Jessica Mendoza

Lottery.com contacted the Texas Lottery Commission and requested access to official ticket printing terminals. And apparently, the commission said yes. Other lottery retailers pitched in as well.

Lottery.com contacted the Texas Lottery Commission and requested access to official ticket printing terminals. And apparently, the commission said yes. Other lottery retailers pitched in as well.

Based on the journal's calculations, all those terminals combined were spitting out about 100 tickets a second. So the question I feel like, after talking about this strategy of getting dozens of terminals, is, is that legal?

Based on the journal's calculations, all those terminals combined were spitting out about 100 tickets a second. So the question I feel like, after talking about this strategy of getting dozens of terminals, is, is that legal?

Based on the journal's calculations, all those terminals combined were spitting out about 100 tickets a second. So the question I feel like, after talking about this strategy of getting dozens of terminals, is, is that legal?

How long did it take them to print out all those tickets?

How long did it take them to print out all those tickets?

How long did it take them to print out all those tickets?

Was there any chance that they weren't going to win this?

Was there any chance that they weren't going to win this?

Was there any chance that they weren't going to win this?

The printing spanned three full days. By the time the drawing rolled around, Marantelli's group had managed to buy 99.3% of all the tickets. In other words, the odds were overwhelmingly in their favor.

The printing spanned three full days. By the time the drawing rolled around, Marantelli's group had managed to buy 99.3% of all the tickets. In other words, the odds were overwhelmingly in their favor.

The printing spanned three full days. By the time the drawing rolled around, Marantelli's group had managed to buy 99.3% of all the tickets. In other words, the odds were overwhelmingly in their favor.

Marantelli and the Joker had the sole winning ticket and cashed in the jackpot. Before taxes, their haul was almost $60 million. It seemed like the duo was destined to saunter off into the sunset, their pockets full. But some of the people who tracked the lottery in Texas were suspicious of this mysterious group who'd walked away with such a big prize.

Marantelli and the Joker had the sole winning ticket and cashed in the jackpot. Before taxes, their haul was almost $60 million. It seemed like the duo was destined to saunter off into the sunset, their pockets full. But some of the people who tracked the lottery in Texas were suspicious of this mysterious group who'd walked away with such a big prize.

Marantelli and the Joker had the sole winning ticket and cashed in the jackpot. Before taxes, their haul was almost $60 million. It seemed like the duo was destined to saunter off into the sunset, their pockets full. But some of the people who tracked the lottery in Texas were suspicious of this mysterious group who'd walked away with such a big prize.

Eventually, journalists and state officials started doing some digging. And when it became clear that professional gamblers were involved, it set off a firestorm.

Eventually, journalists and state officials started doing some digging. And when it became clear that professional gamblers were involved, it set off a firestorm.

Eventually, journalists and state officials started doing some digging. And when it became clear that professional gamblers were involved, it set off a firestorm.