Lottery News for May, 2003

Saturday, May 31, 2003

3:15 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday drawing, but 10 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 3 in Georgia, 1 in Illinois, 3 in New York, and 2 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, May 30, 2003

6:45 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $58 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Powerball Jackpot Soars to $42 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 280,296 players across the nation won a total of more than $2.7 million in prizes in America's Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $42 million, with a cash option of $23.8 million. Two players from Louisiana and South Carolina correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 11.6 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

Finally! Lottery in January, scholarships in fall 2004. The 103rd General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to create a legal lottery in Tennessee for the first time since 1833, then adjourned its 2003 session. More:

Legislature OKs lottery
Lottery bill sails after surprise deal
Tennessee legislature approves state lottery
House, Senate Pass Revised Lottery Bill
Highlights of lottery setup legislation
Senate and House roll calls on lottery bill

90-year-old man wins $16 million Florida Lottery prize. 90-year-old Luis Salazar may be the oldest Floridian ever to win the Lotto prize, state lottery officials said Thursday. More: He's the $16 million man.

School District Employees to Split Jackpot. Two dozen school district employees in suburban Kansas City will split the $1.5 million jackpot they won by matching all six numbers in Saturday's Missouri Lottery drawing.

$31M lottery pot an elusive prize. There have been a record 57 straight Pennsylvania Super Six drawings without a jackpot winner.

Couple collects Powerball prize. Anthony Wilson reluctantly acknowledged his life has changed a little since he walked into the Red Rocket Fireworks and bought $60 worth of quick-pick Powerball tickets about three weeks ago. On Thursday, Mr. Wilson was hoisting a $48.7 million oversized check over his head after arriving at the store in a stretch limousine - cameras recording his every move - as he ceremoniously picked up his lottery winnings. More: Powerball Winners Choose Lump Sum Payment.

Lottery winner misses deadline. A UK National Lottery winner who scooped a jackpot worth almost £2 million failed to come forward in time to claim the life-changing prize, Camelot said today.

Lucky winners are rich in gift of good sense. When a lottery winner's wrist bears a Timex and not a Rolex, it is a sure sign that newfound millions have not caused a simultaneous loss of good sense.

Thursday, May 29, 2003

7:35 am – Kentucky Man Claims $9.6 Million Jackpot. A Kentucky man on Wednesday claimed the $9.6 million Lotto South jackpot he won more than two weeks ago, lottery officials said. More: Newly minted millionaire takes wealth in stride.

Most lottery issues settled. Tennessee lawmakers attempted to break a stalemate on setting up a state lottery last night but could not agree on the two biggest issues: how to structure the lottery board of directors and how to ensure that lottery revenues cover the cost of the scholarship program. More: Lottery consensus taking shape.

Time running out for £2m lottery winner. The mystery winner of an unclaimed Lottery prize of nearly £2 million has until 11pm today to come forward. The winning ticket, worth £1,971,095, was bought somewhere in the county of Torfaen in south Wales for the draw on Saturday, November 30, 2002.

Another Powerball Delay. Lottery officials announced some sort of technical problem just before Wednesday's drawing at 11pm, which is when the winning numbers are usually drawn. The drawing did happen about 30 minutes later than usual. Earlier this month, the Powerball lottery drawing was delayed by more than an hour when an auditor couldn't get to a computer site in New Jersey.

Tampa woman claims final share of $20M lotto Jackpot. Tampa resident, Johnnie D. Saunders, 74, on Tuesday reported to Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee to collect her prize -- $3,791,583.

'Corvette Cash' Grand Prize Winner Zooms to Dealer to Get Behind Wheel. His mind was racing as Stanton Munn of Pasco, Washington learned he won a brand new Corvette® convertible. And, why not? Munn is the first to cross the finish line as Washington's first grand-prize winner of a 2003 Corvette® convertible, the top prize in the Washington Lottery's $3 "Corvette Cash®" Scratch game. He claimed his prize valued at more than $50,000 this week at the Washington Lottery's Yakima office before visiting his hometown Chevrolet dealer, Hall Chevrolet-Buick at 314 6th St., in Prosser, to kick the tires and rev the engine of a Corvette® like the one he will soon have delivered for himself.

"It was very overwhelming for me," Munn said of his big win. "I think it was a little blessing for me because I was praying for a little help."

A Greyhound bus lines employee, Munn purchased his ticket at the 7-Eleven store at 1504 W. Sylvester St. in Pasco.

