# Illinois isn't paying their lottery winners

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 28, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230 "2015-08-28T23:14:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230/1 "2015-08-28T23:14:15Z")

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I know Illinois can’t handle money, but this seems unfair. They don’t mind taking the money in, but can’t seem to pay the people who win more than $25,000.

I didn’t realize the lottery money was lumped in with the budget. I guess I thought it was in some Lottery Account.

> **[Illinois Not Paying Out Big Lottery Jackpots Amid Budget Standoff](https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-not-paying-out-big-lottery-jackpots-amid-budget-standoff/)**
>
> The Illinois Lottery says big winners since July 1st aren't getting any money yet because there's no state budget, meaning the state has no legal authority to pay out lottery winnings.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230/2 "2015-08-28T23:37:55Z")

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Sounds like a pretty good racket to me. Given its reputation, I’m surprised Illinois didn’t think of this sooner.

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**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230/3 "2015-08-29T02:19:44Z")

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ALL of the money in the Illinois government is in the Fat Pig Politician Fund.

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**Author:** ![Construct](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@Construct](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Construct)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230/4 "2015-08-29T02:45:30Z")

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What is a 73 year old mother (and likely older father) doing adopting an eight year old, especially one with multiple medical issues?

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**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-isnt-paying-their-lottery-winners/729230/5 "2015-08-29T03:08:13Z")

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Perhaps because no-one else would.