Lottery and iLottery in the US - a Traditional and Digital Gaming Fusion

In a rare combination, the Illinois Lottery had a lucky pick of 4-4-4-4 in its Pick 4 results. This made thousands of players win, which made for a total payout of $6.9 million. In the Pick 4 lottery, a straight option requires the matching of four numbers in the exact same order, and this comes with the greatest potential prize. The Pick 4 option includes 10 numbers for each of the four balls, numbering from 0 to 9.

Illinois Lottery players had reason to celebrate last week after an extraordinary Pick 4 drawing resulted in a flood of winners. On Wednesday, the 6th of August, the evening draw produced the numbers 4-4-4-4, with the Fireball number coming up 2.

It marked the second time in just over a year that the Illinois Pick 4 game produced 'quad fours.' The previous occurrence was in June of 2024. The result created a payout frenzy, with nearly 3,200 winning tickets sold statewide.

According to the Illinois Lottery, 2,725 tickets won the top 'straight' prize of $2,500 on a 50-cent play by correctly predicting all four digits in the exact order. One online iLottery player claimed the highest prize of $30,000. An additional 460 players picked up wins through the optional Fireball feature.

The quad 4s are one of the most popular number combinations we see, a lottery spokesperson said. Whether it's for superstition, easy memorization, or tradition, a lot of players love to play it - and this time, it paid off big, the spokesperson added.

Statewide impact and retailer bonuses

The August 6 Pick 4 evening draw produced a total payout of $6.9 million. Retailers across the state also shared in the windfall, earning a 1% commission bonus for each winning ticket sold at their locations.

To put the scale of the win in perspective, the Illinois Lottery reported that Sunday night's draw just days later - with numbers 1-7-6-3 - produced only 810 winners, compared to over 3,100 from the quad 4s draw. The odds of winning the straight Pick 4 prize are 1 in 10,000. Pick 4 draws are held twice daily, with cut-off times of 12:35 pm and 9:15 pm.

Since its founding in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has funneled nearly all of its proceeds into the Common School Fund, which supports K-12 public education. The fund has received more than $25 billion.

A prayer answered in South Carolina

While Illinois players celebrated a rare numerical occurrence, a South Carolina woman claimed divine intervention helped her land a life-changing prize. "I was riding down the road, and I prayed for a lottery win," said the woman to the South Carolina Education Lottery. She continued, "That's exactly what I got."

The anonymous player pulled over on Bush River Road and bought a $20 '$2,000,000 Millionaire' scratch-off ticket at City Fuel & Food. Against 1-in-1,536,000 odds, she revealed one of the game's two $2 million top prizes. "It's a dream come true," she said. The retailer also hit the jackpot in its own way, earning a $20,000 commission for selling the winning ticket.

Mega Jackpots still in play

Aside from these individual wins, America's two largest lottery games continue to grow. Mega Millions, which last crossed the $1 billion mark before increasing its ticket price from $2 to $5, stands at $182 million for Tuesday evening's draw. Meanwhile, Powerball is offering a massive $501 million prize. The jackpot has been rolling over since May 31, when it was last won.

For lottery enthusiasts, last week's events serve as a reminder that life-changing wins can happen in unexpected ways - whether through a rare set of repeating numbers, a lucky scratch-off, or, if you believe it, a well-timed prayer.

Good news for the lottery winner of $83.5 million: The Texas Lottery has agreed to finally pay out the jackpot win after it withheld the prize for months following state investigations into lottery courier services. Jackpocket, one of the lottery courier services, sold the winning ticket to Kristen Moriarty, who will receive her winnings after over five months. The resident from Houston has agreed to receive $46 million in a lump sum.

Over five months after winning a life-changing $83.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot, Kristen Moriarty will finally receive her prize. The Texas Lottery Commission has reached a settlement with the Houston resident after initially withholding her winnings due to ongoing state investigations into controversial lottery courier services.

Winner to receive $45.8 million lump sum

According to court filings made Thursday, the Texas Lottery Commission has agreed to release a lump sum of $45.8 million to Moriarty before taxes. The payout ends months of legal uncertainty for the winner, who purchased her ticket through Jackpocket, a now-banned online courier service that sells lottery tickets to users digitally.

The settlement was finalized with input from the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton. In a public statement, the commission confirmed that the prize money is being processed for immediate disbursement.

Ticket purchase caught in legal crossfire

Moriarty's ticket matched the winning numbers for the February 17 Lotto Texas draw. But rather than receiving her prize quickly, her windfall became entangled in political and legal scrutiny after it emerged the ticket had been bought via a digital courier.

Jackpocket and other similar services came under state investigation by both the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Attorney General's office. Authorities questioned whether these companies' business models - buying tickets on behalf of customers and sending scanned images - were legal under Texas law.

