Lottery News for July, 2002

Wednesday, July 31, 2002

6:45 am – S.C. lottery may raise $17 million more than expected. South Carolina expects the lottery to raise more than $189 million for education this fiscal year, about $17 million more than estimated by the state Board of Economic Advisers.

S.C. To Start Powerball Sales October 5. Tuesday, the South Carolina Education Lottery Commission approved the formal agreement for the state to join the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs Powerball. The commission also adopted the rules for the game. (Thanks to John R. for the tip)

Powerball's odds, jackpots to rise. Lottery officials are planning some changes to the multistate Powerball game that will make the jackpots bigger and harder to win. Editor: BigGameLottery.com readers were first alerted to these changes on July 7th.

Mob victims' kin sue for lottery $. Families of two women allegedly murdered by FBI informant James "Whitey" Bulger filed a federal appeal this week seeking to shake the government's hold on the fugitive gangster's $1.9 million lottery prize.

Recent $175,000 New York Mega Millions winners:

Robert Gibson of Hackensack, New Jersey (purchased ticket in N.Y.)
10 Members of Mega Millions Prize Pool
10 Holtsville Ambulance Company Co-Workers
Michele LoPardo of Brooklyn and Kenneth Scott of Bronx
Donald Williams of Manhattan

Keno ads get closer scrutiny. Nevada is the only state with casino gambling that prohibits lotteries, and the Las Vegas company that operates the multicasino Nevada Numbers game is struggling with that paradox.

3:00 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but 7 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Michigan, 3 in New York, and 1 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, July 30, 2002

6:15 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $25 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Kentucky Lottery posts record sales for fiscal 2002. The Louisville-based Kentucky Lottery Corp. set a record for revenue in fiscal 2002, recording sales of $639 million for the year, which ended June 30.

Europe Gripped with Online Gambling Fever. UK visitors to online gambling sites increased by nearly 15 percent during June 2002, compared to the previous month, according to research by NetValue.

"Lucky 7" Long Island Railroad Co-workers Claim $175,000 Mega Millions Prize . A group of seven Long Island Railroad co-workers were one of four second-prize winners from New York to win $175,000 from the Mega Millions drawing held on Tuesday, July 16, 2002.

N.C. lottery flap continues. The possibility of having a lottery in North Carolina continues to draw mixed emotions from state legislators, although the long-awaited issue may not be decided anytime soon.

Lottery helps people buy a pony online. A new Lottery-funded website is set to enable people to buy Dartmoor ponies from afar and create a new market for the declining herds.

Monday, July 29, 2002

6:55 am – Florida Lottery Surpasses $12 Billion to Education After Record Sales Year. The Florida Lottery has just completed its third straight year of record sales, surpassing the $12 billion milestone in money earned for Florida's education programs. Compared to all the other 38 state lotteries, the Florida Lottery has generated more money for its public beneficiary, Education, in the shortest amount of time.

W.V. lottery officials report record revenues. West Virginia Lottery sales were up 42 percent from last year, but state officials warn against hoping for another blockbuster year.

Half Of $30 Million Isn't Bad. Two winning tickets were sold in Saturday night's $30 million Lotto Plus drawing [Washington State].

Nebraska lottery funds could be redirected. Under a proposal released Thursday by Gov. Mike Johanns, lottery funds targeted for education and the environment would be redirected to the state general fund.

S.C. lottery fuels scholarship debate. As high-achieving students reap the benefits of millions playing scratch-off games, South Carolina's attempt to fund the college educations of less stellar, lower-income students is waning.

Saturday, July 27, 2002

3:50 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but 2 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New York and 1 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, July 26, 2002

6:50 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $18 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Counties support North Dakota lottery. County officials from north central North Dakota are urging the state legislature adopt a lottery and give counties more of a say in determining property values.

Indiana lottery sales jump in last year. Lottery sales were up $78 million to $626 million in the year ending June 30 compared to the previous fiscal year, lottery officials said Wednesday. Profits also were up $14 million from 2001.

New lottery game tickets under $1. The Georgia Lottery Corp. announced a new game aimed at players who don't want to spend a buck on the lottery. The Change Game will allow players to buy a chance at a daily drawing for anywhere from 25-cents to 99-cents.