The 2003 model year marks the golden anniversary of the Corvette®, the pinnacle of American sports car craftsmanship. Find more information about the 50th anniversary of the Corvette® at www.corvette.com. Source: Washington Lottery

Wednesday, May 28, 2003

7:35 am – Lottery compromise posed. A new idea toward breaking a House-Senate deadlock over launching a Tennessee state lottery was floated Tuesday, though the committee assigned to resolve the impasse never met. More: Lottery board make-up delays progress.

Texas legislation deadline closing in. The Texas Legislature was able to pass a lottery bill earlier in the day -- that is if Gov. Rick Perry does not veto the bill. The bill would allow Texas to join a multi-state lottery, but the lawmakers rejected letting the tickets be sold in bars. The bill also allows the Lottery Commission to regulate bingo. More: House wagers on lottery bill.

No more national lottery in Malta. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs announced that the Malta National Lottery, will be drawn for the last time next June.

New Hampshire Lottery extends deal with Interlott. Interlott Technologies Inc. has received a two-year contract extension from the New Hampshire Lottery.

3:05 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday drawing, but 12 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Massachusetts, 1 in Michigan, 1 in New York, 2 in Ohio, and 5 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, May 27, 2003

6:35 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $50 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Hurdle in lottery would shrink scholarships. A conference of five senators and five representatives is charged with resolving more than 20 differences in House and Senate versions of the Tennessee lottery creation bill. More:

Returning lawmakers face lottery set-up
Lottery conflict looms in Assembly
No dice yet for bill on lottery
Last minute changes to lottery legislation causes last minute controversy

Lottery directors meet, hope to find the winning ticket to cutting costs. Leaders of the largest public-gambling enterprises in the country will gather this week in Cleveland, eager to swap the do's and don'ts of maintaining their profits. Directors of 35 lotteries from Canada to Mexico will meet tomorrow through Friday for the spring conference of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).

Congratulations! You May Already Be a Winner. There's a new e-mail scam making the rounds through cyberspace that could become the biggest thing since the famed 'Nigerian Banking scam' - winning an international lottery without entering.

£15m Lotto man wants quiz chance. The UK National Lottery's biggest winner has revealed his unfulfilled ambition - to appear on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Monday, May 26, 2003

1:25 pm – Happy Memorial Day from BigGameLottery.com, as those in the United States take time to reflect on the people who have sacrificed their lives for the righteous cause of freedom.

Powerball Jackpot Grows to $35 Million. Powerball is on the rise again. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 327,687 players across the nation won a total of more than $3 million in prizes in America's Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $35 million, with a cash option of $19.9 million. Four players from Arizona, Pennsylvania (2), and Wisconsin correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 13 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

D.C. Lottery Betting on Keno to Boost Shrinking Revenue. The D.C. Lottery this month rolled out its keno game amid a flurry of advertising in a bid to increase its declining revenue. The agency's revamped marketing strategy relies heavily on persuading city bettors to try out the new game, often in places where they are not accustomed to playing the lottery.

Illinois Gov. Appoints New Lottery Chief. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has appointed Clear Channel Communications senior account manager Carolyn Adams to serve as chief of the Illinois Lottery, recently folded into the Illinois Department of Revenue. Adams, 41, previously worked in marketing for WGN and WVON radio stations in Chicago. She will earn $105,366.

Texas House committee allows multi-state lottery in bill. Texas would be able to join Powerball or Mega Millions under legislation passed by the House Ways and Means Committee. More: Gambling fight might endanger lottery bill.

Saturday, May 24, 2003

6:00 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 10 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 2 in Michigan, 2 in New York, 2 in Ohio, and 3 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, May 23, 2003

6:40 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $44 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

$29 Million Powerball Jackpot Up for Grabs. The excitement is rising along with the jackpot in America's Game. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 290,135 players across the nation won a total of more than $1.7 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $29 million, with a cash option of $16.4 million. Two players from Kentucky and Pennsylvania correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 11 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

Lottery bill clears Senate. Tennessee senators on Thursday gave overwhelming and final legislative approval to an expanded plan for granting lottery-funded scholarships. The move, coupled with Thursday votes on a state budget in both the House and Senate, puts the Legislature on track to adjourn the 2003 session next week. More: Senate OK's lottery scholarship bill.

Smoking Ban Cutting NY Lottery Sales. New York lost more than $500,000 in lottery sales after hundreds of bars and restaurants unplugged their lottery machines to protest the statewide smoking ban in businesses, officials said Thursday.

