Archived Lottery News for April, 2005

Saturday, April 30, 2005

• 2:10 am – Mega Millions: There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 3 from Illinois, 1 from Michigan and 1 from Texas.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, April 29, 2005

• 7:20 pm – Mega Millions to change lottery game's game and prize structure.  When California becomes the 12th state in which the Mega Millions multi-state lottery game is played, players across the country will see changes that will make it even more exciting.
• 7:00 pm – Winners of $208 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot step forward.  Ralph and Mary Stebbins of Port Huron, Michigan have always wanted to travel, so they're using part of their third-largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot to buy a recreational vehicle.

Thursday, April 28, 2005

• 12:29 am – Powerball: There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing, but 4 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Indiana (1 with Power Play), 1 from Kansas and 2 from Minnesota.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

• 1:20 pm – Missouri couple's lottery prize is 10-times what they expected.  A St. Louis couple who went to the Missouri Lottery office to claim what they thought was a $130,000 prize ended becoming a whole lot richer than they thought they would be.
• 12:40 pm – Illinois man claims $37.5 million Lotto jackpot.  A co-owner of Wagner Hunting and Fishing in Freeport, Illinois is a lot richer after claiming a $37.5 million Illinois Lotto jackpot.
• 11:40 am – Texas lottery legislation seeks to ensure state's share of revenue.  One Texas legislator is trying to make sure that Texas government doesn't run afoul of gambling's basic truism: The house always wins.
• 11:00 am – Bulger victims seek share of lottery jackpot.  In the decade since South Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger fled to avoid federal racketeering charges, the fight over who cashes in on his $1.9 million share of a Massachusetts lottery jackpot has been nearly as intense as the hunt for the fugitive.
• 10:40 am – N.C. lottery bill may be changed in the Senate.  A special North Carolina Senate committee will meet today to hash out the details of the lottery bill sent to them from the House.
• 8:17 am – Mega Millions: There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 4 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey and 2 from New York.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

• 2:00 pm – One lottery ticket wins $37.5 million Illinois Lotto jackpot.  A single player has won the $37.5 million grand prize from the latest drawing of the Illinois State Lottery's Lotto game.
• 1:00 pm – $1.2 million Washington lottery jackpot goes unclaimed.  Would-be millionaires searched for stray Washington Lotto tickets in hopes that one held the winning combination for a $1.2 million jackpot that had to be claimed by 5 p.m. yesterday.
• 12:20 pm – Texas closer to selling lottery tickets online.  Texas would become the first state to sell lottery tickets online under legislation has received approval by a state legislative panel.

Monday, April 25, 2005

• 11:20 am – One lottery ticket wins $205 million Mega Millions jackpot.  A Michigan lottery player has won the $205 million grand prize from the latest Mega Millions lotto drawing held on Friday evening.

Sunday, April 24, 2005

• 12:05 am – Powerball: There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday Powerball drawing, but 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Connecticut, 1 from Idaho (1 with Power Play), 1 from Kentucky, 1 from New Hampshire and 1 from Tennessee.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

• 2:21 am – Mega Millions Jackpot Winner!  There was one $205 million jackpot winner from Michigan in the Friday, April 22, 2005 Mega Millions drawing.  More details to follow after the winner comes forward to claim their prize.
• Also, 25 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Georgia, 2 from Illinois, 1 from Massachusetts, 4 from New Jersey, 9 from New York, 4 from Ohio, 3 from Texas and 1 from Washington.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, April 22, 2005

• 12:40 pm – $205 million lottery jackpot payoff lures Mega players.  Millions of hopeful lottery players will take a chance on the big Mega Millions drawing tonight, the third-largest payoff since Mega Millions started in May 2002.
• 12:00 pm – Educators Closely Watching N.C. Lottery Bill.  School system officials across North Carolina are keeping a watchful eye on Raleigh as the state Senate takes up a lottery bill.
• 11:00 am – Lotteries may gamble on Internet.  Several states are considering selling lottery tickets on the Internet, a change that could usher in a new era in how such tickets are purchased.
• 10:20 am – Mass. Lottery to hire consultant for games being planned.  Massachusetts State Lottery officials said they intend to hire a consultant to evaluate the financial impact of several gambling games under consideration, including a virtual horse-racing game run on Keno-style monitors.
• Lottery lightning strikes twice for NJ store owner.  Defying the odds, the owner of two New Jersey liquor stores sold winning Jersey Cash 5 tickets twice in two months from his stores in Morris County.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