New Texas Cash Five Game Starts On Sunday. Sales for the Texas Lottery's newest game - Cash Five - begin on Sunday, July 28. The first drawing for the revamped game will be held on Monday, July 29, at 10:12 p.m., and every night thereafter except Sundays.

R.I. Lottery Commission delays vote on expanded slots. The Rhode Island Lottery Commission delayed indefinitely its vote on expanding the number of video slot machines at the state's two gambling facilities until a new legislative panel has time to study the issue.

Thursday, July 25, 2002

6:45 am – Five Philadelphia Co-Workers Share $175,000 Mega Millions Prize. A group of five co-workers won the second prize of $175,000 in the July 5th Mega Millions drawing worth $96 million. The group correctly matched all the numbers drawn except the Gold Mega Ball to win the second prize of $175,000.

Michigan Resident Shocked To Win $175,000 Mega Millions Prize. G.A. Niles of Middleville, Michigan was surprised to learn he had won a $175,000 Mega Millions prize after matching the first five numbers in the July 16 drawing.

Lottery operator appeals contract award. Lottery operator GTECH has appealed a state panel's decision to dismiss the company's complaint over how the South Carolina lottery contract was awarded to a competitor.

Wednesday, July 24, 2002

6:20 am – Massachusetts lottery prize reduction less likely. The Massachusetts House voted overwhelmingly to override acting Gov. Jane Swift's veto of a $1.1 billion tax package and sent the measure to the Senate, which is expected to follow suit. The measure would supercede Swift's alternative plan to siphon more money away from the state lottery by reducing prizes.

N.J. Lottery posts highest sales ever. Money from the lottery's ticket sales increased 14.5 percent in fiscal 2002, state officials announced yesterday. The $2.07 billion in revenue is the highest in the state lottery's 32-year history. More: N.J. treasury biggest lottery winner.

University employee wins Powerball jackpot. A University of Kentucky employee claimed the winning $41.5 million Powerball jackpot ticket Tuesday at Kentucky Lottery headquarters.

3:00 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but 6 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 in New Jersey, 3 in New York, and 1 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, July 23, 2002

6:45 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $12 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Easley demands quick action on lottery. North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley revived his push for a lottery Monday, this time to finance a state judge's demand for immediate action to better educate North Carolina's neediest students.

Lottery wins big in counties with poorer residents. Poor counties in South Carolina sell more lottery tickets per person than other counties in the state, but whether that means more poor people are buying tickets still is up in the air.

Canadians gambling more. Canadians are increasingly getting into gambling, with gambling revenues contributing $7 billion ($10.7 billion Canadian) to federal and provincial coffers in 2001, almost four times the level of net revenue in 1992, Statistics Canada reports.

Michigan Resident Claims $175,000 Mega Millions Prize. Luck was with L. Morris of Detroit when she matched the first five numbers drawn in the July 16 Mega Millions drawing to win a $175,000 prize.

Virginia man finds old Big Game ticket worth $150,000. Ray Kimbro of Mechanicsville, Virginia had been walking around for more than eleven weeks with a winning $150,000 Big Game ticket in his wallet.

Mega Millions winner expected to come forward soon. The holder of a winning $165 million Mega Millions lottery ticket will soon submit it to claim their prize, a lottery official said Monday. "We've made contact with their attorney and they are coming in," said Carole Hedinger, the lottery's acting executive director. The claim could be made early this week, she said.

Monday, July 22, 2002

6:55 am – Easley: Court's censure may revive lottery hope. A court ruling slamming North Carolina leaders for failing to fix the state's public schools -- and giving them 10 days to do better -- should give new life to the lottery, Gov. Mike Easley said Saturday. More:

Governor Using Court Ruling To Bolster Support For Lottery
Vote on lottery is stuck on hold

Governor makes pitch for lottery. Alabama Governor Don Siegelman says Alabamians will approve the lottery if given another chance.

Luck that won lottery left years ago. A Pennsylvania man won $1.87 million in 1987 and then began losing. The spiral involves casinos, a foreclosure, and an arson case.

Ohio woman wins millions with the "wrong" lottery ticket. Karen White bought the wrong lottery ticket, and now she's $3 million richer.

