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Colorado lottery official retires amid controversy. George Turner, one of the most powerful bureaucrats at the Colorado Department of Revenue, who for years oversaw the state's lottery and casino industry, abruptly retired a week after facing questions about whether he had offered immunity from prosecution to three gambling regulators who worked under him.
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Mega Millions jackpot increases to $85 million. The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery drawing grew to $85 million Saturday.
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There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 3 in Georgia, 1 in Massachusetts, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Michigan, 2 in New York, and 1 in Texas. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
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George Andersen, Former Minnesota Lottery Director. Minnesota State Lottery Director George Andersen died at the age of 53 on January 27, 2004, leaving his mark indelibly on his family, friends, and the Lottery that he ran successfully for more than 14 years.
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Report: Minnesota Lottery Director haunted by audit. A report about Minnesota Lottery Director George Andersen's death, which was released Friday, shows how greatly Andersen's job troubles were weighing on him before he took his life at his Washington County home.
Friday, January 30, 2004
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Tennessee Adds Four New Scratch Games. The Tennessee Lottery will add more instant games to its repertoire this weekend, "giving players four more choices of games to play and more ways to win," officials said.
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$73 Million Mega Millions Drawing Tonight. Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $73 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!You want the other Jack; he's got the millions. The other Jack Whittaker of West Virginia -- the one who wasn't arrested on drunken driving charges last weekend, whose money wasn't stolen outside a strip club and who definitely didn't win $113 million -- wishes the Jack Whittaker of lottery fame would behave.Nimitz Sailor wins $6.5 million in California lotto. Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Don Burdette, a 23-year-old Sailor aboard San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), won the California Lottery Jan. 14 and split a $13 million dollar jackpot with one other Californian.Oregon pays lottery sites larger share, audit finds. The Oregon State Lottery pays retailers a bigger cut than similar operations do, a state auditors' report says, a finding that could bolster a long-standing drive to lower the compensation that bars and taverns get for carrying video poker machines.N.C. man claims $12.6 million Lotto South jackpot. An Elizabeth City, North Carolina man who bought a lottery ticket on a whim after getting stuck in Chesapeake traffic won a $12.6 million jackpot, the Virginia Lottery announced Thursday.Lottery director's ties to St. Paul vendor probed. Auditors probing the business dealings of Minnesota State Lottery director George Andersen have been pursuing a claim that he steered thousands of dollars of lottery money to a vendor he controlled.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
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Partnership Claims $35 Million Florida Lotto Jackpot. The Florida Lottery announced today the $35 million Florida Lotto jackpot from the January 21 drawing was claimed in the name of the Cruz Family Partnership of Carol City, Florida.
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Powerball Jackpot Reaches $74 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $74 million, with a cash option of $40.9 million.Kansas Lottery Sales Above Projections. The Kansas Lottery has experienced sales increases for Fiscal Year 2004, owing largely to new games and improved marketing practices.
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Self-service machines coming for Texas Lottery games. Texas Lottery officials plan to install about 1,000 ATM-like machines at retail outlets across the state that will dispense tickets for such games as Lotto Texas, Mega Millions and Cash Five.Friends Say Audit Troubled Minnesota Lottery Chief. The suicide of Minnesota Lottery Director George Anderson has focused new attention on criticism that the Minnesota Lottery has had higher overhead costs than comparable state lotteries.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
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Mega Millions jackpot increases to $73 million. The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery drawing grew to $73 million Wednesday.Audit finds misuse of Colorado Lottery fund. Colorado state leaders Tuesday unveiled plans to curb "substantial problems" uncovered by a newly released audit of Colorado's conservation trust fund, a multimillion-dollar pot of lottery profits that is supposed to pay for parks and recreation.
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New York Lottery Director Named. Niskayuna resident Nancy Palumbo has been named to head New York state's Division of the Lottery.Tennessee Lottery rakes in $41.3M in first week. What a difference a week makes: for the Tennessee Lottery, almost $41.3 million.Final Penn. Super 6 Lotto Drawing Increases Prizes for 70,518 Players. Because no one matched all six numbers drawn in the final Super 6 Lotto drawing Tuesday night, the $8,115,513 million cash jackpot prize rolled down into the lower prize tiers for the game, awarding 70,518 players enhanced prizes.
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Minnesota Lottery Director Dies in Apparent Suicide. The longtime director of the Minnesota State Lottery apparently committed suicide Tuesday, a day after meeting with legislative auditors examining the lottery's operations, officials said.
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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 New Jersey, 3 in Ohio, and 1 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
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4 women split $7M New York Lotto jackpot. The latest New York Lotto winner is a middle-aged woman from Bulls Head who has been a regular at Mignosi's Supermarket in Graniteville for about 20 years.
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$60 Million Mega Millions Drawing Tonight. Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $60 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!Md. Lottery Pays Out $7M In Prizes On Single Drawing. Players in Maryland's Pick Four game were the winners and the state lottery agency was the loser when the numbers came up 1111.Ohio Lottery Players Look for Luck. Lottery players are flocking to a little convenience store in the Cleveland suburb of South Euclid ever since it sold Ohio's first winning Mega Millions ticket last month.Mississippi woman wins big in Tennessee lottery. Florence Blue of Greenwood, Mississippi cashed in a Tennessee Lottery ticket worth $25,000 Monday.
