Texas Launches Investigation Into Suspicious And Potentially Illegal Texas Lottery Jackpot Payouts

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced his office has launched an official investigation into the Texas Lottery. The investigation is targeting two "suspicious" jackpot winnings that could possibly be unlawful.

In both cases, the purchase of bulk lottery tickets and the use of third-party courier services were involved. According to the Dallas Morning News, the announcement of the investigation comes after Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate the two lottery jackpots.

Which Texas Lottery Jackpot Winnings Are Being Investigated?

According to the Dallas Morning News, the first jackpot was $95 million and was paid in April of 2023. The jackpot was won by an overseas group that purchased more than 25 million $1 tickets. According to Governor Greg Abbott, this could have given the group access to "nearly every possible number combination".

The second case goes back to a jackpot earlier in February which paid $83.5 million and the winning ticket was purchased through a 3rd party courier service.

Paxton Calls the Cases Suspicious

In a press release, the Texas Attorney General called the two cases both "suspicious" and "possibly illegal".

“I’m deeply concerned about the integrity of our state’s lottery system, especially when it appears that non-citizens have shown that they are attempting to rig the system to win on demand,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Texas citizens deserve far better than bad actors getting rich off of a lottery system that is open to exploitation, and we will hold anyone who engages in illegal activity accountable.”

The move comes as the Texas Legislature is taking a closer look into the Texas Lottery and its future.