Texas lottery winner on delays in $83M prize payout: 'I've lost a lot of faith'

DALLAS - A woman is suing the Texas Lottery after winning $83 million. The Montgomery County resident won back in February but was told she can’t be paid because of a state investigation.

Texas Lottery Lawsuit

What we know:

The lawsuit was filed against the Texas Lottery Commission earlier this week by a woman who is listed as Jane Doe. She claims she still has not been paid.

The backstory:

Jane Doe won $83 million in February after purchasing a ticket on the Jackpocket Lottery App.

The app is really a courier service. A customer pays for a ticket through the app, and the company sends a representative into a store to complete the transaction.

Jane Doe’s ticket purchase was completely legal. 

But the courier process is now under scrutiny by Texas lawmakers.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick went to the Austin store that sold Jane Doe’s ticket because he said he was concerned about how the winning ticket was purchased.

It turns out the store was owned by the parent company of Jackpocket. And while up front it sells games and puzzles, Lt. Gov. Patrick said he saw multiple machines in the back printing lottery tickets.

Patrick acknowledged all of this may have been legal, but he said it violates the spirit of the lottery – the idea that customers should buy tickets in person from places like grocery stores or gas stations.

As a result, the Texas Lottery Commission banned the use of couriers, and lawmakers began pushing a bill to change oversight of the lottery system.

Jane Doe’s Jackpot Story

What they're saying:

FOX 4 spoke to Jane Doe and her lawyer with the agreement that she would not be named, and her face would not be shown. She is concerned about her safety if and when she receives her winning payout.

She said she didn’t find out about her big win until she got an email at work the next day.

"I clicked on it and there was confetti and, ‘Congratulations, you won $83.5 million,’" she said. "And a coworker was sitting on her desk next to me, and she rolled over and she looked at it and she said, ‘Oh my God!’ And that’s when I realized, okay, this is real."

Jane Doe, who has used Jackpocket multiple times in the past, spent $20 on her winning ticket.

"Once they were done with me signing all the paperwork as a claimant, they said that, you know, they were unable to go any further and pay off that day due to the investigation that was ordered by Gov. Abbott," she said.

Her attorney, Randy Howry, said it’s been radio silence since then.

"In the last two months, we’ve waited. Call us. Talk to us. Explain to us what you’re doing – whether it’s the Rangers’ investigation, whether it’s these politicians, whether it’s the lottery commission. Not one single word," Howry said.

"I think that three months is a ridiculous amount of time to sit and wait and go on this roller coaster of emotions. That’s not healthy for anybody. And with no explanation, no contact, no, you know. Make an effort. Give something. And I just, I’ve lost a lot of faith in quit a lot of people," Jane Doe said.

The other side:

In a statement, the Texas Lottery Commission said Jane Doe’s winnings are under review.

"The claim is being reviewed under the Commission’s claim validation requirements and is the subject of an external investigation. The agency does not have additional information to provide, as it does not comment on pending litigation and investigations," the commission said.

The Texas Rangers have not provided an update on their investigation into Jackpocket.

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