17 August 2023 , 19:34
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Brandon Stevenson took a chance — he downloaded a new app, purchased a lottery ticket, and waited.
That bet paid off, and now, the 25-year-old college student is a millionaire, the winner of what, at the time, was considered the largest-ever jackpot secured through a mobile ticket in American history.
Stevenson's purchase was made back in July 2018 on mobile app Jackpocket, which was authorised as the first legal third-party seller of lottery tickets in the country in 2013, making its beginnings in New York and eventually migrating to Minnesota in 2018.
Jackpocket is where Stevenson purchased his Powerball ticket, which garnered him $1 million. But while winning the jackpot was good luck for the former Concordia University, St. Paul, student, who was 20 at the time, it wasn't so lucky for Jackpocket, whose operations came under intense scrutiny.
Jackpocket was attacked by Minnesota state legislators back in 2018 (AFP via Getty Images)Minnesota State Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston) told the StarTribune at the time that he would be drafting letters to try and get more information from the Minnesota State Lottery about its decision to adopt the app, which he said violated state law significantly.
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At the time, he said the law required games to be sold under retailer contracts without charging fees to buyers. The tickets also had to be purchased with cash or cash equivalents spelled out in state statutes.
"What could possibly go wrong with people giving this company their bank account number?" Davids said. He alleged that it was a dangerous practice to bring into the state and that it should have received legislative approval first, as is required for many other things.
In some states, physical ticket sales at authorised retailers are the only lottery purchases allowed (Getty Images)So, he vied for its ban from the state, which later occurred.
Since then, however, the app has expanded its operations to several other states, and in an article posted to the company's website in August 2019, it lists 16 and Washington, D.C., in which residents can use the app to purchase their tickets.
The states listed are:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Texas
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
The list may be outdated, however, as Minnesota is still listed despite it outlawing the practice. It's unclear whether the app has since been legalised again in the state.
Other portions of the website also only list New York and New Jersey as licensed states for the app, though a recent press release dated July 25 of this year announced the app's launch in Massachusetts, which can be found on the list of authorised states.
Regardless, the app is still around for download, and those wishing to purchase tickets on it in licensed states can still do so. Tickets are offered for several state lotteries as well as the Mega Millions and Powerball.