Winning Powerball Ticket Sold In Kentucky. One winning ticket was sold in Kentucky for Saturday night's Powerball drawing. The winner of the $41.5 million Powerball jackpot now has to decide if they want the 25-year annuity or the $23.4 million cash option.

Maryland Man Claims $175,000 Mega Millions Prize. A white stretch Lincoln Navigator limousine pulled up to the Maryland Lottery Headquarters. Ronnie P. Ehrlich, his wife Sandra is at his side, emerged from the car and was greeted by Maryland State Lottery Director Buddy Roogow and staff.

Rendell suggests adding Keno to Pa. lottery menu. Ed Rendell, the Democratic nominee for governor, said that Pennsylvania should consider adding Keno to its menu of lottery games to shore up revenue for programs for the elderly.

Lottery Terminals Axed To Up Sales. UK National Lottery operator Camelot is to axe sale terminals from hundreds of outlets in a bid to stem falling sales.

Saturday, July 20, 2002

3:50 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New York, 1 in Ohio, and 1 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, July 19, 2002

6:55 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $10 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Illinois lottery increases sales and gives millions more to Common School Fund. Illinois Lottery Director Lori Montana today announced that the Lottery closed Fiscal Year 2002 with $1.59 billion in sales, marking an increase of $140.2 million over those of Fiscal Year 2001. In addition, FY 02 sales mark the highest one-year sales increase since Fiscal Year 1989 and the fifth-highest in Lottery history.

Maryland Wins Big with Mega Millions Game. Since May, Maryland winners have been well represented at all levels in the Mega Millions lottery game. On Tuesday's drawing alone, more than 40,000 Maryland winners were announced, including a second-tier $175,000 winner.

Popular Triples Drawn in The Daily Number Game. Pennsylvania Lottery players whose favorite Number is 6-6-6 can count on a little extra spending money following Wednesday night's drawing.

Queens Man Claims $175,000 Mega Millions 2nd Prize. Francisco Ochoa of East Elmhurst, Queens County was one of four second-prize winners from New York to win $175,000 from the Mega Millions drawing held on Tuesday, July 16, 2002.

Hawaii gubernatorial candidate proposes lottery. Money from a state-run lottery would be used to supplement existing public education funding in a plan announced Thursday by gubernatorial candidate D.G. "Andy" Anderson.

Andrew N.S. Glazer: 6-5 rule hurts blackjack odds. Casinos across the nation have been experimenting with a new blackjack rule, one that will demolish "semi-counter" players.

Thursday, July 18, 2002

7:15 am – Jersey 'mega man' set to collect $92 million. A Cliffside Park, New Jersey, man is the holder of the single winning ticket in Tuesday night's $165 million Mega Millions drawing, according to New Jersey Lottery officials and the pharmacy owner who sold the ticket. The ticket-holder chose the lump-sum option, which makes his winning ticket worth $92 million before a 27 percent federal withholding tax, lottery officials said. [Editor: NJ has no state tax on lottery prizes.] The unidentified man validated his ticket and picked up a claim form yesterday, but hasn't presented it to lottery officials. The man didn't know he was a winner when he visited the Evergreen Pharmacy in Cliffside Park. "He was speechless," said Clara Yang, the pharmacy owner. "He said he was going home and tell his wife."

Pennsylvania Lottery Sets $1.9 Billion Sales Record. The Pennsylvania Lottery ended its 2001-2002 fiscal year approximately $154 million ahead of last year's record-breaking year, with sales of $1.934 billion. Click the linked article for a breakdown of sales by game.

Lottery operator loses domain challenge. UK-based lottery provider Camelot Group has lost a challenge under UK-naming authority Nominet's Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) for the domain name camelotto.co.uk. The name is a combination of Camelot's name and the new brand name for the UK's national lottery - Lotto.

Recent $175,000 Big Game Mega Millions winners:

Anonymous Maryland horseman and farmer
Magna Perez of Queens County, New York
Richard Capria and Francis O'Rourke Yorktown Heights, New York
John and Kathleen Costello of Brooklyn, New York

Wednesday, July 17, 2002

6:05 am – Updates on the Ohio multi-state lottery ruling:

Lottery ruled constitutional
Judge: Multistate lottery does not violate Ohio Constitution
Hand profits of Mega lotto to education, judge orders

Updates on the proposed North Carolina lottery:

N.C. lottery could 'put a dent' in S.C. sales
State lottery faces Carolina competition
Lottery: Big business in Ridgeway
Legislators Against Proposed Lottery Say Delay Has A Purpose

Lawyer's guiding hand to Lottery winners. Mike Quinn, a partner at Manchester firm Hill Dickinson, advises UK National Lottery millionaires on how to handle their newly-acquired fortunes.

