Archived Lottery News for December, 2000

Saturday, December 30, 2000

• 10:25 am – Don't forget to get your order in for the first drawing of 2001!  Also, you can send a lottery gift to friends or family for the new year.
• 3:15 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but four lucky players matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Illinois, and 1 in Maryland.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.

Friday, December 29, 2000

• 11:10 pm – Congratulations to Jean Arbouet of Hempstead, New York, who matched four of the first five numbers in today's Big Game drawing for a $150 prize!  The winner played online at PlayBigGame.com and selected the winning numbers herself.
• 3:10 pm – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live Big Game drawing results!

Thursday, December 28, 2000

• 4:00 pm – Diane Scott of Hazel Park, Michigan recently won a $150,000 Big Game prize in the December 8 drawing.  Find out more by clicking the link to the story.
• Gamers Looking to Hit the Jackpot Online.  No, this story is not about playing the lottery online, but if you enjoy video games, you may want to click over to the story for recent developments in online video games.
• Push for strict limits if cyber-gambling ban fails.  In a leaked letter to a member of the Australian Democrats, Senator Alston confirmed that the Government was "predisposed" to a ban on the emerging industry in Australia.
• Laws put bingo in limbo.  In a complicated set of circumstances in Ohio, courts lack clear rules as prosecutors file actions against instant and video games.
• $266,000 loss - that's snow business.  From the files of "You can bet on anything" comes this story of London bookmakers who were left facing a payout of more than £100,000 ($266,000) after several northern cities enjoyed a white Christmas on Monday.

Wednesday, December 27, 2000

• 11:00 pm – We're pleased to announce that the MacIntosh login issues on PlayBigGame.com have been solved.  Mac users can now create accounts and login without a hitch.  A special thanks to Kenn Bowers who, armed with his MacIntosh G-4, spent the better part of a day collaborating with us to test and troubleshoot.  Also, thanks to all of you who took the time to help submit test data.
• The Big Game jackpot is now $26 million!  Be sure to get your order in by 2:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday.  Orders received after that time will be placed for the drawing on the Tuesday, January 2, 2001.
• Start the new year off with a bang for friends and family: give a Big Game gift!
• 2:10 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but two lucky players matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize: 1 in Massachusetts and 1 in Michigan.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.

Tuesday, December 26, 2000

• 9:20 am – The $23 million Big Game jackpot is now the second-largest jackpot in the United States!  You have until 2:00 PM Eastern Time today to place your online order at PlayBigGame.com for tonight's drawing.  The top five jackpots are:
  1. $33 million, Powerball (drawing Wednesday, 12/27/2000)
  2. $23 million, The Big Game (drawing Tuesday, 12/26/2000)
  3. $22.5 million, New Jersey Pick 6 Lotto (drawing Monday, 12/25/2000)
  4. $22 million, Texas Lotto (drawing Wednesday, 12/27/2000)
  5. $15.3 million, Maryland Lotto (drawing Wednesday, 12/27/2000)
• Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live Big Game drawing results!
• Entry Error Wins $40,000.  A happy Maryland resident made a fortunate mistake.
• Segovia a Big Spain Lottery Winner.  A town with a fairy tale castle emerged as a big winner Friday in Spain's $1.14 billion Christmas lottery, billed as the world's richest.  Click over to the story for a look at a unique annual lottery played in Spain.
• Nevada Denies L.A. Developer Gaming License.  Judah Hertz, owner of the California Mart and several other major downtown Los Angeles properties, lost a bid Wednesday for a Nevada gaming license as a result of alleged ties to reputed mobsters.

Monday, December 25, 2000

• 9:00 am – Merry Christmas from BigGameLottery.com and PlayBigGame.com!

Saturday, December 23, 2000

• 10:00 am – Only one day left to place your Christmas gift order!  If you want to send someone a Big Game lottery gift or subscription to arrive by Christmas, you must place you order by 2:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, December 24.
• 7:20 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $150,000 prize: 2 in New Jersey and 1 in Illinois.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.