Embezzling suspect says lottery winnings can cover losses. Police are investigating allegations that a 67-year-old woman stole $482,488 from a union fund during the three years she worked as its bookkeeper. But she told police she can pay the money back because she's won $1 million in a lottery.

Another lottery winner at 'lucky' store. The unbelievable streak of luck continues for California Lottery players who buy tickets at East Lake Food and Liquor in Watsonville.

Video store owners win $10 million lottery. A 70-year-old grandmother of nine is British Columbia's newest big-time lottery millionaire.

Study committee says sports gambling in Delaware is feasible. A draft report by a Delaware study group suggests that lottery-style sports gambling based on a Las Vegas model could generate $150 million in wagering annually.

Thursday, May 22, 2003

7:00 am – Amendment affects Louisiana lottery funds. Lawmakers no longer would have to explain how lottery proceeds are spent in the state budget if a constitutional amendment passed Wednesday by the House of Representatives ultimately is ratified by voters.

NY bars ban Quick Draw lottery. All 14 bars in Delware County that sell New York state lottery tickets have joined a statewide boycott to protest the passage of a law banning smoking in all bars, restaurants and virtually every other business in the state. More: Protest "draws' $100G from state.

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

7:40 am – Lottery vote may be put off. A vote on setting up lottery-funded scholarships would be delayed until next year if several members of the House Democratic Caucus get their way.

2 Alabama lawmakers push lottery bills. Two lawmakers are pushing an alternative to taxes to generate money for the cash-strapped state.

Wishes do come true, says Lotto winner. A superstitious Amanzimtoti Lotto winner believed he cracked the jackpot this weekend because of the "good-luck omen" of a plane passing overhead.

Plan to boycott Florida Lotto is political ploy. Protesters are calling for boycotts of the Florida Lottery, the state's citrus industry and its major theme parks, among other measures, because some high school seniors did not pass a basic skills test required for graduation. More: 13,000 Florida seniors fail achievement test.

2:50 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: 2 in New York and 2 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, May 20, 2003

7:30 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $36 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Politicians Are Trying To Screw Up The Tennessee Lottery. A "Letter to the Editor" which succinctly states what many of us feel.

House, Senate effort to agree on lottery gets off to slow start. A Tennessee House-Senate conference committee began work yesterday to try to resolve differences between the two chambers on legislation creating a state lottery but got off to a less-than-auspicious start. More: Short meeting solves little on lottery bill.

Bill to steer lottery cash to elderly is rejected. A Louisiana House panel Monday rejected a lawmaker's attempt to steer some lottery proceeds to state programs for the elderly and infirm, and instead reaffirmed the current practice of putting the cash into public schools.

S.C. Lottery Could Make $40 Million More Than Estimated. People have bought more lottery tickets this year than South Carolina lottery officials estimated.

Monday, May 19, 2003

7:00 am – Powerball drawing delayed when lottery official gets stuck in traffic. A traffic jam kept Powerball players waiting for nearly two hours to see if they won the jackpot. More: Powerball drawing delayed by traffic.

Powerball Jackpot Grows to $23 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 299,357 players across the nation won a total of more than $2 million in prizes in America's Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $23 million, with a cash option of $12.8 million. Four players from Arizona, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 10.6 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

More draws and bigger jackpots to boost lottery sales. Lottery draws six days a week and a European game with jackpots of up to £30 million are among the plans announced by UK National Lottery operator Camelot to reverse the decline in sales.

House's version of Tenn. lottery bill calls for 6% tax on winnings. While the majority of the media is distracted by the politically-charged issue of lottery scholorships, the Tennessee House has slipped a 6% tax on winnings over $600 into their version of the bill.

Oregon minimart owner twice lucky in lottery. The owner of Market Basket minimart in Rogue River, Oregon recently sold himself a lottery ticket worth $2.2 million.

Annual checks running out for early Lotto winners. For dozens of the first people to hit Ohio's Super Lotto jackpot, their next big check will be their last.

Mega Millions Isn't Quick Budget Fix for Ohio. One year after the Mega Millions lottery game made its debut in Ohio and promised a quick fix for Ohio's budget, lottery funds are falling short for Ohio schools.

Nevada lottery bill dies in Assembly committee. An Assembly chairman says he'll let a proposal to establish a Nevada lottery die without a vote.

Arizona Lottery on record pace. The Arizona Lottery is on pace for record annual sales after the first three quarters of its fiscal year, according to a budget report reviewed Friday with the Arizona Lottery Commission.

