A woman in Texas is taking the state lottery to court after she says officials refused to pay her jackpot. The plaintiff, listed in legal papers as Jane Doe, bought a Lotto Texas ticket through the Jackpocket app on February 17. That night, her numbers matched the drawing, making the ticket worth 83.5 million dollars.
At first she celebrated, certain her life had changed for the better. But a week after her win, the executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission announced a new rule that bans the use of third-party apps like Jackpocket. The ban did not become active until May 19, three months after Jane Doe purchased her ticket. Even so, the commission has not released her prize money.
Jane Doe says the purchase was legal when she made it, so the state must honor the ticket. In a lawsuit filed this week, she is asking a court to order the commission to pay her the full 83.5 million dollars. Her lawyers argue that changing the rules after someone wins is unfair and violates basic contract law.
A spokesperson for the lottery commission told reporters that the office will not comment on pending litigation. The case now moves into the discovery phase, and a hearing date is expected later this summer. Lottery players across Texas are watching closely to see whether an app purchase can truly lead to a paid-out jackpot.