Archived Lottery News for December, 2004

Thursday, December 30, 2004

	8:20 pm - Massachusetts Judge Denies Demand for Lump-Sum Lottery Prize Payment.  Superior Court Justice Barbara A. Dortch-Okara denied 94 year-old Louise Outing's demand for lump-sum payment of her Megabucks lottery prize from the Massachusetts State Lottery, citing a lack of irreparable harm.
	9:20 am - $21 Million Powerball Jackpot will Ring in the New Year.  Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's Powerball drawing, the jackpot grew to an estimated $21 million for the New Year's drawing, with a cash option of $11.7 million.
	'4 This Way' is a Big Hit with New Mexico Lottery Players.  The New Mexico Lottery Authority has announced that its newest lotto game, "4 This Way!" has averaged more than three top prize winners a week since its launch in September.
	Thailand gambling tycoon gets 6 years in jail for rigging the lottery.  Five men including Klom Bang Kruai, a gambling tycoon from Nonthaburi, have been sentenced to six years in jail for rigging the lottery in Thailand.
	9:00 am - Lottery win latest miracle for Ohio family.  Deana Stambaugh of Ironton, Ohio has two really good reasons to believe in miracles.
	8:40 am - Massachusetts woman scratches $1 million winning lottery ticket.  Lorraine Vitagliano got a great Christmas present: $1 million from a $5 Lottery scratch ticket.
	Young Couple Wins £5 Million UK Lotto Jackpot.  A young couple, who have a five-month-old baby, won an early Christmas present on the Christmas Eve UK Lotto Superdraw.

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

	11:51 pm - 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 from Pennsylvania (1 with Power Play) and 2 from South Carolina (1 with Power Play).  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.
	8:40 am - Mega Millions Jackpot Leaps to $58 Million.  The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery has grown to $58 million dollars.
	Secret Lottery millionaire leaves fortune to charities.  Gail German hit the jackpot when she won £1 million (US$1.92 million) playing the UK Lotto, but no one in the tiny hamlet where she lived knew about it.
	8:20 am - Oregon lottery sales averaged $249 per resident last year.  Oregon Lottery spokesman Chuck Baumann said that per capita Lottery spending totaled $249 during fiscal 2004, up slightly from $239 the previous year.
	Kentucky Cash Ball player wins 5 jackpots totaling $1 million.  In what Kentucky lottery officials described as a relatively unusual manner of play, the winner of Monday's Cash Ball game picked the same numbers on all five plays: 11, 14, 21, 24 and, for the Cash Ball, 22.
	Mass. lottery winner, 94, sues to get lump-sum payment.  Louise Outing is 94 years old, and she knows it would be foolish to expect to live another 20.  So the lottery winner wants all of her cash now, not in payments spread out over the next two decades.
	2:04 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, 1 from Illinois, 1 from Massachusetts, 1 from New Jersey, 3 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.

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

	10:00 am - NJ lottery player pursues an idea to help the environment.  Ed Knorr, chairman of the Williamstown-based Green Action Alliance and inventor of New Jersey's "Best Dam Lottery Game," is working on a new game that aids the environment.
	Texas woman wins $175,000 Mega Millions lottery prize.  Patricia Higgins, a mother of five and grandmother to nine, had an exciting Christmas Day, matching the first 5 Mega Millions lottery numbers to win a $175,000 prize.
	Texas Couple Loses $14,000 In Lottery Scam.  The Upshur County Sheriff's Department is the last place Thomas McRee, 77, expected to be Monday morning after Christmas.  He was there to sort out the mess that has cost him more than all of his life savings.
	9:40 am - Virginia Lottery loses its shirt on triple-eights.  There were so many winners in the Virginia Lottery's Pick 3 game yesterday that the lottery came out a loser.

Monday, December 27, 2004

	9:20 am - Mega Millions jackpot increases to $48 million.  The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery grew to $48 million Saturday.
	8:20 am - Lottery riches are only one component of happiness.  How much would make you truly happy this holiday season?  A million?  $10 million?  $100 million?  The age-old question of whether money can buy happiness plays out in the headlines daily.
	8:00 am - New Oklahoma Lottery Bill Helps Many Non-Profit Organizations.  After years of finding creative ways to sell tickets for a special item without actually calling it a raffle (which was illegal), Oklahoma school organizations can now legally raffle off chances at a quilt, an autographed ball, or some other prize.

