Texas Lottery victor ultimately receives $83.5 million jackpot following courier dispute
In the heart of April 2023, an investigation was initiated into another controversial draw of the Texas Lotto, this time surrounding the $83.5 million Lotto Texas win of Kristen Moriarty. The twist? Her winning ticket was purchased through a lottery courier service.
The controversy escalated, leading to a political and legal battle that questioned the legitimacy of such services. The then-Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, raised concerns about the integrity of the state lottery, and an unannounced visit to the scene of the controversy only intensified the situation.
Patrick argued that courier services were "not the way the lottery was designed to operate." His words sparked investigations by the Texas Attorney General's office and other state entities, resulting in a delay in the payout to Moriarty.
However, after several months of legal wrangling, the investigation concluded with the Texas Lottery Commission agreeing to pay Moriarty a lump sum settlement of £45.8 million before taxes. The payout will be reduced by $11 million to cover tax obligations.
The winning ticket was purchased through Jackpocket, an online lottery courier service, with the ticket processed at Winners Corner in Austin. The payout was withheld for months due to the political and legal battle, but Moriarty's perseverance paid off.
In an anonymous interview in March, Moriarty described feeling caught up in a "political tornado of controversy." Despite the challenges, she maintained her stance and eventually won her lawsuit against the Texas Lottery.
The long-running saga in Texas regarding lottery courier services has finally come to an end with this decision. Some hard-lined lawmakers even proposed abolishing the lottery altogether. However, the investigation and controversy over courier services have ended with a substantial settlement in favor of Moriarty.
In a surprising turn of events, Moriarty will now receive the full $83.5 million jackpot payout, marking the end of a tumultuous journey for the lucky winner.
The controversy over the legitimacy of lottery courier services, specifically in the context of casino-and-gambling and crime-and-justice, was reignited following Kristen Moriarty's $83.5 million Lotto Texas win. The general news surrounding this saga led to a political and legal battle, with some hard-lined lawmakers even proposing the abolition of the lottery. Despite the initial withholding of her payout, Moriarty's perseverance resulted in a significant casino-games win, with her receiving the full $83.5 million jackpot payout, thus bringing the lengthy investigation to a close.
