Lottery News for June, 2003

Monday, June 30, 2003

5:30 pm – Powerball Jackpot Grows To $165 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $165 million, with a cash option of $94.1 million - the largest lottery jackpot in the world. Although there were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday, 1,028,426 players across the nation won a total of more than $8 million in prizes. Twelve players from Connecticut, DC, Indiana (2), Kentucky, Rhode Island, South Carolina (3), and Wisconsin (3) correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 40 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

Multi-state Lotteries Woo Texas. Officials of Powerball, a consortium of 25 individual lotteries, and from the 10-state Mega Millions lottery brought presentations to the Texas state capitol today, each group hoping to entice the Texas Lottery Commission into casting their lot with them. More: Powerball, Mega Millions duel for Texas.

Tenn. Governor Names State's First Lottery Board. Tennessee Governor Bredesen Monday appointed the first Tennessee Lottery Corporation board of directors.

Michigan Lottery adds bar keno game every 5 minutes. The Michigan Lottery says it is adding a new keno game that people can play from bars every five minutes.

Sunday, June 29, 2003

12:40 am – Powerball Rockets to $165 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday, sending the Wednesday Powerball jackpot to an amazing $165 million. When the jackpot gets into this range, players are advised to purchase their tickets early to avoid missing out. The results from the Saturday drawing are: 07-09-14-41-44, PowerBall: 25, PowerPlay: 4.

Saturday, June 28, 2003

12:40 pm – $161 Million El Gordo Drawing on the Brink. Excitement is building for the big July El Gordo drawing of the Spanish Government Lottery. There are only two big El Gordo draws each year - one in July and one in December. This year's July El Gordo drawing occurs on July 5th, and has a total cash payout of $161 million. (Prizes are actually paid in Euros, and that is the current approximate Euro-to-US dollar conversion.) Besides the huge payout, other exciting aspects of El Gordo include incredible 1 in 3 odds of winning a prize, and tax-free lump-sum cash payouts for prizes. More information about El Gordo.

2:30 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 2 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in Georgia and 1 in Michigan. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, June 27, 2003

8:05 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!

Support for N.C. lottery building up. Support for a North Carolina lottery seems to be gaining momentum as support for other various ways to raise state revenue begins to wane.

N.H. Lottery Grows To Twice-A-Day Drawings. Starting Sunday, New Hampshire Tri-State Pick Three and Pick Four games will go to twice-a-day drawings instead of the current once-a-day drawing.

Vermont store will be first with Powerball. The long-awaited arrival of an alternative to Tri-State Megabucks will be making its debut at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 1 at Kilburn's Convenience Store in Manchester. The store was selected for the ceremonial first sale of a Powerball ticket because it has consistently been the top-selling agent in the state for lottery tickets, said owner Cynthia Kilburn.

Lottery winner fined for benefits fraud. A convicted criminal who won a £9.7 million National Lottery jackpot has been fined £12,000 for fiddling benefits.

Delaware Lottery Commission hearing yields no opposition. No opposition was voiced at a Delaware Lottery Commission public hearing Thursday on proposed changes to video lottery gaming regulations for the state's three casinos.

Interlott wins Maryland Lottery contract. Interlott Technologies Inc. signed a contract to supply 300 instant ticket vending machines to the Maryland Lottery.

Ad budget cuts will cause changes at Missouri Lottery, officials say. The Missouri Lottery may do its advertising work in-house in the near future after state lawmakers slashed the agency's 2004 budget that begins Tuesday.

Thursday, June 26, 2003

10:15 am – Powerball Jackpot Skyrockets to $135 Million. If you are looking for the biggest lottery jackpot in the world, look no further than Powerball. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 812,348 players across the nation won a total of more than $6.6 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 $135 million, with a cash option of $77.2 million. Thirteen players from Arizona (2), Connecticut, DC, Indiana, Louisiana (2), Minnesota, Pennsylvania (3), and South Carolina (2) correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 31.5 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

7:10 am – For lottery winner, $183 million could buy a bundle of headaches. The $183 million Mega Millions lottery ticket that was sold in Maryland last week may bring its owner something more than riches - a black cloud that comes with managing loads of new money while balancing family, friends and sanity.