NY Bar, restaurant owners to turn off lottery machines in protest of smoking ban. Some upstate bar and restaurant owners plan to turn off Quick Draw lottery game machines Monday to protest the passage of a law that virtually bans smoking in any place of business in New York.

Sunday, May 18, 2003

1:20 am – Flash: Powerball drawing delayed when auditor couldn't reach computer site. The Powerball drawing on Saturday night was delayed when an auditor couldn't get to a computer site in New Jersey, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association.

Saturday, May 17, 2003

7:30 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 4 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Illinois, 1 in Maryland, and 1 in Michigan. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, May 16, 2003

7:50 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $31 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

$25 million at stake in lottery challenge. Kidnapping and robbery threats turned out to be the least of a Teaneck, New Jersey couple's troubles after they tried to claim a $25 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot. More:

Another Lesson for Life: Buy Lottery Tickets Alone
Winning Lottery Ticket Prompts $25M Battle
A lottery jackpot (unwon) changes a couple's lives
Winning lottery ticket a tale of two stories in New Jersey
Judge freezes $25 million jackpot
Winning Lottery Ticket Sparks Legal Feud
Hospital Workers Demand Share of Lottery Prize

Powerball Jackpot Rolls To $18 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 250,650 players across the nation won a total of almost $2 million in prizes in America's Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $18 million, with a cash option of $9.9 million. One ticket purchased in Missouri correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 10 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

El Gordo is the Hot Ticket. With just 49 days left until the next big Spanish Lottery El Gordo lottery drawing, the excitement is starting the build. Every year there are two big El Gordo draws: one in July and one in December, which bring the country of Spain to a standstill for the day as the winning numbers are announced by children. This year's July drawing takes place on July 5, with a total cash payout of $161 million (based on current Euro-to-US Dollar conversion rates). The huge prize pool, along with amazing 1 in 3 odds of winning a prize, contribute to making El Gordo drawings some of the most exciting annual events in the lottery industry. Thanks to El Gordo Online, players from around the world are finally able to participate in this extraordinary game.

Tories will let players choose where lottery money goes. UK Lottery players would be allowed to choose which charity benefits from the pound they pay for their ticket, under a proposal announced by the Conservatives yesterday. More: Tories plan Lottery shake-up.

Special lottery game to aid veterans. Military veterans and Kansas National Guard members will be the beneficiaries of a new Kansas Lottery game set to debut later this month.

$14 million Ohio lottery ticket has expired. It's too late for the owner of a winning Ohio Super Lotto Plus ticket to claim a $14 million jackpot from the Nov. 13, 2002 drawing.

Wednesday, May 14, 2003

7:10 am – Full House vote on lottery bill possible by weekend. Legislation defining how scholarships from Tennessee lottery proceeds would be distributed passed its final major House committee Tuesday, clearing the way for a vote by the full chamber by the end of the week. More: Lottery bill progresses.

Camelot's 'monopoly' on lottery set to end in shake-up. The UK government is set to scrap the veto that allows Camelot to prevent other bidders from operating parts of the UK National Lottery in the biggest shake-up of the game since its launch in 1994.

Lucky trucker hangs up his keys. A 49-year-old Fort White truck driver decided it was time to retire after winning millions in Saturday's Florida Lotto drawing, but not before making one last scheduled delivery.

Lottery board OKs GTECH deal. GTECH Holdings Corp. is one step closer to moving to Providence, Rhode Island and becoming the state's primary lottery supplier.

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

Tuesday, May 13, 2003

8:25 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!

Town is in a buzz over lottery winner. Fort White residents were buzzing Monday, wondering whether one of their neighbors will soon be a multi-millionaire.

Tenn. lottery to joint committee. The Tennessee Senate and House of Representatives as expected Monday failed to agree on the final version to set up a Tennessee lottery. More: "Pay-as-you-go" Lottery Scholarship Plan Skuttled.

N.C. residents push for lottery. Lottery fever touched the Tar Heel state this week after a Charlotte couple became South Carolina's first Powerball lottery winners. The couple's $88 million jackpot inspired even more North Carolinians to head south, as well as north of the border, to try their luck.

Monday, May 12, 2003

8:00 am – Lottery in ND Possible by Next Year. Officials say the state's attorney general's office is getting bombarded with calls now that North Dakota has been accepted into the multistate lottery. More: Q&A with the lottery director.

