The Texas Lottery has faced a series of scandals

 The Texas Lottery has faced a series of scandals and controversy, primarily centered around two large jackpot wins and the involvement of lottery courier services. 

Here's a breakdown of the key issues:

• Bulk ticket purchases and the $95 million jackpot (2023):
  • An entity called Rook TX, reportedly linked to a London-based gambling syndicate, purchased nearly every possible combination of numbers (over 25 million tickets) for a $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot.
  • This "bulk buy" was deemed unfair but technically legal at the time.
  • However, investigations by the Texas Rangers and the Attorney General were initiated to determine if any laws were violated.
  • The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) was criticized for its role in enabling this scheme, including assisting with the expedited delivery of extra lottery terminals to facilitate the mass printing of tickets.
  • This event has been called "the biggest theft from the people of Texas in the history of Texas" by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
• The $83.5 million jackpot and courier services (2025):
  • A woman won an $83.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot after buying her ticket through Jackpocket, a third-party lottery courier service.
  • The TLC initially refused to pay out the prize due to investigations into the use of courier services, citing concerns about integrity and a lack of regulation.
  • The woman has since filed a lawsuit seeking her winnings, arguing that using a courier service was legal at the time of purchase.
  • The TLC subsequently moved to ban all courier services from operating in the state.
  • Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about fairness and transparency, especially after discovering the store that sold the winning ticket was affiliated with the courier service and had numerous lottery terminals hidden from public view.
• The broader impact and investigations:
  • Both jackpots and the use of courier services prompted investigations by the Texas Rangers, the Attorney General, and legislative inquiries.
  • The incidents have raised concerns about the integrity and fairness of the Texas Lottery system.
  • The scandal led to the resignation of the Texas Lottery's Executive Director Ryan Mindell.
  • There were proposals in the Texas Legislature to dissolve the Texas Lottery Commission entirely, with one bill to that effect being signed by the Governor in June 2025. 

These events have caused a significant loss of faith among some Texans regarding the fairness and legitimacy of the state lottery system. 

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