KWQC TV 09-15-2015
Illinois Lottery Players Continue To Play, But Might Not Receive Their Winnings Soon
September 15, 2015
By Jonathan Fenton
UPDATE (10/14/15): Due to the ongoing budget stalemate in Springfield, the Illinois Lottery has announced a change in winner payment policy. All winners over $600 will experience a delay in payments. The previous policy adopted on July 1st, 2015 stated players who won more than $25,000 will not be paid until the budget situation is resolved.
—- ORIGINAL STORY—-
ILLINOIS (KWQC) – The state of Illinois is refusing to pay lottery of more than 25,000 dollars because of a state budget stalemate.
Big winners of the Illinois lottery that are waiting for their money have started to join a federal lawsuit demanding all lotto sales be stopped until they are paid.
“We don’t know if there’ll be a budget, when there’ll be a budget, and why should the lottery winners have to suffer,” said attorney, Tom Zimmerman.
Since payments have stopped being issued on July 1st, 2015, more than two dozen Illinois lottery players have won more than $25,000.
The winners have come from all across the state of Illinois, but a million dollar winner, Steven Anthony from Moline, says he feels for those that are waiting for their life changing checks.
“I’m still playing the lottery. I’m hoping the second million will come a lot easier than the first one did,” said Anthony.
At Illinois lottery locations, sales have stayed steady and some say customers are not aware of the lottery woes.
“A lot of customers probably don’t know what’s going on.” said Bhuwan Basnet, manager of Uptown Moline Convenience Store.
John Dinquel who plays the lottery frequently says he believes he will eventually get his money, he just wont get it tomorrow.
The lawsuit claims the state is violating lottery law, which requires winners to be paid out first, before monies can be used for lottery operations.
“The lottery continues to represent that you can be an instant winner with an instant payment, but yet they’ve known since July 1st that they would not make these payments,” said Zimmerman.
