Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday that the Texas Rangers would investigate two cases of possible foul play concerning the Texas Lottery.
Abbott’s office said in a release that a courier service purchased a winning $83.5 million lottery ticket earlier in February, while another $95 million jackpot in the spring of 2023 went to an entity which made bulk purchases of tickets.
As a result, the Texas Rangers, which conduct major investigations in the Lone Star State, will be examining both incidents.
“Texans must be able to trust in our state’s lottery system and know that the lottery is conducted with integrity and lawfully,” Abbott said in a statement.
“Today, I directed the Texas Rangers to fully investigate these incidents and identify any potential wrongdoing,” he continued.
“Texans deserve a lottery that is fair and transparent for everyone.”
Directed the Texas Rangers to investigate two incidents involving the Texas Lottery and identify any potential wrongdoing.
Texans must be able to trust in our state’s lottery system. pic.twitter.com/wXWAZm1jb8
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 24, 2025
The Texas Lottery Commission banned online third-party ticket sales through couriers shortly before Abbott’s announcement, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The organization said in a statement that the policy “aligns with legislative efforts to address serious concerns raised by players and state leadership regarding the integrity, security, honesty and fairness of lottery operations.”
Any retailer which continues working with courier services will have its license revoked.
The Morning News said that the couriers take orders through an app or on websites, buy lottery tickets from the retailer, send scanned copies to the customer, and then keep the ticket until the drawing.
They charge a fee to manage the ticket sales.
Texas Republican Lt. Governor Dan Patrick also addressed the $83.5 million win.
He said in a statement posted on X that “the retail establishment that sold the winning ticket in the front of the store was owned by the courier service that purchased the ticket behind the wall in the back of the store.”
In a video posted along with the statement, the official visited the store where the ticket was sold, which seemed to have heavily emphasized working with the courier.
“There were terminal after terminal after terminal after terminal. Many, many more terminals than you would ever see in the normal place that you buy lottery tickets,” Patrick said.
Recently, there have been many questions raised about the integrity of the Texas Lottery. Last night, an $83 million winning ticket was sold in Austin. Turns out, the retail establishment that sold the winning ticket in the front of the store was owned by the courier service that… pic.twitter.com/i4MyR2wQXd
— Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) February 19, 2025
The Texas Lottery Commission says on its website that the entity “works hard to maintain the public trust by protecting and ensuring the security of our lottery games, systems, drawings and operational facilities.”
“We value and require ethical behavior by our employees, licensees and vendors,” the organization said.
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