Virginia lottery sends a record $367.7 million to Virginia's public schools. Without a doubt, the Virginia Lottery experienced its best year ever in fiscal year 2002.

Lottery sales hit record numbers. The buzz created by the $165 million Mega Millions jackpot drawing Tuesday night made lottery players line up at convenience stores. But it's the rank-and-file games, scratch-off games like Kudzu Cash or Big Bucks, that made the Georgia Lottery Corp. finish the 2002 fiscal year with record proceeds.

3:45 am – Jackpot Winner! There was one $165 million jackpot winner from New Jersey in the Tuesday drawing. More details to follow after the winner comes forward to claim their prize.

Also, 18 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 3 in Illinois, 2 in Massachusetts, 1 in Maryland, 2 in Michigan, 4 in New York, 3 in Ohio, and 2 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, July 16, 2002

6:05 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $165 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results! We are the only web site that displays the results live as the numbers are drawn.

Sales brisk for Mega Millions. Tickets sales for Tuesday night's $165 million Mega Millions jackpot are well ahead of sales for the last big jackpot, the $331 million Big Game back in April. In the first seven weeks of that game, 18.8 million tickets were sold in Georgia, according to the state Lottery Corporation. In the first seven weeks of this Mega Million jackpot, 23.9 million tickets have been sold in the state.

Lottery Plaintiffs Hail First Victory Against Mega Millions. Today Judge Hogan of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court ruled a portion of the funding provisions for the Mega Millions Lottery in direct violation of the Ohio Constitution.

Woman Loses Thousands In Lotto Scam. A new twist on an old scam is making the rounds, and it cost a Houston-area woman thousands of dollars, according to Texas Lottery Commission officials.

Lottery foe now in Easley's camp on referendum. One of North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley's chief lobbyists on a lottery referendum also is featured prominently in the brochures of lottery opponents.

Revenge of lottery winner's ex-husband. The estranged husband of Grimsby Lottery winner Jackie King has won his revenge - by buying the mansion she had set her heart on.

Monday, July 15, 2002

6:30 am – Updates on the North Carolina lottery debate:

Anti-lottery forces credit blitz, education with blocking vote
Pro-lottery forces need 3 votes
N.C. considers lottery to keep money home
State residents shouldn't bet on lottery anytime soon

S.C. lottery keeping students in state. In Columbia, the University of South Carolina reported that it would have more students than anticipated in the fall and would have to house some students in nearby hotels and expand class sizes. While USC does not link its over-enrollment solely to lottery-supported scholarships, the additional money - an incentive to keep students at in-state schools - appears to be part of the cause.

Ex-Couple Go to Court Over Lottery Winnings. The multimillion-dollar question being played out in a Texas courtroom is who bought the winning Lotto ticket.

State Lawmaker Trying to Start Lottery in North Dakota. For the third time in three years, a North Dakota lawmaker is trying to put the lottery to a vote, including a proposal to ammend the state constitution to allow the state to join a multi-state lottery.

Michigan Lottery to Introduce Sunday Drawings. For the first time since the Michigan Lottery was created in 1973, there will be a drawing on Sunday, perhaps as early as next month, Lottery officials say.

Pastors Ready To Fight Tennessee Lottery. Several recent polls show a majority of Tennesseeans support a lottery like Georgias'. Most think a lottery will pump money into schools or even help balance the state budget. But now there's a group organizing to squash the lottery the way it was defeated in Alabama last year.

CT Lottery players beat the odds with simple combinations. On Tuesday, the Connecticut State Lottery's Play Four game came up with a huge $1.1 million payout after hundreds of people cashed in with one of the simplest, most everyday combinations imaginable: 1-2-3-4. On Thursday, 994 people won a total of $726,000 with another simple combination: 0-0-0-1.

