any integrity. In fact, what they are doing is illegal.”
The winner's attorney, Randy Howry, said the woman is a widow and mother of two who has used Jackpocket for years. “She played by all the rules,” Howry said. “If you allow a person to play by your rules and they win and you refuse to pay 'em, then why would anyone play the Texas Lottery going forward?”
Meanwhile, the Texas Lottery Commission states that a claim has been filed for the $83.5 million jackpot, and it is under review. In a statement, a spokesperson for the TLC said:
The holder of the February 17 Lotto Texas jackpot-winning ticket has come forward. The claim is being reviewed under the Commission's claim validation requirements and is the subject of an external investigation. The agency does not have additional information to provide, as it does not comment on pending litigation and investigations.
Enjoy playing the Texas Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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