Jerome García October 23, 2023 3 min read

Lottery Jackpot Winners Continue to Benefit from Food Stamps

Hayden Dublois, the data and analytics director of the FGA, revealed that 66,000 substantial lottery winners continue to benefit from food stamps

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Across the United States, millions of Americans benefit from food stamps. This stimulus provides vital assistance for many people with low and no income. Yet a new report reveals that a staggering number of lottery winners, who have secured substantial jackpots, continue to benefit from food stamps across the US.

Hayden Dublois, a data and analytics director at the conservative American public policy think tank based in Naples, Florida, the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), recently submitted an op-ed for Fox News, revealing that lottery winners of significant prizes continue to benefit from food stamps provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Over the last few years, the spending on food stamps has skyrocketed. Several years ago, in 2019, spending was some $60 billion, a figure that increased to a staggering $120 billion last year. With that in mind, there are nearly 42 million receiving food benefits under the program.

Dublois criticized the control of the benefits, warning that even lottery winners with substantial prizes continue to receive food stamps through “a combination of state negligence and federally created loopholes.” FGA’s data and analytics director cited information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act for lottery winners who benefit from food stamps from all 50 states.

Surprisingly, 13 states revealed that some 66,000 lottery winners that have secured substantial prizes, continue to receive food benefits. According to Dublois, across the country, this number may be in the hundreds of thousands. He criticized control, explaining that the 13 aforementioned states were able to remove only some 400 lottery winners from the program. Notably, the worst offense was observed in Illinois, where only 99 substantial lottery winners were removed from the program out of more than 50,000.

More Control Is Needed with the Distribution of Food Benefits

The recent report suggests two primary reasons why so many people with substantial lottery prizes continue to benefit from food stamps. Federal loopholes are one reason. Dublois explained that a “broad-based categorical eligibility” enabled states to grant food stamps to individuals who are already benefitting from other taxpayer-funded benefits.

On the other hand, he explained that another major reason why so few substantial lottery winners are removed from food stamp benefits is the ineffectiveness of control. The data and analytics director praised the efforts of eight states where “legally mandated robust data cross-checks” compare the names of lottery winners to food stamp beneficiaries regularly. However, Dublois said that in more than 40 other US states, such controls are either ineffective or missing.

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Jerome García

Journalist

Jerome brings a wealth of journalistic experience within the iGaming sector. His interest in the industry began after graduating from college, where he regularly participated in local poker tournaments. This exposure led him to the growing popularity of online poker and casino rooms. Jerome now channels all the knowledge he's accrued to fuel his passion for journalism, providing our team with the latest scoops online.

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7 Comments

JLisa
October 23, 2023 at 8:41 pm

Reply

This is mess up and my daughter with a low income job and with one child can’t get food stamps but here is the government still letting lottery winners continue to receive food stamp this is mess up. Where my daughter can’t get food stamp
Shirley Wold
October 23, 2023 at 9:33 pm

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I think that everyone who won the lottery should have to pay back , anything they collected after the win , it’s certainly isn’t fair that the taxpayers have to pay for this , there are many people out there who are struggling to make ends meet and can’t get help and they are paying taxes to the ones who don’t deserve to be collecting come on people step up let’s get this country back to where it should be. Shirley
Donald
October 23, 2023 at 10:25 pm

Reply

What is the definition of “substantial” in this article?
Ruby
October 23, 2023 at 11:31 pm

Reply

Too many illegal immigrants on food stamps that’s the biggest problem in this country
- Karen
  October 24, 2023 at 2:42 pm
  
  Unfortunately it’s not a group of people, it shows that these people sitting in these jobs are just collecting a check and not doing their jobs. The system is messed up. As a senior 75 yrs old with a 5,000 a year salary do not qualify for food stamps, it’s the state government that need a overhaul period.
Danny Cabrera
October 24, 2023 at 1:16 am

Reply

If the millionaires why do they need food stamps?
Karen
October 24, 2023 at 2:43 pm

Reply

Because just like everything else going on in the country its GREED!!!