For the third consecutive year, Illinois legislators failed to pass a budget bill. One casualty is the Illinois Lottery, which announced it will not be able to pay out prizes of ,000 or more, effective July 1. Furthermore, the multistate organizations that run Powerball and Mega Millions have ordered Illinois to stop selling tickets to those games.
The same situation occurred in late 2015, leading to lawsuits and an estimated $70 million in lost sales. The state legislature eventually passed a special bill allowing the Illinois Lottery to pay out about 3,900 back claims.
Players, still will be able to play other draw games and buy scratch-offs. Prizes 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 be paid at the state’s nearly 8,000 retailers, lottery officials said.
Two special bills that would have authorized $25,000-plus prize payments died in committee.
