
Two Illinois residents were excited when thought they hit the big time after finding out they had a $250,000 winning lottery ticket. Less enthusiastic, however, was the state lottery commission, which couldn't actually give them the prize money and so had to give them an IOU instead, according to
CNBC. Winners Danny Chasteen and his girlfriend Susan Rick were told that the state cannot currently give out any prizes in excess of $25,000 because the money needs to be released by the state comptroller's office, and because the government has yet to approve a budget, it does not have the legal authority to do so. And thus, when the couple went to claim their money, the government basically had to shuffle their feet and look around awkwardly as it patted its pockets and sheepishly explained that they'll have to owe them.
Awkward...