NewsNational News

Actions

Illinois Lottery gives IOU’s to all winners over $600

Posted at 6:14 PM, Oct 16, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-16 18:14:08-04

CHICAGO — The budget battle in Illinois is putting the brakes on the state lottery.

Illinois Lottery officials said they will have to issue IOU’s to anyone winning more than $600. They said the state budget impasse means winners won’t be paid immediately.

The lottery started issuing rain checks to those winning more than $25,000 dollars in July, but that threshold was recently lowered.

The lottery said it currently has no legal authority to issue checks, despite having the money to do so.

Officials said the payments will be made once a new state budget is passed. Illinois’ last state budget expired back in June, and it’s not clear when a new one will go into law.

Two recent Illinois lottery winners filed a class-action suit against the Illinois Lottery last month. They are demanding their prizes be immediately rewarded with interest.

According to WGNTV, the lawsuit alleges dozens await more than $288 million in prizes.