• 3:20 pm – Cincinnati Reds formed Mega Millions lottery pool.  Several members of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team pooled their money and purchased $1,000 worth of Ohio Lottery tickets for Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing.
• 2:20 pm – Oklahoma Senate Committee Approves Remaining Lottery Commissioners.  An Oklahoma Senate committee recommended approval Wednesday of the final two lottery commissioners nominated by Gov. Brad Henry.
• 1:20 pm – Wisconsin lawmakers vote down plan to privatize state Lottery.  Wisconsin lawmakers on Wednesday voted down a proposal in Gov. Jim Doyle's budget bill to privatize half of the work at the Wisconsin lottery.
• 1:00 pm – Senators question components of N.C. lottery bill.  Members of an N.C. Senate committee raised questions yesterday about a bill passed by the House that would create a state lottery — including whether it would allow video poker, slot machines and online gaming.
• 12:00 pm – Lucky Man Wins Second Vehicle Prize from Scratch-Off Lottery Game.  A 71-year-old Elyria, Ohio man seems to have the magic touch when it comes to those scratch-off instant lottery tickets, having won his second vehicle in three years.
• 11:00 am – NY lottery pool members sue over Mega Millions jackpot.  A Manhattan judge has frozen most of the Mega Millions lottery winnings of a Mount Sinai Hospital employee and has told three co-workers who pooled money to buy tickets with him they may proceed with their lawsuit to get a share of the prize.
• 4:55 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing, but 1 lucky player matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Rhode Island (1 with Power Play).  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

• 7:40 am – $205 Million: Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot.  Lottery mania is spreading across the United States as the Mega Millions lottery reaches a jackpot of $205 million.
• 2:01 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 17 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 from Georgia, 1 from Illinois, 4 from New Jersey, 4 from New York, 1 from Ohio, 3 from Texas, 1 from Virginia and 1 from Washington.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

• 11:00 am – Arkansas man claims $1.4 million Missouri lottery jackpot.  An Arkansas man said his seven children are full of suggestions after he won a $1.4 million Missouri Lottery jackpot.
• 10:20 am – N.C. Lottery opponents put pressure on lawmakers.  As the battle over a lottery in North Carolina continues, opponents are stepping up the pressure on lawmakers.
• N.C. Senate lottery committee to meet Wednesday.  A North Carolina Senate committee commissioned to take up the House's lottery bill approved two weeks ago will meet this week for the first time.

Monday, April 18, 2005

• 12:40 pm – N.C. Senate begins work on lottery bill.  The newly appointed North Carolina Senate Select Committee on the Lottery this week will begin looking at the lottery bill passed by the House and will start crafting a bill for the Senate, the committee chairman said.
• 11:40 am – GTECH gets Pennsylvania Lottery deal.  GTECH Corp., the world's largest online lottery operator, said Monday it will provide lottery-ticket vending machines to the Pennsylvania Lottery, in a deal valued at about $22 million.
• 11:00 am – Lottery industry firms eye N.C. prize.  The biggest players in the $46.5 billion U.S. lottery management industry are casting their eyes toward North Carolina, wondering whether the only state on the Eastern Seaboard without a lottery is about to pull the trigger.
• 10:20 am – Virginia provides reference for N.C. lottery decision.  North Carolina examines the ups and downs of the Virginia lottery as the Senate debates whether to go forward with a lottery or not.
• 10:00 am – S.C. concerned about potential impact of N.C. lottery.  With North Carolina moving closer to establishing a state lottery, many South Carolina residents are concerned about the impact on sales for its lottery and how that might affect scholarships.