W.V. lottery sales pass $1 billion after record-setting year. While West Virginia Lottery employees celebrated breaking the $1 billion mark in annual sales Wednesday, director John Musgrave said he hopes this year won’t be remembered as the high-water mark for the Lottery. More: Lottery to hold special drawings to thank players.

Do Lottery Funds Enhance Education?. According to Maxine Ballard, a spokesperson in the New York State Lottery's Press and Communications Office, the Lottery has generated more than $22 billion in school aid since 1967.

Great-grandfather is oldest-ever UK lottery winner. An octogenarian racing fan, 85, has become the oldest ever publicised winner of the National Lottery jackpot after landing £2.3 million in last weekend's rollover draw.

New chair appointed to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Attorney General Norman Sterling today announced the resignation of Ron Barbaro as Chair and CEO of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC) and the appointment of Stanley Sadinsky as the new Chair.

Wisconsin Lottery Player is Twice as Lucky. For a lucky soul in Door County, Wisconsin, it pays to have confidence in your numbers. A Supercash lottery player played the same set of numbers twice on the same ticket and won.

Thunderball draw results confirmed. The confirmed results of the UK lottery Thunderball draw have been announced after a technical hitch with the machine delayed last night's result.

Be Careful What You Wish For. Jody Lee Taylor, who won $4.3 million in the Virginia Lottery in 1992, is now in jail, charged with trying to kill a police officer.

Lottery winner gives $15,000. Powerball winner Jack Whittaker has pledged $15,000 to the Independence Day celebration planned for Charleston's waterfront.

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

6:30 am – S.C. lottery players can double their luck. Beginning Tuesday, South Carolina lottery players will have twice as many chances play, as the state lottery will add midday drawings for Pick 3 and Pick 4.

What happened to foes of the Georgia Lottery?. Its hard to find people who think the Georgia Lottery, which was approved by voters in 1992 by only a couple of percentage points, has been a bad deal for the state.

W.V. man charged after allegedly cashing stolen lottery ticket. For the second time in about a month, a Clarksburg, West Virginia man is facing charges of cashing stolen lottery tickets.

February Powerball Jackpot Claimed. About three months after a winning $42 million Powerball jackpot ticket was sold in New Orleans, attorney David Hufft claimed the prize at the Louisiana Lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge on behalf of his client, Cello Investments, LLC, of Belle Chase.

Tiny Caribbean State Takes on U.S. Over Gambling. The tiny Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda took on the United States at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Tuesday, seeking a ruling on Washington's ban on cross-border Internet gambling.

3:35 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in Georgia, 3 in Ohio, and 1 in Washington. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

6:50 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!

Winning jackpot total revised upward. While no one has come forward yet to claim the jackpot in Friday's multistate Mega Millions game, lottery officials today said the winning ticket is worth even more than previously thought -- to $183 million.

Ohio Lottery Will Halt Midday Drawing Broadcast July 1. The Ohio Lottery will stop live broadcasts of its midday drawings July 1 to save about $1.1 million a year, the lottery announced Monday.

N.C. Lottery Debate Starts Up Again. With no state budget on the table and uncomfortable cuts ahead, a lottery again is generating a lot of talk in Raleigh. More: 1,500 teachers call for N.C. lottery.

Former lottery winner accused of trying to run down officer while naked. A former Virginia lottery winner was charged with attempted murder after trying to run down a Henry County sheriff's deputy while driving naked, police said.

N.Y. bars pull lottery plug. Still steamed over a looming smoking ban, some New York bar and restaurant owners hit the state where it hurts -- in the pocketbook.

Voters to decide lottery dedication amendment. Louisiana voters would get the opportunity to amend the state constitution to dedicate lottery money to education under a measure passed Monday by the Senate.

Winning lottery ticket tossed away, buyer claims. Store surveillance tape shows Richard Allender buying tickets on March 12th, one that was a loser and one that he threw away and now believes was the winner of $300,000.

