Two Southeast Texans quietly joined the millionaire club this month, snagging separate $1 million top prizes on Texas Lottery scratch-off tickets and setting off back-to-back buzz across the greater Houston area. One winner is a Conroe resident and the other is from the Cleveland/Plum Grove area. Both chose to keep their names out of the spotlight, and the stores that sold the winning tickets could now be in line for retailer bonuses.
Where the tickets were sold
Earlier this month, the Texas Lottery processed a $1 million claim tied to an Extreme Multiplier $20 ticket purchased at Fuel Maxx #88 in Conroe, according to the Texas Lottery. A separate $1 million top prize in the $1,000,000 Crossword game was claimed on Wednesday last week from a ticket bought at Teddy’s Plum Grove, the state's retailers list shows, as per the Texas Lottery.
Winners stayed quiet and retailers could earn bonuses
KHOU first reported the pair of wins yesterday and noted that both winners chose to remain anonymous. The station also reported that each retailer may qualify for a $10,000 bonus under the Texas Lottery Retailer Bonus Program. Those retailer bonuses are paid after a claim is validated, and winners of top-prize scratch-offs commonly opt for privacy when collecting awards.
Games still have big prizes
The Extreme Multiplier game has now had two of its four $1 million top prizes claimed, leaving other six-figure prizes and hundreds of thousands of smaller prizes still in circulation, according to the Beaumont Enterprise. Likewise, the $1,000,000 Crossword game has seen four of its six $1 million top prizes claimed while the overall prize pool for that game tops $200 million, the paper reports.
What it means for the community
Big scratch-off wins tend to grab headlines, but the Texas Lottery also sends revenue to broader priorities. Over the years it has transferred billions to public education and veterans programs, a pattern documented by the Houston Chronicle. For anyone worried about gambling, confidential help and local referral options are available through the National Council on Problem Gambling; see the National Council on Problem Gambling for contact and helpline information.
