She Won $83.5 Million—but Texas Won’t Pay Up

A Montgomery County, Texas, resident struck it rich with an $83.5 million lottery win, but four months later, she’s still waiting for her payout. The legal wrangling over her prize has turned into a complex battle with state officials, leaving her windfall in limbo.

The twist? She purchased her winning ticket through an online service, only to see her prize jeopardized when Texas suddenly banned such purchases, retroactively applying the new rules to her case.

NBC News reported on Monday that the woman filed a lawsuit against the Texas Lottery Commission on May 19, challenging their decision to withhold her winnings.

On February 17, she bought a Lotto Texas ticket through Jackpocket, a service that purchases lottery tickets on behalf of customers.

At the time of purchase, Texas had no specific regulations governing third-party lottery services.

Sudden Rule Change Derails Lottery Win

The winning ticket, purchased from Winner’s Corner, a licensed retailer in Austin, scored her the $83.5 million jackpot in that night’s drawing.

But the excitement was short-lived. A week later, the Texas Lottery Commission made a surprising announcement—imposing an immediate and total ban on lottery courier services.

Ryan Mindell, then executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, explained that the rise of such services raised concerns about the integrity, security, and fairness of the lottery.

Mindell resigned in April during an ongoing investigation, and Sergio Ley has stepped in as the interim executive director.

According to a November report from the Texas House of Representatives, only three U.S. states—New York, New Jersey, and Arkansas—regulate third-party lottery services.

“Rule Changes After the Drawing Are Not Allowed” – Winner’s Legal Challenge

In her lawsuit, the woman argues that the Texas Lottery Commission cannot change the rules after the drawing has already occurred. She claims that the retroactive ban is an attempt to unfairly deny her prize.

She also stated that on March 18, she presented her winning ticket to the Texas Lottery Commission and was never told that the ticket was invalid.

In response, a spokesperson for the Texas Lottery Commission said, “The matter is under review as part of the commission’s standard prize validation process and is subject to an external investigation.” The spokesperson declined to comment further on the ongoing lawsuit or investigation.