Pennsylvania Lottery draws same number twice. The Pennsylvania lottery drew the same number twice in its "Big 4" drawings on Monday, making 3-1-9-9 a very lucky number indeed for anyone who picked it for both the midday and evening drawings.

Luck isn't just roll of the dice: Make it happen. The good news: You can make your own luck, according to British psychologist and researcher Dr. Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor.

Monday, June 23, 2003

7:45 am – Powerball Jackpot Grows To $110 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $110 million, with a cash option of $63.6 million! That's the biggest Powerball jackpot of the year and it's the largest jackpot in nation. Although there were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday, 652,041 players across the nation won a total of more than $4.9 million in prizes in America's Game. Four players from Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Minnesota correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 25 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

Mega Millions Winner Still Hasn't Come Forward. The winning $180 million Mega Millions jackpot ticket was bought at an Essex, Maryland store, lottery officials said, and the winner is still missing. More:

Grocery's fame is someone else's fortune

Georgia's lottery: 10 years and counting. Ten years ago, the Georgia Lottery began selling tickets to a state that wasn't quite sold on the idea of government-run gambling.

Lottery winner plans to give away most winnings. Motorcycle enthusiast and bar owner Dana Latsch says he plans to give away most of the $170,000 Wild Card lottery jackpot he won in the June 14 drawing.

Tenn. Stores craving lottery action. Tennessee retailers soon will get a taste of the earnings stores in other states have been pulling in due to lottery sales.

Va. Lottery phasing out regional hot lines. The Virginia Lottery is consolidating its 12 regional telephone information numbers in an effort to cut costs by about $150,000 a year.

Sunday, June 22, 2003

2:40 am – $110 Million Jackpot - Now It's Powerball's Turn!. After watching and playing the Mega Millions jackpot through its climb to $180 million Friday night, players now get a chance to see and play it all again as Powerball breaks the $100 million mark for the Wednesday drawing.

Saturday, June 21, 2003

4:20 pm – Winning ticket sold in Balitmore. The $180 million winning Mega Millions ticket was sold at Geresbeck's Bi-Rite on Eastern Avenue in Essex.

5:50 am – Jackpot Winner! There was one $180 million jackpot winner from Maryland in the Friday drawing! More details to follow after the winner comes forward to claim their prize.

Also, 42 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 6 in New Jersey, 3 in Georgia, 3 in Illinois, 5 in Massachusetts, 3 in Maryland, 5 in Michigan, 9 in New York, 6 in Ohio, 1 in Virginia, and 1 in Washington. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, June 20, 2003

11:25 pm – Now that you've checked your numbers, be sure to sign up for a Jackpot Alert, which will notify you when the Mega Millions jackpot reaches the level you specify. Plus, you never have to worry about your e-mail address being used for any other reason, because we have a strict Privacy Policy.

10:25 pm – Looking for the $180 million Mega Millions results? This is the only site that shows you the results live as they're drawn at 11:00 PM Eastern Time!

7:15 am – Mega-Sales for Tonight's Lottery. Tonight's Mega Millions boasts the largest jackpot since the multi-state game was renamed and restructured from The Big Game in May, 2002. The prize for matching all six balls reached $180 million and should rise further, Mega Millions officials said. "Rest assured that unless some state loses all of its power from now until Friday night's draw, the jackpot's going to come in at more than $180 million," said Penny Kyle, president of the Mega Millions Consortium. Check out our Jackpot Analysis page to see how much your Mega Millions prize would be after taxes.

$95 Million Powerball Jackpot Up For Grabs. Everything about Powerball is bigger this week: the jackpot, the number of players, and the number of people winning prizes. Eight players came within one ball of walking away with the jackpot and more than a half a million players won prizes. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 509,743 players across the nation won a total of more than $4.1 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 $95 million, with a cash option of $55.1 million. Eight players from Colorado, Connecticut (2), Iowa, Kansas, Missouri (2), and New Mexico correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 20.1 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

Lottery Winners Help Harvester's Food Bank. People who won money through the Missouri Lottery donated their time Thursday at Harvesters Community Food Network.

Winning Florida lottery ticket from Palm City. The Publix grocery store on Martin Downs Boulevard sold the only ticket that matched all six numbers in Wednesday night's Florida Lotto drawing. More: A whole Lotto dreaming in Palm City.