Sunday, April 17, 2005

• 12:00 pm – Michigan man scratches $1 million lottery prize.  A Michigan man, who opted to remain anonymous, scratched his way to the top prize of $1 million in the Millionaire's Casino Instant game.
• 11:00 am – Illinois lottery glitch gives players extra chance.  Technical difficulties with the Illinois State Lottery's Friday broadcast could turn into a nice payoff for some Pick Four ticket holders.
• 10:40 am – Tennessee Cash 4 Lottery Game Starts Today.  The Tennessee Lottery announced that its newest game called Cash 4 goes on sale today, and the first drawing will be held on Monday.
• 12:06 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday Powerball drawing, but 4 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 2 from Colorado (1 with Power Play), 1 from Minnesota and 1 from South Carolina (1 with Power Play).  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Saturday, April 16, 2005

• 9:52 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 20 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 from Georgia, 3 from Illinois, 1 from Massachusetts, 2 from Maryland, 2 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey, 7 from New York, 1 from Texas and 1 from Virginia.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, April 15, 2005

• 12:00 pm – Illinois Senate approves Internet lottery ticket sales trial.  Illinois gamblers would be able to buy lottery tickets by computer in a program the Senate approved Thursday.
• 11:00 am – $165,000 Cash 5 lottery ticket sold in Bayonne, NJ.  New Jersey lottery players, check your numbers: a lottery ticket worth about $165,000 was sold in a Bayonne convenience store.
• 10:20 am – Georgia Lottery has best quarter ever.  The Georgia Lottery had its strongest ticket sales ever during the past quarter, relieving concerns from state officials that slow sales would prove costly to the HOPE scholarship program.
• 10:00 am – Interim Virginia Lottery director appointed.  The Virginia governor has promoted a Virginia Lottery administrator as its interim executive director.
• 9:20 am – Mass. lawmakers to challenge lottery horse-race game.  Key Massachusetts state lawmakers signaled yesterday that they intend to rein in the Massachusetts Lottery's plans to launch a virtual horse-racing game on Keno-style monitors later this year.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

• 12:29 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing, but 4 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Pennsylvania, 1 from Rhode Island, 1 from South Carolina and 1 from West Virginia.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

• 12:40 pm – The Force is strong in California.  Californians can be the first in the nation to try their luck with the release of the new collectible Star Wars Scratchers lottery ticket.
• 12:00 pm – Illinois House Votes To Create Lottery Game Supporting Veterans.  The Illinois House Tuesday voted to create a new scratch-off lottery game and give the profit to veterans' programs.
• 11:20 am – N.C. Religious Leaders Stage Anti-Lottery Rally.  On the same day state Senate leaders appointed a special committee to review the lottery bill recently passed by the House, religious leaders rallied outside the Legislative Building to convince lawmakers to reject a lottery.
• 10:20 am – Virginia Lottery sales top $1 billion for fifth straight year.  Virginia Lottery sales have increased even as competition looms in neighboring states, lottery officials announced Tuesday.
• 9:40 am – N.C. Senate lottery panel named.  Nearly half of the North Carolina Senate is on a special committee that will debate the lottery bill approved last week by the House, including several members worried about state-sponsored gambling.
• 8:00 am – Michigan Winfall to be eliminated on May 14.  The Michigan Lotto game will end up in the grave yard of similar lottery contests and be replaced with a new game called Classic Lotto 47, said state Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters.
• 3:05 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 7 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Georgia, 1 from Illinois, 2 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey, 1 from Texas and 1 from Virginia.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

• 9:40 am – N.C. newspapers ignore law banning lottery results.  For years, North Carolina newspapers have routinely broken state law that prohibits the publishing of lottery results.

Monday, April 11, 2005

• 12:40 pm – Mass. lottery winners cash in on new prize law.  Massachusetts lottery winners are rushing to cash in on a recent change in state law that allows them to negotiate with private companies for a lump-sum buyout of all or a portion of their 20-year income stream.
• 11:40 am – Mass. horse racing officials raise concerns over new lottery game.  Massachusetts horse racing officials expressed concern that a virtual horse racing game, which has been proposed by the state lottery, could draw bettors away from live and simulcast racing in a state with an already fragile Thoroughbred industry.
• 11:00 am – Lottery winners celebrate Mega-divorce.  An estranged New York City couple who agreed in court to split a $149 million lottery jackpot treated bystanders to an impromptu display of music and dance.
• 10:20 am – Record Euro Millions jackpot won in Switzerland.  A player in Switzerland scooped a huge £43.9 million (US$56.9 million) Lottery jackpot Friday night.
• 9:20 am – N.C. Senate to work on lottery bill.  Work continues on the legislative process for a North Carolina lottery. This week, a select committee of the North Carolina Senate will consider the lottery bill approved on Wednesday by the N.C. House.

