The Lotto Matrix: Massachusetts Lottery Partners With Celtics, Texas Thief Busted

Welcome to this week’s “Lotto Matrix,” a weekly Friday compilation of the lottery industry’s most significant, interesting, or absurd happenings.

Mass Lottery scores with the Celtics

The Massachusetts State Lottery introduced on Wednesday the Celtics Banner 18 instant ticket game, celebrating the NBA’s Boston Celtics’ championship win this past spring. The $10 scratch-off ticket is available statewide and features over $48 million in cash prizes — including six top prizes of $1 million each.

Players can also enter non-winning tickets into second-chance drawings for exclusive Celtics experiences and merchandise. These prizes include the chance to compete in the Banner 18 Challenge, where one lucky participant is guaranteed to win $1 million.

For the five second-chance drawings, the Massachusetts Lottery will choose one winner from each to attend a Celtics game at home and take part in the halftime Banner 18 Challenge. One winner will walk away with the top prize, while the remaining four participants will each win $10,000.

There are also a number of other second-chance prizes, including Celtics suite experiences and game tickets.

Easy come, easy go

A high-stakes investigation into a $5 million winning Texas Lottery scratch-off ticket has taken a turn this week, with new revelations shedding light on the case. The controversy centers around Arthurica Jackson, who claimed the prize for a $50 “Luxe” scratch-off ticket earlier this month but now faces serious legal charges, including theft and fraud.

On Nov. 4, Jackson visited the Texas Lottery Commission in Austin to claim the $5 million prize from a ticket purchased at a convenience store in Hearne, Texas. For a moment, it seemed like a life-changing windfall; however, that celebration was short-lived.

Less than two weeks later, Jackson was arrested by Hearne police after an investigation suggested she had obtained the winning ticket under fraudulent circumstances. According to police reports, the store’s owner, Ahamed Shaik, discovered the alleged theft after reviewing surveillance footage.

Shaik reported to authorities that Jackson, who had only worked at the store for four days, was seen on camera taking lottery tickets from a display rack. The footage reportedly shows her scratching the barcode off a ticket before scanning it at a machine to check for winnings. Jackson then allegedly scanned the same ticket at the register scanner before moving it out of the camera’s view. Police allege that Jackson did not pay for this or any other tickets during her brief time at the store.

Jackson now faces serious charges, including Claim Lottery Prize Fraud valued at more than $10,000 and Theft of Property valued at $300,000 or more. She was released from Robertson County Jail this past Sunday after posting bonds totaling $300,000.

Florida churns out more millionaires

A visit to a Florida convenience store turned into a life-changing moment for Jessica Callihan, who was visiting from Alabama. She hit the jackpot with a $10 million prize from the Florida Lottery’s GOLD RUSH LEGACY scratch-off game. 

Callihan claimed her winnings at Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, opting for a one-time lump-sum payment of $6,030,000. The winning ticket, purchased at a store in Pensacola, also brought a commission of $20,000 to the retailer. 

The $20 GOLD RUSH LEGACY game, which launched in April, is popular because of its high-stakes prizes. With four top prizes of $10 million and 20 prizes of $1 million, the game offers players a chance at a serious windfall.

Callihan wasn’t the only one to strike it big this month in Florida. Avery Leach of Jacksonville also joined the ranks of lottery millionaires, claiming a $2 million top prize from the “$2,000,000 100X BONUS CASHWORD” scratch-off game. Like Callihan, Leach opted for a lump-sum payment, receiving $1,280,000. 

Best of the rest

Lucky for life, indeed: Des Moines man claims top prize of $1,000 a day for life in ‘Lucky for Life’

$500 turns into $1 million: Alamance County man will use $1 million win to take his family to Disney World

Canada’s Lotto Max over the top: Lotto Max jackpot hits $75 million

Check the prize box and see you next week!