Saturday, July 13, 2002

2:50 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but 13 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 3 in New Jersey, 2 in Illinois, 1 in Massachusetts, 2 in Maryland, 3 in New York, and 2 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, July 12, 2002

7:00 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $138 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results! We are the only web site that displays the results live as the numbers are drawn.

Congratulations to Lottery Post member "EZMoney", who won $100,000 in the July 10th Powerball drawing. The winning ticket, bought in Pennsylvania, matched the first 5 numbers drawn. According to the winner, "[I] always check my tickets from bottom up and when I read line A I almost fainted." The lucky player plans to claim the prize at Pennsylvania lottery headquarters today.

Recent $175,000 Mega Millions winners:

Veteran Maryland lottery player
Seven Virginia co-workers
Nine co-workers from Westlake, Ohio
Delmar R. Williams of Columbus, Ohio
Mauri Sarkio of Elmhurst, New York
William "Bill" Quinn of Caroga Lake, New York
Lawrence Tippel of Brooklyn, New York
Melvin Medley of Queens Village, New York
Kam Sau Lee of Elmhurst, New York
Samuel Marquez of Bronx, New York

Texas Lotto winner overcomes cantankerous bank vault to claim $74 million prize. Jimmie Boyd, Jr. of Longview had big plans, and a cantankerous bank vault holding his jackpot winning Lotto Texas ticket wasn't about to make him change them.

Lottery winner drinks cyanide. Workers at a factory were today mourning the loss of a lottery-winning colleague who died after apparently drinking cyanide shortly after starting his shift.

Thursday, July 11, 2002

6:00 am – N.C. House Floor Session Ends Without Lottery Vote. North Carolina House leaders adjourned Wednesday's floor session without calling for a vote on a proposed lottery referendum. More: NC House Democrats delay lottery vote.

Man sentenced for lottery ticket rage. An outburst brought on by repeated failure to win the lottery earned a 61-year-old Canadian man a suspended sentence and a two-year probationary term.

Norway is Lottery capital of the world. According to statistics from Swedish Gaming, Norway now spends more money on Lotteries than any other country, overtaking Malta in the Lotto-spending league table.

Group files lawsuit over handling of lottery account. Twelve business owners and politicians from the Philadelphia area filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the state Department of Revenue for its handling of proposals for the $90 million Pennsylvania Lottery advertising account.

Multistate lottery game popularity beats expectations. Powerball rolls into Pennsylvanians' hearts as the overwhelming popularity of the game has been more than the state expected.

Ohio lottery players may have to pay gaming tax. Gambling enterprises such as the Lottery, racetracks and charitable gaming should be taxed to fund a gambling prevention and treatment program in Ohio, a committee organized to study gambling issues concluded in its report released Tuesday.

Maryland Lottery Reports Record-Breaking Sales of Over $1.3 Billion for FY 2002. For the fourth consecutive year, the Maryland Lottery has generated record-breaking sales and revenue for the State, resulting in the most productive year in the agency's 29-year history.

Recent $175,000 Michigan Mega Millions winners:

"TJDI Lottery Club" of Westland
G.H. Miskel of Muskegon
D.A. Kource of Sterling Heights
B. Pettigrew of Leonard
"Breakfast Club" Lottery Club of Detroit

N.Y. Lottery To Award $50,000 Bonus To First New York Lottery Retailer To Sell A Jackpot-Winning Mega Millions Ticket. New York Lottery Director Margaret R. DeFrancisco announced details of a new plan to award a one-time-only $50,000 bonus to the first New York-based New York Lottery retailer to sell a Jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket.

Wednesday, July 10, 2002

6:10 am – Mega Millions a megahit for N.Y.. Residents of the Empire State make up about 22 percent of the betting pool - but they scoop up 30 percent of all Mega Millions tickets sold, according to Caroline Hapeman, a lottery spokeswoman.

Players weigh in: Lottery payout reduction could cool sales. Massachusetts lottery players say it would be a big mistake to reduce jackpots as a way to bail the state out of its financial problems. More: Lottery players say don't gamble with payoffs.

Lottery jackpots still creeping upward. It may be the most understated jackpot craze in Michigan lottery history. Two jackpots totaling $140 million are available in the Mega Millions and Michigan Millions lottery games, but people aren't rushing out to buy tickets.