Men confess to hitting lottery. Marion police arrested two Grant County men Wednesday morning in connection with the theft of hundreds of scratch-off lottery tickets earlier that morning.

Missouri Lottery reunion offers advice for the suddenly wealthy. 14 past big Missouri Lottery winners, along with family members, attended the Missouri Lottery's 17th annual Millionaires Reunion, held in Kansas City this week.

Dreams live, die on "lottery row". On "lottery row," the short stretch of Route 126 from Bellingham’s Crook's Corner to Woonsocket's Depot Square, players can choose between two multi-state jackpot games -- one in Massachusetts, one in Rhode Island.

Lottery winners go for lump sum. If anyone picks the magic numbers in today's drawing of the $180 million Mega Millions lottery, that winner most likely already elected to receive the windfall in a lump sum.

Thursday, June 19, 2003

2:10 pm – Mega Millions Adjusts Estimated Jackpot Upward to $180 Million. With the excitement growing in anticipation of Friday's Mega Millions drawing, forecasters today revised the estimated jackpot upward to $180 million. The adjusted jackpot shows how strong Mega Millions sales have been since Tuesday night's drawing did not produce a jackpot winner. That drawing did produce more than one million winning tickets in ten states for prizes ranging from $2 to $175,000. Forecasters estimate the jackpot amount based on sales, because the actual jackpot amount is constantly changing.

Mega Dreams. With $180 million up for grabs in tomorrow's Mega Millions drawing, dreams of fancy cars, vacations and self-financed insubordination are dancing in the heads of lottery players everywhere.

7:45 am – Mega Millions Marks Milestone. The next Mega Millions drawing, which takes place tomorrow at 11:00 p.m. ET, will be the biggest one since it replaced The Big Game on May 15, 2002. BigGameLottery.com is the only web site which brings you the live drawing results, so be sure to check back to see if you're a winner!

Record 20 winners in Fla. lottery. The June 17 Fantasy 5 drawing produced a record 20 top prize winners - the most ever since the game changed its format on July 16, 2001.

CA Lottery Commission to Hold Meeting in Sacramento. The California State Lottery Commission will hold a public meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2003, at the California Lottery Headquarters Building located at 600 North 10th Street in Sacramento, California. Members of the public are invited. Persons wishing to address the Commission at the meeting may sign up in advance by calling the Commission Assistant, Barbara Tynes, at the California Lottery, (916) 323-0403 by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2003.

Fewer N.Y. Bars, Restaurants Participating in Second Lottery Boycott to Protest Smoking Ban. A second protest of the New York's anti-smoking law, in which some bar and restaurant owners are unplugging Quick Draw lottery machines, drew 30 percent fewer participants on its first day than in the first protest. More: Quick Draw Lottery $moked.

Millionaire's brother tries his luck. Keith Bishop won $1 million in November for hitting a half court basketball shot as part of a New York State Lottery promotion. Now, his brother Scott is getting a chance to do the same, competing with 24 other people throwing baseballs at a target this Monday as part of a lottery contest at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy.

Jackpots Lure Cross-Border Lottery Players. Big lottery jackpots in South Carolina and Georgia have lottery ticket terminals working overtime.

Armed robber takes lottery machine. What could this guy be thinking?

Lightning Strikes Twice within Days at a New Lottery Retailer. Lighting struck twice this week for a lucky California retailer who sold two winning tickets valued at $24 million and $50,000.

Wednesday, June 18, 2003

2:25 am – $175 Million! Mega Millions Jackpot Rolls On - Who Is Going To Win It All? There were no Mega Millions jackpot winners Tuesday, but 1,179,455 players across the nation won a total of more than $8.8 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Tuesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $175 million, with a cash option of $111 million. Players purchased more than 51 million tickets between Saturday and Tuesday night.

Although there was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, 18 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 2 in Georgia, 3 in Illinois, 2 in Massachusetts, 4 in New York, 3 in Ohio, and 3 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

7:35 am – If you want to see the results for the $140 million Mega Millions drawing, this is the place! We are the only site on the Internet that brings you the results live as they're drawn at 11:00 PM Eastern Time.

