Use those lucky numbers while you still have the chance, because by the end of June the Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries may be on their way out of Illinois. According to a report from the Sun-Times, the Multi-State Lottery Association (which oversees the Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries) has threatened to pull its games from the state if Illinois is unable to pass a state budget.
While losing access to a couple of multi-state lotteries is a relatively trivial consequence of Illinois's lack of a state budget, it's a clear indication that even organizations outside of the state are beginning to take notice of the political stalemate in Springfield over the past three years. Earlier this week, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced that it will be forced to halt all roadwork at the end of the month due to its inability to pay contractors if a budget is not passed.
Illinois currently owes more than $15 billion in unpaid bills, and that number will only continue to balloon if the state continues to operate without a budget. Not even last weekend's $447 million Powerball jackpot is enough to cover that growing tab.
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