Faked state lottery tickets take victims for thousands. Lottery tickets altered to look like winners are the bait in an ongoing Yuba City, California scam, authorities warn. (Includes photo of forged ticket.)

N.C. lottery prospects brighten. The guessing game about whether North Carolinians will get to play their own lottery may begin to pan out into some answers this week. More:

N.C. lottery referendum clears first hurdle
Straight reply hard to get on lottery issue

2:50 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but 15 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 in New Jersey, 3 in Illinois, 2 in Maryland, 3 in New York, 1 in Ohio, and 4 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, July 9, 2002

7:30 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $115 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Lottery Strikes Close To Home. Residents of Pasco County, Florida feel their odds of winning the lottery getting better, as Saturday became the 16th time a Lotto winner lived or purchased a ticket in Pasco in the Florida Lottery's 14-year history.

Couple held in lottery ticket thefts. Longmont, Colorado police on Saturday arrested the husband-and-wife duo on suspicion of stealing Colorado Lottery scratch tickets from three dozen convenience and grocery stores during a six-week crime spree along the Front Range.

Monday, July 8, 2002

1:05 pm – Mega Millions Jackpot Increased to $115 Million. As a result of higher-than-expected ticket sales, the nine Big Game Mega Millions states have decided to increase the jackpot for the Tuesday drawing to $115 million. The $115 million jackpot is the result of 12 consecutive rollovers. Since June 18, each rollover has been at least $10 million.

6:10 am – Stingier lottery is being mulled. Massachusetts lottery winners could be taking home a little less loot if lawmakers approve a plan to help plug the state's newest budget hole by cutting into prize payouts.

Lottery says millions go unclaimed. Ohio Lottery players have left $22.3 million in winnings unclaimed in the past year, and winners have forfeited almost $282 million in the past decade.

N.C. lottery 'crunch time' may finally be here. With North Carolina House Speaker Jim Black seeking a formal vote this week on an advisory referendum for an education lottery, expect last-minute pleadings to undecided representatives from people on both sides of the issue. More:

State nears lottery vote.
Lawmakers consider lottery.
Lottery support building.

Lottery pot is sweeter than anticipated so far. South Carolina lottery officials say it's a good bet the new games' net income will exceed the $80 million goal for the past six months by several million dollars.

Unlucky start for first Afghan lottery in years. The first national lottery to be held in Afghanistan in more than a decade has got off to an inauspicious start after organizers failed to hand over the prizes on time.

Sunday, July 7, 2002

11:40 pm – Powerball to undergo changes starting October 6, 2002. Beginning October 6, Powerball will undergo several changes, in order to grow jackpot sizes, account for a larger player base as new states are added, and to more effectively compete with rival multi-state lottery Big Game Mega Millions. Powerball's twenty-two states, plus the District of Columbia, will make the following changes:

The number pool will increase - players will choose five numbers from 1 to 53 (instead of the current 1 to 49), plus one number from 1 to 42 (unchanged).
Annuity period increased - The current 24-year annuity period (25 payments) will be increased to 29 years (30 payments), which will have the effect of increasing the annuity jackpot, while making payments to a jackpot winner less each year than they would be under the current annuity structure.
Unclaimed grand prize and new bonus prize funds will be distributed among all participating lotteries in proportion to each lottery's sales for the grand-prize drawing.
The power play option will have a multiplier ranging from 2 to 5 (instead of the current 1 to 5).
All power-play prizes will be paid in single, lump-sum payments.
Jackpot prize increases will be limited to $25 million between drawings. For example, if there is no winner of a $50 million drawing, the next drawing will not be higher than $75 million. A new bonus prize will be accumulated consisting of all money collected in excess of the advertised jackpot amount until there is a grand-prize winner.

Saturday, July 6, 2002

3:35 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 3 in Illinois, 2 in Michigan, 1 in New York, and 1 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, July 5, 2002

6:00 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $96 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Andrew N.S. Glazer: Gather your wits before gambling. Most people already understand that being drunk, tired, angry, upset or desperate qualify as less-than-ideal circumstances under which to gamble. But there's another segment of a casino visit that we don't always place in that category: the first hour or two after you arrive.

Thursday, July 4, 2002

8:05 am – Happy Independence Day from BigGameLottery.com!