Governor Okays Multi-State Lottery. Under legislation that Governor Rick Perry signed, Texas will be able to participate in a multistate lottery.

Sin tax backlash leading some in legislature to consider lottery. It looks like the lottery's number may be coming up, as state lawmakers are adding a chapter to the long history of debate over a North Carolina lottery.

As jackpot grows, so do lottery sales. Summer South Carolina lottery ticket sales are getting a boost from a multimillion jackpot that has been growing for nearly seven weeks, lottery officials said Monday. More: $82 million Powerball jackpot draws players to S.C..

Four Missouri Powerball winners have yet to claim prizes. Four uncashed Missouri Lottery Powerball tickets worth $100,000 apiece expire this month, including two sold in Kansas City last year.

Monday, June 16, 2003

7:40 am – Powerball Jackpot Soars To $82 Million. In addition to the staggering $140 million Mega Millions Jackpot, the Powerball jackpot continues to grow to great heights. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 498,983 players across the nation won a total of more than $4.3 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $82 million, with a cash option of $47.5 million. Seven players from Arizona, DC, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania (2) correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 19 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

Easley Puts On Lottery Push Again. After the state House voted down a lottery proposal last year, North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley promised the issue wasn't going to go away. More: House: no more taxes, no lottery.

Lottery officials prepare for losses to Tennessee games. Anticipating the start of a Tennessee lottery in the coming year, the Kentucky Lottery Corp. Board of Directors approved a new budget that forecasts sales and dividends totaling almost $36 million less than the current year.

Opinion: Legalized gambling. Editor: The following two opinions are presented from USA Today's Editorial/Opinion section. Although the USA Today editors are against expanded state gambling, BigGameLottery.com takes the opposing view: expanded gambling, including expanded state lotteries, provides more freedom of choice for Americans. We provide both sides of the issue.

States, cities ignore odds, place new bets on gambling
Stop the scare tactics

Poll: 58 percent of Alabamans would prefer a state lottery over "major tax increases".

Powerball exceeds expectations. Since Pennsylvania joined 21 other states in Powerball last June, the state's Super 6 Lotto sales have dropped dramatically, but lottery officials are beaming because of Powerball's success.

Saturday, June 14, 2003

3:30 am – $140 Million! Mega Millions Jackpot Largest in Almost a Year! There were no Mega Millions jackpot winners Friday, but 1,018,880 players across the nation won a total of more than $7.8 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Friday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $140 million, with a cash option of $90 million. Players purchased 43.8 million tickets between Wednesday and Friday night.

Although there was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, 16 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 3 in New Jersey, 2 in Georgia, 3 in Michigan, 5 in New York, and 3 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, June 13, 2003

8:50 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! The current jackpot is approximately the 16th largest jackpot in U.S. history. It began at $10 million on April 29 and hasn't been more than $105 million since August of 2002. Don't miss your chance to play!

Powerball Jackpot Reaches $75 Million. Not getting quite as much attention as Mega Millions, but growing incredible BIG, the Powerball jackpot continues its climb. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 347,996 players across the nation won a total of more than $2.2 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 $75 million, with a cash option of $42.2 million. Two players from Pennsylvania and South Carolina correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. This current jackpot run started with the Saturday, May 10 drawing. The drawing on Wednesday night was the 10th consecutive draw without being hit. Almost 3.3 million Powerball players across the nation have won prizes since this jackpot run started in early May. Players purchased more than 15.6 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

State lottery to help issue Amber Alerts. The Colorado Lottery is betting it can help the state's Amber Alert program get swift public attention when children have been abducted or are in immediate danger.

Cahill: It'd be casinos vs. Lottery. Massachusetts State Treasurer Tim Cahill denounced casinos again yesterday before a Hub business group, saying they would eat away at the state's Lottery sales.

Groups file lawsuit against W.V. Lottery Commission. Two anti-gambling groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Kanawha County Circuit Court against the West Virginia state Lottery Commission and its director John Musgrave for allegedly conducting illegal video gambling games.

