A person won $83.5 million in the Lotto Texas drawing on Monday night, but trust in the Texas Lottery is currently so diminished that residents of the state are doubting the authenticity of the win. 

Trust in the lottery has diminished since April 2023, when a mysterious European lottery group secured a $95 million jackpot by purchasing 25.8 million tickets, sufficient to include all potential winning combinations. To accomplish this, they utilized online lottery delivery services. 

The integrity of the lottery was further scrutinized by a widely publicized class-action lawsuit launched last week by self-identified lottery monitor Dawn Nettles, the creator of LottoReport.com. 

In her legal action, Nettles claims that former Texas Lottery CEO Gary Grief “deceptively” established a foundation for a “criminal conspiracy” that permitted the European syndicate to exploit the system – mainly, by promoting lottery courier services to function in Texas. 

The state’s Lt. Gov., Dan Patrick, reflects the public’s uncertain trust in the lottery commission and has warned of abolishing the lottery entirely unless online courier services are quickly banned. 

What is a Texas Lottery Courier? 

The winning ticket from Monday was bought through a lottery courier known as Jackpocket.com, which is operated by DraftKings. 

These companies enable Texans to select their numbers and purchase tickets using an app. The courier will then complete the ticket order by acquiring them from an authorized physical lottery vendor. The courier scans the tickets and returns them to the customer. 

Due to the high volume of tickets handled by lottery couriers, they utilize licensed retailers that are specifically equipped with sufficient lottery terminals to accommodate these large orders. The delivery service might also possess these establishments. 

“This is a mess, and if people don’t have confidence in the lottery, they’re going to stop playing,” Patrick told The American-Statesman this week. “And right now, as lieutenant governor of the state of Texas, I have no confidence in the lottery.”

Patrick thinks that the Lottery Commission has fostered these conditions by allowing lottery couriers in without the clear consent of the legislature. 

Was the Lotto Texas Jackpot this week authentic? 

In a statement, DraftKings noted that the winning ticket was bought via the Jackpocket.com app by a frequent player from Texas who selected their own numbers. It wasn't included in a large purchase by a mysterious organization. 

Furthermore, it wasn't completely unlawful for the syndicate to acquire all potential combinations in 2023. One might contend that those pesky Europeans were simply clever in taking advantage of a loophole. They purchased a tremendous number of tickets ($25.8 million total when the average is approximately $2 million per drawing), with the earnings aimed at supporting education and various charitable causes. 

Although not strictly against the law, critics argue that the syndicate’s behavior was unjust to other participants, particularly the regular Texans who purchased their tickets without realizing their slim chances of winning. Patrick contends that the syndicate's strategies did not align with the intent of the law that established the lottery 34 years prior. 

A proposal to ban lottery couriers via legislation was approved by the state Senate last year, but did not succeed in the House. Patrick promised that the identical bill would be approved this year. 

What if it doesn't? 

“The lottery is out of business,” he warned.