Powerball and Mega Millions going bye-bye too
Illinois Lottery players should prepare for a bit of deja vu — with a twist — if Illinois leaders don't pass a budget by Friday night.
Not only will the popular Powerball and Mega Millions tickets be off the shelf, but also any big winners of any of the other draw or instant games will have to wait to collect their cash.
The Illinois Lottery announced Tuesday that, without a budget or any special legislation, it won't be able to pay anyone winning $25,000 or more come July 1. If that sounds familiar, it's because the state did the same thing to players for months in late 2015 — spurring lawsuits and an estimated $70 million in lost sales — before the General Assembly passed a special bill that allowed the agency to pay out the nearly 3,900 stacked-up claims.
The difference, this time, is that players won't even get the opportunity to win big and wait for their cash in two of the most popular games. That's because the multistate organizations that run those games — Powerball and Mega Millions — have told Illinois to stop selling tickets to those games this week if no budget deal is reached.
Players, however, will still be able to play other draw games and buy scratch-offs. For those games, any winnings of $25,000 or less will be paid out as usual, at one of the state's five Prize Centers. Winners of $600 or less can continue to cash out at the state's nearly 8,000 retailers, according to the lottery.
As for those winning more than $25,000, they'll have to press their luck for lawmakers and the governor to authorize payments, with no timetable set for that. The agency notes that two special bills authorizing such payments remain stuck in committee.
So, did the law makers pass a special bill to continue to pay their own salaries and expenses???
How can any state be so screwed up that they can't pass a budget in this long? Sounds like all the politicians are on the take.
Obviously, lottery players getting paid is not going to be a top priority, and with all the computer draws there, it will probably be even less likely they will even get a win.
Correct me if l am wrong, but if an Illinoian won either PB or MM before Friday, it's a Home Run for them,and the budget woes are a distant memory,if you care to remember them at all.
They are pathetic.-weshar75
That's right. When we play and win, we want to get paid.
Illinois neighbouring States will accept the business and the profits.
Lottery players should be wary of playing any Illinois Lottery game. Prizes well below $25K could be restricted at some point, as I recall, happened last year. Even sub-$600 prizes could be effected, if IL Lottery retailers aren't timely reimbursed / credited for paying them out.
The PB and MM consortiums wouldn't dare think of restricting sales from a participant unless they believe there's a very real chance of the IL Lottery not paying out; not contributing its share to the jackpot games.
In many jurisdictions, lottery winnings are contractual business obligations that can be readily broken / reworked much like most other business contracts in various instances, such as bankruptcy. Sure, Illinois itself may not be easily able to declare bankruptcy, but that doesn't mean the IL Lottery couldn't. Even if such an event doesn't occur, there's still the more likely possibility of prize payouts being delayed indefinitely. Suing along with much public outcry may help move things along, but what's the penalty to the lottery for not paying out timely?
Seems to me that playing elsewhere would be the better bet. For many IL residents, other state lotteries aren't that far away. Also, many lotteries allow advance play for a week or so for regular numbers games, and many weeks to even upwards of a year advance play for jackpot games.
I'm sad for them. I do not like nor play much Powerball...I do exceptionally well with multiple pick 4s, and pick 3 alot of times, and
i know the odds are outlandish for a PB even with four #s and PB. But geez. People in IL like to try to win and they will feasibly be losing both
MEG/POW. sad. imo. IL should be ashamed."
I guess I will not be playing Illinois lottery any time soon.
Good luck though.
i thought Illinois lottery was privatised
Very worrisome, I don't think I would bother if I couldn't even get the prize that I won.
People should ask if they can get a ticket and pay later or whenever they feel like it.
If Illinois doesnt pass a budget or a special bill to pay out lottery winnings, they are cutting their noses off to spite their faces. They will not collect any money from lottery sales. How stupid.
What do the say " You can't win if you don't play" Well I say "You can't win IF you play" lol. They so wrong for this. Come on Ill.
Lucky Day Lotto - 5/45 game - jackpots start at $100,000 and Lotto jackpots start at $2,000,000 so there won't be much reason to play them either.
Hey Illinois- whenever the house offers a bet and a player makes one and wins your part of the deal is to pay it.
When the state pulled this bonehead move in 2015 the freeze on payouts started higher but got down to a ridiculous amount.