Meteorologist picks up $1 million lotto prize. Daniel Brounoff, a 37-year-old meteorologist for News 9 San Antonio, claimed his $1 million prize Thursday after winning the Texas Lottery $1,000,000 Classic scratch-off game June 6.

Thursday, June 12, 2003

7:50 am – Friday The 13th Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $115 Million. Friday the 13th could prove to be a very lucky day for somebody.

Tennessee State Lottery Bill Becomes Law, March Ticket Sales Expected. Calling it "truly a historic moment in our state," Gov. Phil Bredesen signed the Tennessee lottery into law yesterday and said he hopes that someday proceeds will cover full college tuition costs for qualified students. More:

Bredesen has long list for lottery
Let the games begin
Tennessee State Lottery Bill Becomes Law
Bredesen signs bill on lottery
Jan. 1 start for lottery achievable
Lottery Opponents: "The Fight Isn't Over Yet!"
Tennessee Lottery May Hurt Bluegrass State
Tennessee lottery poses dilemma over scholarship funding
Lottery grants test churches

Woman finds $7 million winning lottery ticket tucked in her purse. A software consultant came forward Tuesday to claim a $7 million winning lottery ticket she had stashed in her purse two months ago. More:

PeopleSoft employee's lottery ticket worth $3.8 million
Southern California woman claims $7 million lottery ticket
Joanne Coley's mantra kept her from even checking her lottery tickets
PeopleSoft consultant claims Lotto

Texas lottery commission gets multi-state gaming ball rolling. The Texas Lottery Commission will study which multi-state lottery would most benefit Texas, with Powerball and Mega Millions the two likely choices. More: Lottery agency to pick Powerball or Mega Millions.

Man seeks vote on Arkansas lottery next year. A supporter of a state lottery is working to get the idea before voters in next year's general election.

Big Florida lottery winners will soon have to collect in Tallahassee. Thousands of South Florida lottery players who win big payoffs each year will no longer be able to get instant gratification by driving to a local lottery office to trade their ticket for cash. Winners will have to get their money from Tallahassee -- by going to the capital with the ticket or mailing it in.

Boland looks to add keno to lottery. Illinois State Rep. Mike Boland is looking toward another form of gambling to help generate money for the state -- keno.

Bars to unplug lottery machines again. Angered by the anti-smoking law that takes effect this summer, a coalition of bar and restaurant owners planned a second round of protests by unplugging their lottery machines to deprive the state of lottery revenues.

Track Lottery Winners With Excel. Tips from PC Magazine on how to track winning lottery numbers using Microsoft Excel.

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

2:20 am – $115 Million! Mega Millions Jackpot Enters the Stratosphere! There were no Mega Millions jackpot winners Tuesday, but 681,806 players across the nation won a total of more than $5.2 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Tuesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $115 million, with a cash option of $73 million. Players purchased more than 29 million tickets between Saturday and Tuesday night.

Although there was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, 10 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 3 in Michigan, 5 in New York, and 2 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, June 10, 2003

7:35 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $95 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

New Lotto Texas millionaire plans to head back to work. Still shaky over his status as an instant millionaire, David Kelly said Monday he has no plans for the $37 million Lotto Texas jackpot he won except to pay his bills and get back to work at his trophy shop.

Oregon may 'pull handle' on lottery expansion. With the state's tax collections in the tank, Governor Ted Kulongoski and some lawmakers are considering expanding state-sponsored gambling to help fill holes in the state budget.

Making more lottery winners. The early days of the UK National Lottery saw large scale, often unpopular, capital projects drain off much of the funds available for good causes. BBC News Online ends its investigation into lottery funding by looking at the changes being proposed to rectify this imbalance.

Couple settles fight over $12 million Lotto jackpot in trial. A couple reached an undisclosed settlement after jury selection began Monday on her claim that her estranged husband cheated her out of her share in a $12 million Florida Lotto jackpot.

'Winner' stumbles upon hotbed of lottery fraud -- in Canada. When Linda Wiedling opened the official-looking letter last month from the South African National Lottery, she could hardly believe her good luck.