Sunday, December 26, 2004

12:24 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: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Louisiana, 1 from Missouri and 1 from Wisconsin.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Saturday, December 25, 2004

	1:39 pm - 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, 4 from New York, 1 from Texas, 1 from Virginia and 1 from Washington.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.
	2:00 am - Merry Christmas.  May the spirit of Christmas fill your heart with peace, love, and joy.

Friday, December 24, 2004

4:40 pm - Record Powerball winner's wealth may have contributed to kin's death.  Seventeen-year-old Brandi Bragg was laid to rest today, almost two years to the day after her doting grandfather came into the great wealth that some say was Brandi's misfortune.

Thursday, December 23, 2004

	10:40 am - Mother Sues Rhode Island Lottery for Child Support Funds.  A Cranston, Rhode Island mother who is owed approximately $40,000 in child support is suing the state Lottery Commission because prize money wasn't withheld when the father of her son cashed in.
	9:20 am - El Gordo lottery drawing awards $2.42 billion in prizes.  A town called "Luck" lived up to its name on Wednesday, turning up the winning ticket in Spain's Christmas lottery, featuring one of the world's biggest prizes known as El Gordo (The Fat One).
	12:38 am - Jackpot Winner!  There were 3 jackpot winners in the Wednesday, December 22, 2004 Powerball drawing: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Nebraska and 1 from Pennsylvania.  The winners will equally share the $30 million jackpot prize.  More details to follow after the winners come forward to claim their prizes.
	Also, 8 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Iowa, 1 from Kentucky, 2 from Louisiana, 1 from Maine (1 with Power Play), 1 from Missouri, 1 from Pennsylvania and 1 from Wisconsin.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

3:17 am - 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 Georgia, 1 from Illinois, 1 from Michigan and 1 from Texas.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

	11:00 am - Details of lottery winner kin's death still sketchy.  The 17-year-old granddaughter of the nation's largest lottery winner was found dead near her boyfriend's home, her body wrapped in a sheet and plastic tarp.
	10:20 am - NJ couple wins $2.2M Pick 6 Lotto jackpot.  A Bayonne couple has claimed the winning ticket in the Dec. 2 New Jersey Pick 6 Lotto jackpot drawing, which carried a jackpot of nearly $2.2 million.
	10:00 am - GTECH lands 5-year deal with Finland lottery.  Lottery systems operator Gtech Holdings Corp. reported Monday that it signed a five year deal with the Finnish national lottery.
	Tennesse lottery markets tickets as Christmas gifts.  For the first Christmas in the Volunteer State since the lottery started last January, Tennessee Lottery President Rebecca Paul is marketing lottery tickets as inexpensive gifts that can potentially grow in value.

Monday, December 20, 2004

	6:00 pm - Record Powerball lottery winner's granddaughter found dead.  The body of record Powerball winner Jack Whittaker's 17-year-old granddaughter was found Monday in a rural area in western West Virginia, State Police said.
	9:00 am - Powerball Jackpot Jumps to $30 Million.  Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $30 million, with a cash option of $16.5 million.
	Mega Millions jackpot increases to $31 million.  The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery grew to $31 million Saturday.
	8:40 am - Georgia lottery chief keeps education in the forefront.  Unlike that of a typical CEO, Georgia Lottery Corp. president and CEO Margaret DeFrancisco's job performance directly impacts how many college-bound teens will be able to afford higher learning and how many kids have access to pre-kindergarten.
	Four tickets win UK Lotto jackpot.  Four lucky tickets have matched all six numbers drawn Saturday to win the £4.5 million (US$8.8 million) UK Lotto jackpot, according to National Lottery operator Camelot.
	Illinois man charged with stealing lottery tickets.  A Schaumburg, Illinois man is accused of stealing hundreds of lottery tickets around Chicago's northwest suburbs over the past two weeks.
	8:20 am - French butcher wins Euro Millions lottery jackpot.  A butcher from suburban Bordeaux in south-west France was the sole winner of Europe's latest lottery jackpot and was to pocket the hefty sum of €26.2 million (US$35 million), French lottery officials said on Sunday.