Speaking in June, Moriarty expressed her frustration: "I'm sad, stressed, angry that this has become a political thing. I've lost faith in our elected officials."

Courier services under fire

While digital couriers have gained popularity in recent years for offering convenience and accessibility, they have also sparked major legal concerns. Lawmakers began scrutinizing the services closely after a 2023 jackpot incident, where a single group - assisted by a courier company - purchased 99% of all 26 million ticket combinations and claimed a $95 million prize.

This prompted the Texas Legislature to pass new laws that both criminalized the operation of such courier services and limited the number of tickets one can buy in a single transaction to 100. Jackpocket and similar platforms have since been effectively banned.

Moriarty's use of a courier to win the February jackpot intensified concerns among lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, leading to further investigative action. Although no wrongdoing was attributed to Moriarty herself, her payout remained frozen as the legal status of the courier system unraveled.

In May, Moriarty filed a lawsuit against the Texas Lottery Commission, arguing that she was an innocent party caught in a broader battle over the legality of courier services. She demanded the commission honor her legitimate win, despite the political controversy surrounding how the ticket was purchased.

The commission, under increasing public and legal pressure, opted to settle rather than prolong the case. The Attorney General's office declined to comment on the resolution or the status of their investigation.

End of the line for the Texas Lottery Commission

Moriarty's case may be one of the last major controversies overseen by the Texas Lottery Commission. The agency is slated to be dissolved on September 1, following a decision by the Legislature earlier this year. Oversight of state lottery and charitable bingo operations will be transferred to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The fate of many internal operations remains uncertain, but the settlement marks a definitive end to a dispute that has tarnished the final months of the commission's tenure. The saga also raises questions about how digital platforms intersect with traditional lottery frameworks and the challenges regulators face in adapting to evolving technology.

An unexpected phone call leads to a lottery win for Bocheng Mei, who lives in Toronto. Mei, who works in the software industry, brings home a $60 million lottery win, thanks to the Ontario Gaming Lottery and Gaming Corporation, who gave him a call to notify him of his winnings. Mei opted to have OLG purchase his lottery ticket automatically for each draw, and OLG gave him a call telling him to check his OLG.ca account - and the rest, as they say, is history.

In a remarkable twist of fate - and technology - 26-year-old Bocheng Mei, from Toronto, became the latest multimillionaire thanks to a $60 million win in the LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot. The software industry professional credits the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's online platform and subscription service for making his lottery dreams come true - automatically.

Mei's incredible win occurred during the 7th of May, 2025, draw, but the Toronto resident had no idea until he answered what would become a $60 million phone call from the OLG.

The power of digital lottery play

While most Ontarians still prefer to purchase their tickets from a convenience store, OLG has been steadily encouraging players to make the shift to digital. According to the agency, about 90% of lottery ticket purchases are still made at retail locations, but digital sales are gaining traction - especially with younger users.

More people are discovering the simplicity and safety of playing online, an OLG spokesperson said. With features like Direct Pay and the Never Miss A Draw subscription, it's easier than ever to stay in the game, they added. Mei is now one of the most visible success stories for the platform. He signed up for OLG's 'Never Miss A Draw' service, which automatically purchases tickets for upcoming draws using the player's selected numbers. For Mei, it meant less hassle and - unbeknownst to him - a life-changing jackpot.

"My hands and feet went numb"

Mei said he was inspired to explore the online platform after seeing other lottery winners featured in the media. "I saw lottery winners in the news and on social media, so I decided to check out OLG.ca," he said during his 'Winner Celebration' event in Toronto. "I picked my own numbers, added ENCORE, and never had to think again. I knew my tickets would be purchased automatically."

However, he initially missed the email alert from OLG notifying him that he had won. It wasn't until he got a phone call from an OLG representative that he learned the shocking news - though not without some healthy skepticism. I started googling to see if it was legit. But they didn't ask me for any banking information, which made me trust it, he said. They just told me to log into my account. "That's when I saw I had a winning ticket - and it said I'd won $60 million. My hands and feet went numb."

Family first, dreams next

The first people Mei called were his parents - and he delivered the life-changing news with remarkable composure. I tried to stay calm. I told them I'd won a big prize and that they wouldn't have to worry about money again, Mei said. They were in disbelief, but they know I'm very cautious about scams. Once they realized it was real, they were overjoyed, he continued.

Mei's immediate plans include purchasing a new home and ensuring his parents can retire comfortably. But he's not stopping there. "I love to learn," Mei said. "So I want to take advantage of educational opportunities. I'm also passionate about experiencing different cultures, which means I'll be doing a lot of traveling." Among his top travel destinations? Iceland and Finland - both of which offer a front-row seat to the Aurora Borealis, one of Mei's bucket list experiences.