3 tickets split $20 million Lotto. Three tickets matched all six Florida Lotto numbers to win a jackpot of $20 million, lottery officials said Sunday. More: Haines City Ticket a Winner.

Powerball Winner Has Web Site For Donation Requests. Jack Whittaker, who won nearly $315 million in a Powerball drawing last year, has opened a Web site where people can go to make financial requests.

Tenn. lottery bill bound for overtime. With the lottery in limbo and budget battles unresolved, Tennessee legislative leaders who once spoke optimistically of an April adjournment are now trying to break a logjam that could linger until June.

One year later, Mega Millions getting mixed reviews from retailers as sales, jackpots fail to live up to expectations. Lady Luck is not smiling on the Ohio Lottery Commission. The commission had counted on jackpot rollovers in the Mega Millions game to create huge payouts, thereby increasing ticket sales and money for education.

Saturday, May 10, 2003

8:00 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions 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, May 9, 2003

8:00 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $20 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Couple claims $88 million Powerball prize. Anthony and Monica Wilson, from Charlotte, N.C., were still in shock as they stood behind the podium at the South Carolina lottery headquarters without a clue as to how they will spend their big Powerball jackpot. More:

Charlotte Couple Wins $88 Million Powerball Jackpot
N.C. pair hits the jackpot
Lottery ticket illegal in N.C.
A commuting detour, to $88 million
A winning hand can still be lost
Fireworks store sells winning ticket

Tennessee lottery bills in Catch-22. Lottery leaders denied Thursday that scholarship legislation could be in jeopardy this year. More: Lottery spats continue on.

Ohio lottery loser jailed, must repay stores. Painesville-Store owners who extended credit to Patrick Murray when he bet more than $1 million on Ohio Lottery games last year said they were devastated by his scheme.

Online games increase state lottery sales, audit says. Wisconsin lottery sales increased $26.4 million between 2001 and 2002, according to an audit released Thursday.

Maryland Lottery chooses Interlott as selected vendor. Interlott Technologies said it has been named the selected vendor to supply up to 250 instant ticket vending machines to the Maryland Lottery.

Lawmakers To Consider More Gambling In Texas. The state of Texas may decide to take a chance on gambling as an answer to the state's $10 billion budget crisis.

Bill could strip away gambling winnings. Heeding a warning that they were being asked to choose between children and casinos, members of a Louisiana House of Representatives committee narrowly approved a bill Thursday that would require casinos to collect delinquent child support payments before paying winners. More: Casino bill targets deadbeat parents.

No casino for Monticello, NY until court rules. New York State Gov. George Pataki has promised not to go ahead with a deal for a new American Indian casino only 90 miles from New York City until a court decides whether the state constitution bars casinos, Andrew Bing, assistant solictor general, said on Thursday.

Thursday, May 8, 2003

7:40 am – Fort Mill area store sells $88 million Powerball ticket. A store near Fort Mill has sold South Carolina's first ever winning Powerball ticket, Education Lottery spokeswoman Tara Robertson says. The ticket is worth $88.7 million if paid out over 30 years, or $48.8 million if paid out in a lump sum.

Lottery passes House hurdle, back to Senate. The House passed 66-30 and returned to the Senate yesterday legislation creating a Tennessee state lottery, but legislation setting scholarship eligibility requirements remained stalled in a House subcommittee.

Purchase of lottery equipment will be investigated. Texas lotto players and lawmakers have succeeded in sparking an investigation of why equipment for the new game was ordered before the change was approved by the lottery commission. More:

Were odds stacked for new Lotto game?
New lottery has some confused, others eager
Bigger Jackpots, Tougher Odds

S.C. Lottery to hold Carolina 5 drawings twice a week. The South Carolina Education Lottery will begin holding drawings twice a week for the Carolina 5 game.

Harris named to head state lottery. Clint Harris has been named executive director of the South Dakota Lottery.

Wednesday, May 7, 2003

6:15 am – The were no jackpot winners and no $175,000 winners in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing. For the complete rundown of winners in each of the other prize categories, see the Winning Combinations page.

Major change in Tenn. scholarship plan offered. Apparently with the blessing of the House leadership, a move is afoot to completely revamp the Tennessee lottery-funded college scholarship program under consideration in the state legislature.

'Regular guy' lottery winner dead at 74. Francis "Fuzzy" Fruzyna, the Green Bay man who won $9 million in the Wisconsin Megabucks Lotto America in 1989, died Sunday of a heart attack.

$9.8 million lottery prize claimed. The winners of the second biggest lottery prize in New Zealand's history were visiting Wanganui for a weekend of duck shooting when they bought their lucky ticket.

