Lottery Winners Can Expect a Wait for Bucks

Winners of the Illinois Lottery are being forced to wait for their money, because state lawmakers haven't passed a budget and so lottery officials don't have legal authority to do payouts.

Jackpots of at least $25,000 have been put off for the foreseeable future, according to lottery spokesman Stephen Rossi.

Illinois continues to grapply with a serious fiscal crunch.

"Due to the ongoing budget situation in Springfield, some lottery winner payments have been delayed," he said. "All winners will be paid in full as soon as the Lottery and the Illinois comptroller have the legislative authority to do so."

Rossi said that anyone with a prize of $600 or less can cash it at a retailer. Prizes ranging from $601 to $25,000 can be redeemed at lottery claims centers.

The holdup has been ongoing since the current fiscal year started on July 1. The Illinois Lottery on its web site highlights 29 prizes that have been won since then, ranging from $50,000 to a $262 million Mega Millions jackpot split by two winners. That jackpot is the second largest prize in the history of the Illinois lottery.