Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick, Not A Fan Of Couriers, Launches Investigation After Lotto Jackpot Win

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick really doesn’t like lottery courier services. In fact, he dislikes them so much, he has basically launched a one-man investigation into the practice after a winning $83.5 million lottery ticket was sold at a retail store Patrick notes is owned by a lottery courier.

Patrick — who is famously, to be charitable, not a huge proponent of gambling — took to social media Tuesday with a near-six minute video of him walking into Winner’s Corner in Austin, where the winning ticket was sold.

The store, claims Patrick, is “affiliated” with Jackpocket, which is owned by DraftKings.

Patrick entered the store to question the employee who was working there, confirming the winning ticket was purchased by a courier.

Patrick was then filmed on the phone with a person purporting to be a lawyer for Jackpocket, who patiently explained to Patrick the system in place. Namely, that Winner’s Corner is a licensed lottery retailer, and Jackpocket is a courier service.

Patrick then asked the lawyer if Winner’s Circle was owned by Jackpocket, which the lawyer affirmed was true.

Patrick sees a problem with this.

“Do you not see an issue where the public might lose confidence if the courier service somehow happened at this one location in the entire state of Texas sold an $83 million winning ticket and they also own the location that printed the ticket?” Patrick asked.

The inspection continues

Patrick continued his search of the premises.

“So I finally did get in the back of the house,” he said. “They wouldn’t let us take any photographs or video or ask anyone any questions, but 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. So there’s a lot of questions. And there are a lot of answers that we need, because the bottom line is if people are going to have confidence in the lottery, we have to be sure that no one has an advantage. And again, we’re not suggesting anything illegal. But this is not the way the lottery was designed to operate. It was designed to operate by someone coming into a store, giving someone cash, and getting a ticket back, not for machines behind walls and not from a courier service and a retailer all being connected. And so when someone wins a ticket here for $83 million, it makes everyone ask a lot of questions.”

Patrick noted the Texas Lottery law is up for “sunset” this legislative session, meaning it has to be renewed to continue to operate.

It would seem likely Patrick, as de facto head of the Texas Senate, will seek to, at minimum, ban courier services from operating in the Lone Star State. He said as much upon his return to the capital, which he also filmed.

“Why hasn’t the legislature done something about these courier services and these retail units all being together? Because it just doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t look right. Well, we did last session,” he said. “Senator Bob Hall passed a bill 29 to 2. That’s about as bipartisan as you can get with support to ban courier services. We sent it to the House, and it died. It’s time we take a deep look at these courier services and these retail units, especially when they’re owned by the same company, because you deserve to know when you buy a lottery ticket that you can trust. That everything is on the up and up and fair.”

The Texas legislature is currently in session. They will remain in session until June 2.