Acting NJ lottery chief awaits official Senate confirmation. Virginia Bauer, the acting executive director of the New Jersey Lottery, is awaiting state Senate confirmation to officially lead the agency that had $2 billion in sales last year.

Tuesday, May 6, 2003

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

Triple cincos' are hot pick for lottery fans on 5 de Mayo. Gamblers had a big reason to celebrate Cinco de Mayo yesterday when 5-5-5 popped up in the Ohio Lottery's Pick 3 game. More: Ohio Lottery Players Win Big With 555 On May 5.

Lottery dates back to biblical times. The idea of a lottery dates back to biblical times when people would cast "lots" to settle disputes and divide property, according to the World Book Encyclopedia.

Wedding anniversary gift worth $5 million. A woman's 32nd wedding anniversary gift -- a Super 7 lottery ticket -- was appraised yesterday at $5 million.

R.I. lawmakers OK GTECH deal. GTECH Holdings Corp. would be in line for a lucrative 20-year contract to operate the Rhode Island lottery system, under a deal approved by the General Assembly last week.

Monday, May 5, 2003

7:00 am – Powerball Jackpot Reaches $87 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 522,746 players across the nation won a total of more than $3.8 million in prizes in America's Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $87 million, with a cash option of $48.1 million. Two players from Arizona and Pennsylvania correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 20 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

State lottery to debut changes to Lotto Texas. In an effort to increase the size of jackpots, the Texas Lottery Commission Sunday debuted a revamped version of the twice-a-week game. More:

New Lotto bets on larger jackpots
Texas rolls out revamped lotto

£5.4m Lotto bonanza. A visit to the local super-market for the weekly groceries paid rich dividends for a North Wales farmer's wife.

Differences grow between Senate, House lottery bills. In the quest to establish a Tennesse lottery, a pair of new proposals dropped on the table at the last minute last week has further complicated the legislature's task of trying to agree on creating a state lottery and how money should be distributed in a college scholarship program.

Saturday, May 3, 2003

4:00 am – 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: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Illinois, 2 in Michigan, and 1 in New York. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, May 2, 2003

7:10 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!

$77 Million Powerball Jackpot Up for Grabs. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 395,388 players across the nation won a total of more than $3.3 million in prizes in America's Game. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $77 million, with a cash option of $42.4 million. Six players from Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 16 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night. In 2002, there were $1.6 billion in Powerball tickets sold, translating into more than $480 million for worthwhile state projects.

Tennessee House committee passes lottery bill with a sunset provision. Legislation defining how to award scholarships from Tennessee lottery proceeds passed a key House committee Thursday after members voted to end the program in two years and require a legislative review. More: Lottery bill moves forward.

Lottery scam turns dreams into nightmares. The "Mexican scam," as law enforcement officials call it, has been used to swindle victims out of thousands of dollars after promising to share a "winning ticket."

UK Lottery millions squandered on failing projects. The Government's spending watchdog said yesterday that the Arts Council must stop giving millions of pounds of lottery money to failing projects, after a report found that 15 high-profile ventures overspent their budgets by £94m.

Michigan Lottery Announces Mega Millions 'Mega Play' Promotion. From May 5 to May 23, 2003, the Michigan Lottery will be conducting the Mega Millions "Mega Play" promotion. Mega Millions players who purchase a ticket with five wagers or more will get an extra "easy pick" free. Those players who purchase a 10-panel wager will get two free "easy picks." Note: Although Mega Millions is a multi-state game, this offer is only for players who purchase their Mega Millions tickets in the state of Michigan.

Thursday, May 1, 2003

6:25 am – Lucky grandma wins 3 lottery drawings. A 58-year-old German-born grandmother of four has won more than $4 million in three separate Washington state lottery drawings. More: For Spanaway grandmother, luck's been a lady — 3 times.

Bredesen's lottery board plan rejected. The Tennessee House Finance Committee on Wednesday handed Gov. Phil Bredesen a setback in his effort to control appointments to the board that will oversee operation of a state lottery.

Revised View of Gambling: Bane Is Now Boon. In recent months, more than half the states have tried tapping into the thriving $50 billion gambling industry through measures to expand state lotteries, license new casinos and negotiate higher payments from Indian casinos.

80-year-old man wins Harley-Davidson. An 80-year-old Virginia man got the thrill of a lifetime Tuesday morning when Virginia Lottery officials introduced him to his brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

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