

D.C. Lottery Starts Paying Out Prizes Again

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    The waiting period for cashing winning lottery tickets in the District of Columbia is over.

    The D.C. Lottery announced Thursday afternoon that the lottery has resumed normal operations, effective immediately.

    The lottery had stopped cashing winning tickets because of the federal government shutdown. Although the lottery is funded entirely by revenue from ticket buyers, attorneys concluded that the lottery couldn't pay out prizes without authorization from Congress. For five days, players were allowed to buy tickets, but if they won, they couldn't collect their prizes.

    The city government also requires congressional authorization to spend local tax revenue. The city used emergency funds to keep the government running during the shutdown.