Texas Standard for July 3, 2024: How the Texas Lottery helped a big spending group become surefire winners

Last April, the Lotto Texas jackpot was $95 million. With a ticket costing $1 and only 26 million possible winning numbers, someone realized they could game the system. Now a Houston Chronicle investigation reveals that the Texas Lottery Commission knew about the scheme – and even assisted.

By Texas StandardJuly 3, 2024 9:07 am,

Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, July 3, 2024:

If Biden doesn’t run for a second term, what’s next?

After a disastrous debate performance, many Democrats are concerned about President Joe Biden’s fitness to seek a second term. Yesterday, Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first Democrat in Congress to say Biden should drop out of the presidential race.

How would such a scenario play out? University of Houston politics professor Brandon Rottinghaus joins Texas Standard with more.

The Supreme Court sure dunked on the 5th Circuit a lot this term

Even as Supreme Court watchers note the conservative tenor of recent decisions, observers are also noticing something else: In several high-profile cases coming to the high court from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, it reversed those lower court rulings.

That’s especially notable because the Fifth Circuit, where Texas cases go on appeal, is stocked with conservative judges. Texas Tribune women’s health reporter Eleanor Klibanoff joins the Standard with more.

The Drake equation says we may not be alone. Is it probably a minor thing?

Astronomy buffs know the Drake Equation calculates the likelihood of intelligent life in our galaxy. According to it, we’re probably not alone.

However, a new paper from the University of Texas at Dallas revises these ideas, suggesting a much lower chance of complex life in the Milky Way. UT Dallas geoscience professor Robert Stern joins the show with the findings.

How the Texas Lottery helped a big spending group become surefire winners

The lottery’s seen as a long-shot way to strike it rich – but it could be an investment opportunity for those with the money to buy in. In April last year, the Lotto Texas jackpot was $95 million. With a ticket costing $1 and only 26 million possible winning numbers, someone realized they could game the system.

Now a Houston Chronicle investigation reveals that the Texas Lottery Commission knew about the scheme – and even assisted. Eric Dexheimer, investigative reporter at the Chronicle, joins the Standard with more.

Carbonation and the Texas heat make for explosive results

It may have happened to you: You accidentally leave a can of soda or some other carbonated drink in your car in the summer, only to return to find it disfigured and puffed out –maybe even with the lid blasted off.

It’s happened to KUT News’ Mose Buchele often enough that he decided to look into why. He reports with the answers (and some loud noises).

A story of lost gold

Stories of lost gold have long dominated Texas lore. Coronado looped around what’s now the Texas Panhandle in search of it. And there’s that allegedly lost gold mine in the Guadalupe Mountains of far West Texas.

Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong shares his own experience with reportedly lost treasure.

A Virginia political fight illustrates the dilemma states face as costs rise for veterans programs

State expenses are increasing sharply as people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan begin to qualify for benefits.

When Virginia legislators cut veterans benefits, they suffered an immediate political backlash – and now may reverse their decision. Steve Walsh reports for the American Homefront Project.

All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.

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