Saturday, December 18, 2004

	11:54 pm - 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 with Power Play), 1 from Iowa (1 with Power Play), 1 from Indiana, 1 from Maine and 1 from Missouri.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.
	12:20 pm - Boxing career debut for Mega lottery loser.  The Ohio woman who falsely claimed she lost a winning $162 million Mega Millions ticket last year says she's taking a new career path — as a boxer.
	Oregon Lottery seeks to start video slot games in July.  Despite the opposition of some legislators, Oregon Lottery officials yesterday indicated that July 1 is being targeted as the start-up date for the lottery's new video slot-machine games.
	9:13 am - There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 1 lucky player matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Michigan.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, December 17, 2004

	4:40 pm - UPS Employees Charged in Stolen Lottery Ticket Investigation.  New Mexico Lottery security agents have identified 12 Albuquerque-area men and women allegedly involved in the theft and receipt of 24 packs of Lottery tickets, stolen while in transit at an area United Parcel Service shipping hub.
	3:20 pm - Two win biggest lottery jackpot ever in Germany.  Two people from the western German state of North Rhine-Westfalia got the winning numbers to share the biggest lottery jackpot ever in Germany - €26.7 million (US$35.5 million), lottery officials announced.
	Lawsuit acuses Texas of misusing lottery funds.  A lawsuit filed by a watchdog group seeks to block the State of Texas from making more payments to a Las Vegas law firm hired a year ago to draft legislation to legalize video slot machines.
	GTECH to earn $85M from Missouri lottery contract.  GTECH Holdings Corporation announced Thursday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, GTECH Corporation, was chosen by the State of Missouri to provide a new online lottery central system, terminals, and ongoing services under a proposed seven-year integrated services contract.
	12:40 pm - Global Pyramid Lottery Sceme Indicted Again.  On the heels of several indictments and guilty pleadings worldwide, World Games Inc. (WGI) is once again the target of law enforcement.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

	11:50 pm - The were no jackpot winners and no $100,000 winners in the Wednesday Powerball drawing.  For the complete rundown of winners in each of the other prize categories, see the Ways to Win page.
	11:00 am - Oklahoma Lottery Commission could be appointed by end of month.  The first step toward having a state lottery, the appointment of a seven member Oklahoma Lottery Commission, could be in place by the end of the month, according to Gov. Brad Henry.
	10:00 am - S.C. Lottery scratch games sold after top prize won.  The South Carolina Education Lottery offers some scratch lottery games for sale, even after the top prize has been won.
	Mega Millions jackpot increases to $25 million.  The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery grew to $25 million dollars after none of the tickets sold for last night's $17 million dollar drawing matched all five lotto numbers and the Mega Ball.
	9:40 am - Tennessee lottery surplus has state officials scrambling.  Tennesseans are playing the lottery, but not as many students as expected are taking advantage of college scholarships — and state officials have not decided what to do with the surplus.
	2:03 am - 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 Illinois, 2 from New York and 1 from Ohio.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

1:20 pm - Record Powerball lottery winner's life a mess after big win.  Two years after winning the largest undivided lottery jackpot in US history, Jack Whittaker's life has become a mess, and his wife regrets winning the prize.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

12:09 am - 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 South Carolina (1 with Power Play) and 1 from Wisconsin.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Saturday, December 11, 2004

	9:20 pm - Study Proves Number Bias in UK Lottery.  A previously unpublished report by the National Lottery Commission unearthed a series of statistical anomalies that, taken at face value, suggest the lottery might not be as random as was previously thought.
	4:09 am - There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 6 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Georgia, 1 from Michigan and 4 from New York.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, December 10, 2004

	10:20 am - Record Powerball Lottery Winner’s Granddaughter Missing.  Record Powerball lottery winner Jack Whittaker has reported his 17-year-old granddaughter missing.
	10:00 am - Penn. store that sold winning Powerball lottery ticket identified.  Pennsylvania Lottery officials announced the store that sold the winning $171.4 million Powerball ticket.

Thursday, December 9, 2004

	8:40 am - Tennessee Governor proposes lottery scholarships for adults.  Students who don't take the traditional route to college also should be eligible for help from the lottery-funded scholarship program, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said.
	North Wales couple hit UK Lotto jackpot.  A retired school cook has scooped a £721,000 (US$1.4 million) lotto jackpot in the UK National Lottery.
	8:20 am - One ticket wins $7 million Ohio Super Lotto Plus jackpot.  The Ohio Lottery sold one Super Lotto Plus game ticket with the correct combination from the drawing Wednesday night.
	Winning Powerball lottery ticket sold in Pennsylvania.  A Powerball ticket that could pay $171.4 million over 29 years was sold in Pennsylvania, lottery officials said.
	Connecticut lottery error gives players another chance to win.  A malfunction with the Connecticut Lottery's equipment on Wednesday resulted in more winning combinations for ticket buyers in the state's mid-day drawings.

