Texas $71.5M Lotto Payout Frozen After Rule Ban
An 83-year-old Texas retiree’s $71.5 million Lotto Texas prize, won Feb. 17 via the Jackpocket app, is frozen after the Texas Lottery Commission banned third‑party courier services a week later.
An 83-year-old Texas retiree who used the Jackpocket app won a $71.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot on Feb. 17, 2025. The physical ticket was bought by a Jackpocket runner at Winners Corner in Austin and was later presented to the Texas Lottery Commission and validated without immediate objection.
Seven days after the draw, the Texas Lottery Commission adopted a rule banning third-party courier-style ticket services. The commission treated the new rule as applicable to the claim and froze the payout while the matter is under review.
Regulators noted that DraftKings, which acquired Jackpocket, also owns the Austin retailer where the winning ticket was purchased. That ownership link has been flagged by the commission as a potential integrity concern in the review.
State law enforcement opened an inquiry and the Texas Rangers are investigating. The commission has placed the claim under review; it has not issued a public statement addressing the specifics of the dispute.
On May 19, 2025, the winner, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, filed suit against the Texas Lottery Commission. The complaint asks a court to rule on whether the commission may apply the new ban to a ticket that was bought and validated before the rule was announced.
The commission’s executive director resigned in April and an interim director now leads the agency. Lottery consultants have said that leaving a validated prize unpaid can harm public confidence in state-run games.
The $71.5 million prize remains unpaid while legal and law enforcement processes continue. The lawsuit asks the courts to decide whether the commission can bar the payout by applying the new policy to a validated ticket bought under the previous rules.
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