Friday, December 22, 2000

• 11:15 pm – Congratulations to Francisco Chagas da Costa Freitas of Algiers, Algeria who played The Big Game online at PlayBigGame.com and matched 4 out of the first 5 numbers for a $150 prize!  The winning ticket consisted of numbers selected by the player.
• 7:50 pm – Are you a MacIntosh user?  Certain Mac users have been having trouble using our PlayBigGame.com login screen, and we could use your help to figure out why!  We need Mac users to run a simple test that will send us a small amount of non-personal data.  To run the test, CLICK HERE and then click the Submit button.  Thanks for your help!
• 6:50 am – If you want to play for the $20 million Big Game jackpot online, the order deadline is 2:00 PM Eastern Time today.  Click over to PlayBigGame.com to play.
• Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live Big Game results!

Thursday, December 21, 2000

• 2:30 pm – Net gambling ban falls short again.  Opponents of Internet gambling are evaluating their options after again failing to push a federal ban on online wagering through Congress.  Meanwhile, horse racing interests are quietly celebrating a last-minute legislative maneuver that will allow online betting on the ponies in some states.
• Slowdown hits Las Vegas.  There are signs that the party in Las Vegas is winding down.  Some analysts see that as a harbinger of tougher times for the whole U.S. economy.
• Indian gaming act revision sought.  alling for an overhaul of the Indian gaming industry, Congressman Frank Wolf yesterday urged the incoming Bush administration to "initiate a full-scale reform of the Bureau of Indian Affairs."
• Lottery Sees 2nd Largest Sales Week in Its History for Instants.  Pennsylvania Lottery instant ticket sales made history last week when transactions topped the $13 million mark, probably due to holiday gift-giving.  Editor's note: This was probably before people found out they could give lottery gifts at PlayBigGame.com!
• The Wonderful Wagerers of Oz.  This Wired News article gives some behind-the-scenes information about the world of online gaming at Lasseters Online Casino from central Australia.

Wednesday, December 20, 2000

• 6:00 pm – Check out our improved statistics page!  You can now view statistics for just the recent drawings, ranging from the last 10 drawings through the last 100 drawings.  This is particularly useful if you like the know the hot or cold numbers over different periods of time.
• 4:10 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but two lucky players matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey and 1 in Maryland.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.
• You can play for the new $20 million Big Game jackpot online at PlayBigGame.com.

Tuesday, December 19, 2000

• 8:30 am – If you'd like to play The Big Game online, you have until 2:00 PM Eastern Time to play in tonight's $16 million drawing.  Just click over to PlayBigGame.com to place your order or start a subscription.
• Also, don't forget PlayBigGame.com can help with your last-minute holiday shopping!  You can give someone anywhere within the reach of the Internet a Big Game lottery gift, and you don't need to worry about shipping lead-times!  Just place your online order (or subscription order), enter the gift recipient's name and e-mail address, and type a personalized message to go along with your gift.

Monday, December 18, 2000

• 8:00 am – Maryland Lottery Conducts Second Pick 3 Drawing.  In a first-ever for the Maryland Lottery, a second Pick 3 drawing was conducted due to an irregularity discovered following the regular drawing.
• Raymond Silverstein of Toms River, New Jersey recently won a $150,000 prize in the November 28 Big Game drawing.
• Nebiyu Getachew of Alexandria, Virginia also won $150,000 when he matched the first five numbers in the December 8 Big Game drawing.
• British Internet Bookies Look to U.S. for Customers.  Internet bookmakers have begun looking to the U.S. for new customers in an effort to fend off the increasingly cut-throat competition they face at home.
• Congressmen seeking probe of Indian casinos.  Calling the Indian gaming industry corrupt, two members of Congress yesterday called for a congressional investigation into the rapidly expanding $10 billion industry, including the profits taken by some non-Indian casino managers and the process for approving tribes for lucrative gaming privileges.
• Economists Predict Gambling Growth.  With the building boom in mega-resorts over for now, the Las Vegas economy should pull back from the "astronomical levels" of recent years, UNLV's Business and Economic Research center director predicted Thursday.
• Yahoo! drops Net gambling ads.  Yahoo! is removing advertisements for online sports bookmakers after the National Football League threatened to cancel its business with the world's biggest Internet portal.
• Odds are Powerball will roll in September .  Colorado Lottery officials took the first steps Wednesday toward getting Powerball rolling.
• Powerball may start Labor Day.  Odds are that Colorado residents will be able to buy Powerball lottery tickets starting on Labor Day.