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

	11:50 pm - Jackpot Winner!  There was one $171 million jackpot winner from Pennsylvania in the Wednesday, December 08, 2004 Powerball drawing.  More details to follow after the winner comes forward to claim their prize.
	Also, 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Kansas, 1 from Louisiana, 1 from Minnesota, 1 from Missouri, 1 from Pennsylvania, 1 from Rhode Island, 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.
	8:40 pm - Kansas Couple Discovers It Pays to Check Those Lottery Tickets.  The winners of a $192,769 Super Kansas Cash jackpot had left the winning ticket in their truck.
	1:20 pm - Record Powerball lottery winner ordered into substance abuse program.  A man who won a nearly $315 million Powerball lottery -- the largest single jackpot in history -- was ordered into substance abuse treatment today after his second drunken driving arrest this year.
	Charity leader wins $27 million in California lottery.  A California charity leader got a lucky boost to help her crusade to save unwanted babies.
	Lottery Scheme Now Targeting Tennessee.  Fraudulent letters purporting to be from the El Gordo Sweepstakes Lottery Company, S.L. in Madrid, Sprain have appeared in some Tennessee mailboxes, informing consumers that they have won hundreds of thousands of dollars.
	1:00 pm - Texas Mega Millions lottery sales strong.  One year after Texas joined the Mega Millions multi-state lottery game, lottery officials say it's a hit.
	9:00 am - Gaming executives guilty of operating illegal lottery, pyramid scheme.  Six of the lead promoters of World Games Inc. (WGI) plead guilty to operating and promoting an Illegal Pyramid Scheme December 6, 2004 in Calgary, Alberta.
	7:49 am - There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 6 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 from Georgia, 1 from Massachusetts, 2 from Maryland and 1 from Ohio.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Monday, December 6, 2004

	8:40 am - Powerball Jackpot 10th Largest Ever at $171 Million.  Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $171 million, with a cash option of $93.3 million.
	Alaska man wins lottery for-life prize.  An Alaska resident has won an Oregon Lottery game worth $52,000 per year for life -- a prize that went unclaimed for more than a month.
	One winner in $5 million Lotto South drawing.  There was one big winner in Saturday's $5 million Lotto South drawing, Virginia Lottery officials said Sunday.
	8:20 am - Winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Paterson, NJ.  New Jersey lottery officials are waiting for the winner of the $24 million Mega Millions jackpot to claim their prize, officials said yesterday.
	Mega Millions jackpot winner headed to divorce court.  The wife of Mega Millionaire Juan Rodriguez has filed for divorce, demanding her slice of the $149 million jackpot — even before the check has been cut to her hubby.
	Record Powerball winner arrested.  A West Virginia man who won a record $315 million in the Powerball lottery was arrested on charges of drunken driving and carrying a pistol, authorities said.

Sunday, December 5, 2004

12:12 am - There was no jackpot winner in the Saturday Powerball drawing, but 19 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Connecticut (1 with Power Play), 2 from Indiana, 2 from Kentucky, 2 from Minnesota, 1 from Missouri, 1 from New Mexico (1 with Power Play), 2 from Pennsylvania, 1 from Rhode Island, 1 from South Carolina, 2 from Tennessee (1 with Power Play), 1 from Vermont (1 with Power Play), 1 from Wisconsin and 1 from West Virginia.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Saturday, December 4, 2004

	2:23 am - Jackpot Winner!  There was one $24 million jackpot winner from New Jersey in the Friday, December 03, 2004 Mega Millions drawing.  More details to follow after the winner comes forward to claim their prize.
	Also, 1 lucky player matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 from Georgia.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Friday, December 3, 2004

2:00 pm - Six Vermont State Employees Split $100,000 Powerball Prize.  Six employees from the Vermont Department of Employment and Training came forward on November 23 to claim their $100,000 Powerball prize from the November 20 drawing.

Thursday, December 2, 2004

12:01 am - There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $100,000 prize: 2 from Arizona, 1 from Delaware, 2 from Indiana, 3 from South Carolina (1 with Power Play) and 1 from Wisconsin.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.

Wednesday, December 1, 2004

	8:40 am - Oregon man claims record jackpot after finishing hunting trip.  Halfway through a two-week hunting trip, Portland-area accountant Art Brenner discovered he had won the record $30 million Megabucks jackpot -- and then went back to camp and kept hunting elk.
	Lottery winner dies in crash.  An Oregon woman was killed in a Salem car crash last week after winning the lottery just a few days earlier.
	8:20 am - Technicians hustle to fix Nebraska lottery machines.  As the $127 million Powerball drawing looms, technicians are hustling to fix the Nebraska's 950 lottery machines.
	1:52 am - 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: 3 from New York and 1 from Texas.  For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Ways to Win page.