Scandal won't hurt Florida Lottery. The ethical breaches of Florida Lottery employees shouldn't hurt ticket sales or the amount of money earmarked for education, according to economic experts.

US Still Can't Agree on Online Gambling. US Lawmakers are still getting themselves tied up in each other's agendas. A bill set to ban online gambling outright in the US was withdrawn last Tuesday before if could even fail – which wouldn’t have been the first time.

Monday, June 9, 2003

8:10 am – Powerball Jackpot Soars to $65 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 424,836 players across the nation won a total of more than $2.9 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $65 million, with a cash option of $36.9 million. Three players from Colorado, Louisiana, and Missouri correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased almost 16 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

Lottery mania, or why we love games of chance. The next time you hand over a buck for a Powerball ticket, thank the man on the bill for your chance to retire in style.

Scandal: Ex-Lottery secretary accused of improperly taking gifts. The former secretary of the Florida Lottery and three other senior management staff broke an ethics code when they accepted hundreds of dollars in meals and gifts from vendors while doing official business, a state investigation found. More:

Lottery secretary fires four for receiving illegal gifts, meals
Florida Lottery News Release

Doughnut came with $37 million icing. David Kelly is the first to win Texas Lotto jackpot since officials added bonus ball.

Two get scratched in lottery ticket caper. Former convenience store clerks Augustin Contreras, 18, and his brother-in-law, Brad Janersky, 27, were caught making tiny scratches to at least 312 scratch-off lottery tickets in attempts to determine if the tickets were winners. The two cashed in the winning tickets and sold the losers to customers.

Saturday, June 7, 2003

9:10 am – Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $95 Million. There were no Mega Millions jackpot winners Friday, but 568,817 players across the nation won a total of more than $3.9 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Friday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $95 million, with a cash option of $60 million. Players purchased more than 24 million tickets between Wednesday and Friday night.

3:30 am – $95 Million! With no jackpot winners in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, the new jackpot has reached $95 Million.

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: 2 in Illinois, 1 in New York, 1 in Ohio, 1 in Virginia, and 1 in Washington. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Friday, June 6, 2003

7:00 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $80 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Powerball Jackpot Rolls to $57 Million for Saturday's Drawing. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Wednesday but 327,833 players across the nation won a total of more than $2.6 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $57 Million, with a cash option of $32.2 million. Six players from Oregon, Pennsylvania (4), and South Dakota correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 13.6 million tickets between Sunday and Wednesday night.

MD Lottery will pay Bay Bridge tolls for one night. The Maryland Lottery will pay the $2.50 toll for drivers on the Bay Bridge from 7 p.m. to midnight, Maryland Transportation Authority reminded drivers yesterday.

In Brooksville, $6 million win is talk of the town. Wednesday's winning Florida Lotto ticket was sold at a store near Brookridge's entrance. The winner has not yet come forward.

NY man scratches to riches. Edward Hartling, a Wappingers Falls resident, won $1,000 a week for life in the New York Lottery's "Win For Life" game.

Thursday, June 5, 2003

7:10 am – Connecticut loves playing lottery. A study by the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries found that Connecticut residents spent $907 million on lottery games in 2002, a record-breaking number that works out to $266 for every man, woman and child in the state.

Jury says cocaine dealer must forfeit lottery winnings. A $12 million Texas lottery winner bought his lucky ticket with drug proceeds and must return the money, a federal jury said Wednesday.

Wife leaves her lottery winner. The wife of Norfolk [UK] lottery winner Michael Carroll has ditched her millionaire husband for one of his pals only two months after the wedding.

White elephants and worthwhile causes. Between them, the Millennium Dome, Commonwealth Games, Wembley Stadium, the Royal Opera House and Sadler's Wells Theatre have received over £1bn in UK National Lottery grants. BBC News Online asks if these landmark projects have a value to match their cost.

Lobbying War Breaks Out Over Internet Gambling Bill. A House bill aimed at curtailing Internet gambling has ignited a lobbying war among groups as disparate as convenience store operators, Indian tribes and horse track owners.