Black wants to have lottery referendum vote next week. North Carolina House Speaker Jim Black said Wednesday he wants to vote on a statewide lottery referendum next week.

$1.1m jackpot winner to build school for poor. An Indian who earns Rs150 ($3) a day as a mason has won a Rs52 million ($1.1 million) lottery jackpot but said yesterday he would carry on working and use his winnings to build a school or a hospital for poor children. More: Indian pauper strikes lottery gold.

DDB Chicago Awarded Illinois Lottery Contract. The Illinois Lottery awarded its $20 million account to DDB Chicago, following a review.

Wednesday, July 3, 2002

6:05 am – Ohio lottery sales show increase after slide. Ohio Lottery sales inched up in the last fiscal year, allowing the state-run gambling operation to surpass its goal in contributions to education. The commission said yesterday that sales in the 12 months that ended June 30 reached $1.988 billion, some $68 million more than the previous year.

Man Sues Grandmother for Lottery Winnings. A Florida woman who won millions playing Lotto last year is being sued by her grandson, who claims he should get half of the prize because he helped her pick the winning numbers.

S.C. Lottery's program cuts cost of tuition. The South Carolina Education Lottery will cut tuition nearly in half for Aiken Technical College students eligible for the lottery's tuition assistance program.

Anti-gambling bill called 'anti-terrorism' bill. The House Financial Services committee has voted 62-1 for a bill that blocks all debit and credit card transactions at Internet gambling sites, extraordinarily calling it an 'anti-terrorism' bill. Editor: Politics at its worst - shame on those who use the threat of terrorism as a crutch to impose their personal agenda.

New 180-day prize claim law goes into effect for Missouri. Starting July 1, Missouri Lottery players will have 180 days instead of one year to claim Lottery prizes, as a result of a law change during the past legislative session. The shorter claim period will allow the Lottery to finalize game reports more quickly. More: Deadline for redeeming lottery prizes shortened.

3:00 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but 7 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Illinois, 2 in New York, and 3 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, July 2, 2002

7:15 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $83 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Retired Air Force officer wins $175,000 Mega Millions Prize. Howard Manly of Newport News, Virginia randomly selected numbers for the June 25, 2002 Mega Millions drawing - and those numbers made him $175,000 richer.

Virginia couple claims $5.6 million Lotto South jackpot. Richard and Delores Szymanski of Alexandria, Virginia bought two Lotto South tickets for the June 26, 2002 Lotto South drawing - the first one won five dollars, and the second won $4.6 million, plus a $1 million bonus for purchasing a jackpot-winning Lotto South ticket in Virginia.

Mass. Lottery's chances may depend on budget deliberations. Whether the Massachusetts lottery's success will continue may depend on budget deliberations that include a proposal from acting Gov. Jane Swift's to raise state revenues by reducing the lottery payouts. Swift's proposal was not met with open arms by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman John Rogers, D-Norwood, who maintained it was too risky, since a drop in payouts could very well equate to a drop in sales.

Publicity pays off with arrest of Latin Lotto scam suspects. Three months after going all out to inform the public about the Latin Lotto scam, officials with the Texas Lottery Commission say the effort has paid off. Publicity about the con game is believed to have contributed to arrests of suspects in San Antonio, Austin and Carrollton.

Monday, July 1, 2002

10:20 am – Michigan lotto game to get heave-ho. The Michigan Lottery is test-driving replacements for Michigan Millions, gambling's version of the XFL.

Louisiana lottery sales hit highest mark in years. The national economy may have fallen on hard times, but the Louisiana Lottery is having its best year since the state's riverboat casinos began competing for gambling dollars nearly eight years ago.

Party lines are dividing lines on N.C. lottery vote. As they prepare to decide whether to put a lottery to a vote of the people, members of the North Carolina state House from Forsyth and surrounding counties are divided straight down party lines: Democrats like it and Republicans don't.

UK Lottery jackpot awaits a forgetful player. A £711,607 National Lottery jackpot prize is up for grabs and, if you live in Perth and Kinross, this time it really could be you.

Internet Gambling Ban Faces Long Odds. A congressional attempt to ban Internet gambling faces long odds of passage, handicappers say, as the clock winds down on the legislative year and interest groups continue to register their opposition.

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