Child support paid from Oklahoma lottery winnings tops $200,000

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL – For a few, winning the lottery is a dream come true not for the winners but for the families to whom they owe child support.

In Oklahoma, state law requires that lottery officials first see if the winner owes back child support before paying out large prizes. Oklahoma Child Support Services (OCSS) reports that since October 2005, the Oklahoma lottery has collected $203,825.16 in past due child support from 120 lottery winners.

“Parents have legal and moral responsibilities to support their children to the best of their abilities,” said Jeff Wagner, a spokesperson for OCSS. “The child support program improves economic stability for Oklahoma children and families, and the ability to intercept lottery winnings is just one of the many remedies available to us.”

OCSS has 42 offices across Oklahoma and works with both parents in a child support case to establish, monitor and enforce reliable support while encouraging self-sufficiency and strengthening relationships.

“When parents take responsibility for their children, families have less need to turn to the State for other forms of support,” said Wagner. “I’m proud when our Lottery Intercept program helps parents meet their financial obligation.”

For more information about Oklahoma Child Support Services, or to open a child support case, call 1-800-522-2922 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit www.okdhs.org and select “Child Support.”

Oklahoma Child Support Services is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. To promote healthy families, OCSS establishes, monitors and enforces reliable support while encouraging self-sufficiency and strengthening relationships. The division is responsible for more than 203,000 active child support cases, collecting more than $339 million in the last year on behalf of children and families.

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