Online lottery ticket platform Jackpot.com launched in Texas on Jan. 9. Among the many investors in the company are three Texas sports teams: Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.
High-profile sports figures invest in Jackpot.com
The Texas Lottery has an app, but you can’t purchase lottery tickets through it. Jackpot.com now joins Jackpocket.com as third-party apps where Texans can buy lottery tickets online.
The launch of Jackpot.com followed a Series A funding round this summer that brought the company $35 million. A further $7 million was added in advance of the launch, bringing the funding total to $42 million.
The Cowboys, Rockets and Spurs all signed multi-year partnerships with Jackpot, meaning that fans at AT&T Stadium, Toyota Center and the AT&T Center will see Jackpot’s marketing during games. Jackpot will also run promo offers at the venues and cross-promote on billboards, TV, internet and radio in those markets.
Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President Chad Estis said the team was excited to partner with Jackpot.
“Texans love to play and love to win, which is why the Dallas Cowboys are excited to partner with Jackpot.com to bring our fans a new way to buy lottery tickets conveniently, safely and responsibly.”
Houston Rockets President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr echoed Estis.
“The Rockets organization is always looking to change the game through innovation – both on and off the court – and is proud to partner with Jackpot.com as they usher in a convenient and exciting way for our fans to play the lotteries online here in Texas.”
Other investors include some of the biggest names in professional sports.
- New York Yankees
- San Francisco 49ers
- The Kraft Group
- Theo Epstein, GM of the Chicago Cubs
- Sam Kennedy, CEO and president of the Boston Red Sox
- James Harden, NBA player
- Joel Embiid, NBA player
- The Tisch Family (co-owners of the New York Giants)
- Martin Brodeur (NHL Hall of Fame goalie)
- Lil Baby (rap artist)
Jackpot purchases actual tickets for customers
Jackpot functions as a courier service for lottery players by allowing them to purchase tickets online for all major games, including Powerball and MegaMillions, and in-state games such as Lotto Texas and Texas Two Step.
Once purchased online, a Jackpot courier will actually buy the ticket from a Texas Lottery retailer and send a scanned image of the ticket to the customer’s account. The courier will then store the ticket in a fireproof safe.
Claiming winning tickets
In the event of a winning ticket, two scenarios will take place. Per the Jackpot FAQ page:
“Winnings amounting to (and including) $599 will be directly credited to your account balance, and we shall deliver the physical ticket to you in the event of a big win ($600 or more) so that you can claim it directly from the state lottery.”
Players will be notified through email of their win should they miss the live drawing. In the event that a player wins a jackpot, they will be able to claim it anonymously; however, Jackpot does state that they will ask winners to participate in promotional marketing, which is optional.
Safe gaming practices in place
To use Jackpot, players must first have their identity verified by sending a copy of either a federal- or state-issued ID. Utility bills, bank statements and tax records can also be used to verify a player’s identity. These verifications ensure that all players are at least 18 and currently reside in Texas. Verification takes between 24 and 72 hours.
Jackpot also offers daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits. For example, the maximum daily deposit limit is set at $150. This can be adjusted down by the player, but it does not appear that it can be adjusted up.
Voluntary self exclusion and temporary pauses can be set up by the player as well. The site also offers contact information for the National Council on Problem Gambling should players wish to seek help.
Jackpot in competition with Texas’s other online courier service
While Texans may be questioning whether they’ve heard this name before, they’re not far off. A separate online lottery app, Jackpocket.com, which currently operates in Texas, functions in a very similar way to Jackpot.
The similarities between the two companies has not been lost on Jackpocket either. In fact, Jackpocket, in July, took Jackpot to court in New York for trademark infringement. Jackpocket argued that Jackpot essentially rode the coattails of Jackpocket to increase its market share. They asked the court to force Jackpot to re-brand.
In late December, the court ruled against Jackpocket, allowing Jackpot to move forward with its launch. While Jackpocket is appealing the ruling, Jackpot is free to launch. Texas represents its first market or “beachhead state,” as their press release calls it.