Saturday, April 9, 2005

• 11:49 pm – There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday Powerball drawing, but 2 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Indiana and 1 from Rhode Island.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.
• 2:57 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 19 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 from Illinois, 4 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey, 9 from New York and 3 from Texas.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Thursday, April 7, 2005

• 10:20 am – N.C. Senate in no hurry to vote on lottery bill.  North Carolina Senate leader Marc Basnight said Wednesday that he doesn't want to rush a lottery bill to a vote.
• 12:16 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing, but 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Connecticut, 1 from Iowa and 1 from Nebraska.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Wednesday, April 6, 2005

• 5:20 pm – In historic vote, N.C. House passes lottery bill.  The North Carolina House approved a lottery Wednesday in a vote that could bring a state-operated numbers game to the only state on the East Coast without one.
• 5:00 pm – Powerball Lottery States Vote to Change Game.  The 29 lotteries that participate in the Powerball game have voted to make changes that will boost the average jackpot size, but also will boost the odds of winning.
• 1:00 pm – Indiana lottery winners get help from fortune cookie.  Lottery officials say 110 people hit the jackpot in the March 30 Powerball drawing, many of them getting their numbers from a fortune cookie.
• 12:20 pm – Fortune cookie lottery numbers wins bank teller $500,000 in Powerball.  Fortune was smiling on a first-time South Carolina Lottery player who gave a whole new meaning to the old saying, "That's the way the cookie crumbles."
• 11:20 am – Opinion: CA legislators should keep public in the loop about lottery.  California legislators have a duty to inform the public about a legal opinion being drafted about California's decision to join Mega Millions.
• 10:40 am – N.C. lottery vote may happen today.  The North Carolina House could vote on whether to start a North Carolina lottery as early as today, House Speaker Jim Black said Tuesday, but there could be plenty of reasons for a delay.
• 9:40 am – Illinois Lottery adds Monday Lotto drawing.  The Illinois Lottery added a Monday Lotto drawing to its weekly schedule.
• 8:40 am – Mass. Lottery to add Keno-style game.  The Massachusetts State Lottery is betting that restaurant and bar patrons will try their luck at "virtual horse racing," a Keno-style game played on video monitors.
• 2:33 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Georgia, 2 from Illinois, 2 from Massachusetts, 1 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey and 2 from New York.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Monday, April 4, 2005

• 12:00 pm – Tenn. lottery chief hopes Powerball win propels sales.  Tennessee's first sale of a Powerball jackpot ticket has officials of the Tennessee Lottery hoping there will be more interest in the multi-state game, whose sales in Tennessee have been on the decline since December.
• 9:40 am – One California SuperLotto Plus lottery ticket wins $72 million.  Someone who bought a California SuperLotto Plus ticket at an Alhambra drug store is holding stub worth $72 million, lottery officials announced on Sunday.
• 9:00 am – N.C. legislators wary of retribution by lottery opponents.  According to one North Carolina legislator, 80 percent of the lottery-related calls and e-mail that he is getting right now come from people opposed to starting a lottery in North Carolina.

Sunday, April 3, 2005

• 12:47 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday Powerball drawing, but 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from South Carolina and 1 from Tennessee (1 with Power Play).  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Saturday, April 2, 2005

• 2:14 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 8 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Georgia, 1 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey, 3 from New York, 1 from Ohio and 1 from Washington.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, April 1, 2005

• 8:40 am – Store owners sell themselves $25.5 million Powerball lottery ticket.  The Hubbard family is not only the first to buy a ticket in Tennessee and win the Powerball lottery jackpot, but also were rewarded for selling themselves the ticket.
• 7:40 am – Fortune cookie fuels record Powerball wins.  A record 110 players won $500,000 and $100,000 prizes in Wednesday's Powerball drawing, most of whom apparently used the numbers included in a fortune-cookie message.

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