Saturday, December 16, 2000

• 2:10 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but one lucky player from Illinois matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize.  You can find the summary of winners by prize category on the Winning Combinations page.
• Congratulations to Stanley Parker of Waynesboro, Georgia for winning $100 playing The Big Game online at PlayBigGame.com!

Wednesday, December 13, 2000

• 3:30 pm – The Boston Globe has released a comprehensive and informative series of articles about gambling on American Indian reservations entitled Tribal Gamble: The lure and peril of Indian gambling.  The series in its entirety is linked below:
  • Casino boom benefits non-Indians
  • The $800 million deal for outsiders at Mohegan Sun
  • Few tribes share in casino windfall
  • Gaming success helps tribe gain community acceptance
  • California tribes hit the jackpot with gaming vote
  • It's a war of genealogies
  • Lineage questions linger as gaming wealth grows
  • Tribes scramble to get into the game
  • Tribes make easy criminal targets
  • Trump plays both sides in casino bids
• 4:15 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but one lucky New Jersey Big Game player matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.
• To play online for Friday's $14 million Big Game jackpot, click over to PlayBigGame.com.

Monday, December 11, 2000

• 11:30 am – Slot Machines Put 'Game' Back in Gaming.  Slot machine makers are raising the stakes on classic family games such as Monopoly, Yahtzee, Clue and Battleship -- but not without controversy, as some claim the new titles may attract teenagers and children.
• Congregation Gives Away $60M Gift.  Read this story to see how a church wrestled with what to do with a $60 million windfall.
• There's only one day left to get in on the $11 million Big Game jackpot!  You can play online at PlayBigGame.com.

Saturday, December 9, 2000

• 6:00 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but four lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $150,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Michigan, and 2 in Virginia.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.

Friday, December 8, 2000

• 10:50 am – James Baker of Clinton Township, Michigan recently claimed his $150,000 prize for matching the first five numbers in the November 24 Big Game drawing.  Click over to the story for details.
• To play online for today's $9 million Big Game drawing, orders need to be in by 2:00 PM Eastern Time!
• Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live Big Game drawing results.

Thursday, December 7, 2000

• 3:00 pm – Net Gambling Ban Back On Cards Down Under.  Australia appears headed for a moratorium on new forms of Internet gambling after the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard won the support of Greens Senator Bob Brown, and the Australian Democrats prepared to forge their own deal on the issue.
• 2:55 pm – Two Top Michigan Lottery Prize-Winning Tickets to Expire Very Soon!  One $150,000 Big Game prize and one $100,000 Cash 5 prize are due to expire on December 21st and December 14th, respectively.  Click over to the story for details about where the tickets were purchased and more.

Wednesday, December 6, 2000

• 5:55 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but one lucky Georgia player matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize.  See the Winning Combinations page for the complete rundown of winners by prize category.

Tuesday, December 5, 2000

• 5:15 pm – Michigan Big Game players, check your lottery tickets!  The $43 million Big Game jackpot from November 28 remains unclaimed.
• Lottery Winner Presents Clerk with Gift.  When 38-year-old Sam Gates Jr. won $50,000 playing the Georgia Lottery's Jumbo Bucks Classic, his first impulse was to share a portion of his winnings with the clerk who sold him the top prize ticket.

Monday, December 4, 2000

• 3:15 pm – Michael Richards of Allen Park, Michigan won a $150,000 prize in the November 24 Big Game drawing by matching the first five numbers.  Click over to the story for the details.
• 9:45 am – There's only one day left to participate in Tuesday's $7 million Big Game jackpot.  The automatic online purchase cutoff is Tuesday at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.  Orders placed after that time will be for the Friday drawing.
• If you'd like to give a Big Game lottery gift for Christmas, you can place your order now for the December 26th drawing!  All orders for the December 26th drawing will be e-mailed to the recipient on Christmas Eve, December 24th (as long as the order is received prior to the 24th).

Saturday, December 2, 2000

• 7:00 am – There was no jackpot winnner in the Friday drawing, but 2 lucky players matched the first five numbers for a $150,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey and 1 in Michigan.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, December 1, 2000

• 5:45 pm – Check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live Big Game drawing results!
• 7:00 am – If you'd like to play The Big Game online, be sure to get your order in by 2:00 PM Eastern Time today.  After 2:00, your order will be registered for the Tuesday drawing.

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