Wednesday, June 4, 2003

7:55 am – Mega Millions Jackpot Soars to $80 Million. There were no Mega Millions jackpot winners Tuesday, but 446,232 players across the nation won a total of more than $4.6 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Tuesday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $80 million, with a cash option of $50 million. Players purchased more than 19 million tickets between Saturday and Tuesday night.

Net gambling bill falters in House. U.S. lawmakers abruptly canceled a vote to block Internet gambling on Tuesday after it became clear the bill did not have enough support to pass the House of Representatives.

Texas Poised to Join Multi-State Lottery. Texans could be putting down their money on a high dollar multi-state lottery game as early as this fall.

N.J. store manager charged with stealing Lottery proceeds. A video store manager is wanted in connection with the theft of $109,000 from the New Jersey Lottery.

Kentucky likely to lose some lottery proceeds. Kentucky is expected to lose more than $35 million in lottery proceeds -- money that goes to fund scholarships -- by 2006 because of the coming Tennessee lottery, officials told a legislative panel Tuesday.

Oldest Florida Lotto Winner Claims $16 Million Jackpot. The oldest person ever to win a Florida Lotto Jackpot yesterday claimed his prize from the estimated $16 million drawing of May 28, 2003.

Colorado lottery sales plunge. Sales at the Colorado Lottery have fallen significantly this year, possibly due to a lack of eye-popping jackpots, but lottery officials still expect to hit fiscal targets by the end of next month.

3:35 am – There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 13 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 3 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Illinois, 7 in New York, and 1 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.

Tuesday, June 3, 2003

6:30 am – Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $68 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!

Ohio man hits $36 million lottery jackpot. Thomas J. Tirendi of Lebanon won $36 million from Ohio Super Lotto Plus drawing one month ago today, but he's not talking.

GA Lottery office moving south. By the end of summer, the district claims office in College Square Shopping Center on Mundy Mill Road is moving to Duluth, said Georgia Lottery Corp. communications director J.B. Landroche.

PA Lottery Sets All-Time Record for Instant Sales. The Pennsylvania Lottery set an instant-games sales record for a fourth year, achieving $722,540,077 in sales through May 27, 2003.

Maine Lottery extends contract with Interlott. Interlott Technologies Inc. won a one-year contract extension from the Maine State Lottery.

Monday, June 2, 2003

6:50 am – Mega Millions continues to hold the top jackpot in the USA. The top-5 jackpots are:

$68 Million: Mega Millions (Drawing Tuesday)
$48 Million: Powerball (Drawing Wednesday)
$33 Million: Texas Lotto (Drawing Wednesday)
$31.5 Million: Pennsylvania Super 6 Lotto (Drawing Tuesday)
$23 Million: New York Lotto (Drawing Wednesday)

Powerball Jackpot Grows to $48 Million. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 335,567 players across the nation won a total of more than $2.6 million in prizes. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $48 million, with a cash option of $27.6 million. Three players from Arizona, Delaware, and Indiana correctly matched the 5 white numbers and won $100,000. Players purchased more than 14 million tickets between Thursday and Saturday night.

Children who set up art studio win £200,000 Lottery grant. Children at a Scottish primary school have been awarded £200,000 from the National Lottery to spend on an arts project of their choice in recognition of their success in setting up an award-winning art studio. More:

Schoolchildren's creative project given £200,000 lottery funding
Children awarded £200,000 lottery grant

Memphis senator fought long battle for state lottery. State Sen. Steve Cohen credits a green ceramic ashtray with inspiring his long and tireless drive to get a Tennessee lottery. More:

Lottery fighters get out of game
One-on-one meeting between Cohen, Bredesen cleared lottery problems
Cohen 'read the tea leaves'
Hawk, Yokley Explain Their Votes On Lottery

S.C. Lottery funding spread thin. The S.C. Education Lottery has been a gamble that has paid off big time, bringing in millions more dollars than advertised, but the impact on education has been diluted by a few factors.

Whirlpool workers win $175,000 Mega Millions. Fourteen co-workers at Whirlpool will share the $175,000 second-tier prize in Mega Millions.

Texas multi-state lottery bill passes at 11th hour. Texans will have the chance to try their luck in a multistate lottery that will bring the state $101 million over the next two years.

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