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Tenn. will launch Cash 3 within 60 days. Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation CEO Rebecca Paul announced Monday the first online game called Cash 3 would be up and running within 60 days.Three arrested, charged with altering Louisiana Lottery tickets. Three people were arrested Monday and a fourth is wanted for allegedly stealing and altering a Louisiana Lottery ticket worth $100,000, state police said.
Monday, January 26, 2004
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Final Penn. Super 6 Lotto Drawing Tomorrow. If no one wins the jackpot prize on January 27, the cash value of the jackpot will be shared proportionately by second-, third- and fourth-tier winners.
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Powerball Rolls Again; Jackpot Soars to $64 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $64 million, with a cash option of $35.3 million.Missouri Lottery celebrates 18 years. After 18 years, $7 billion in sales and with more than $2.1 billion in proceeds, the Missouri Lottery is still going strong.Muskegon resident wins Michigan Lottery's '$2,000,000 Fortune'. William Schad of Muskegon, Michigan became the Michigan Lottery's newest millionaire on Friday, January 16, 2004 while participating in a mid-court drawing at halftime during the Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards NBA basketball game.
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'Hula time' for $400,000 Texas Two Step winner. Khon C. Tran of Austin is taking his family for a vacation to Hawaii later this year. He’ll pay for it with some of the $400,000 he won playing the Texas Two Step game from the Texas Lottery.Ticket bought in Va. hits $13 million Lotto South jackpot. One ticket matched all six numbers in Saturday's $13 million Lotto South drawing, the Virginia Lottery said.Florida Lotto winner bought ticket near Delray. The sole winning ticket from Saturday's $3 million Florida Lotto jackpot was sold at the Farm Food Store on Jog Road south of Atlantic Avenue in suburban Delray Beach, lottery officials said.
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Easley continues quest for N.C. lottery. Gov. Mike Easley provides insight into his on-going quest to bring a state lottery to North Carolina.
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Mississippi Residents Flock to Tennessee for Lottery Tickets. Mississippians have treked across the state line to buy Tennessee lottery tickets since Tuesday, the first day of the Tennessee lottery. Almost everyone who has played has reported winning a free ticket or at least a couple of dollars.
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Powerball Record-Holder Arrested for Drunk Driving. Jack Whittaker, who hit the $314.9 million Powerball jackpot on Christmas 2002, was charged Sunday with drunk driving - just weeks after being charged with trying to assault a bar manager.
Saturday, January 24, 2004
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Mega Millions jackpot increases to $60 million. The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery drawing grew to $60 million Saturday when none of the tickets sold for Friday's drawing matched all five lotto numbers and the Mega Ball.
Man dies after win on lottery TV show. The winner of this week's "Hoosier Millionaire" game show died after being hit by a pickup truck just hours after the show's taping, authorities said Friday.
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There was no jackpot winner in the Friday Mega Millions drawing, but 7 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Michigan, 1 in Ohio, 2 in Texas, and 1 in Washington. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Friday, January 23, 2004
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Simple solution fixes store's lottery machine. Three days after everyone else, the only lottery store in Harrogate, Tennessee is finally selling tickets. And the solution to what seemed a complicated problem, was simple.Miami Man Claims One-Third Share of $40 Million Florida Lotto Jackpot. The Florida Lottery announced today that Thomas Earley, 44, of Miami claimed the last one-third share of the $40 million Florida Lotto jackpot from the December 13, 2003 drawing.Woman Says Store Clerk Stole Winning Lottery Ticket. A Westborough, Massachusetts man faces a charge of larceny in the alleged theft of a lottery scratch ticket believed to be a $20,000 winner.
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$5M Mass. Lottery Ad Blitz Begins. The Massachusetts Lottery embarks on an ambitious $5 million advertising campaign on Monday, with Lottery officials hoping to bring in an extra $25 million and draw new players with a series of television, radio, newspaper and billboard ads that will appear through June.
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Powerball Jackpot Reaches $55 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $55 million, with a cash option of $30.1 million.
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One ticket hits $35 million Florida Lotto jackpot. One ticket matched the six Florida Lotto numbers drawn Wednesday night to win a prize of $35 million.Powerball payday comes for shop owner. Officials from the S.C. Education Lottery made their way to Clover Shop & Save on Thursday with a $50,000 check the store on U.S. 321 earned for its part in selling a winning Powerball ticket.Tenn. Lottery rakes in millions fast. Tennessee's lottery took in about $10.8 million on its first day, setting a per-capita sales record for lottery launches with nearly $2 spent for every state resident, officials said.Spring Valley couple are lottery millionaires. Don and Jennifer Burdette purchased one of two winning California SuperLotto Plus tickets in the Jan. 14 drawing to split the $13 million prize.
Florida Mega Money game getting "way more mega". The Florida Lottery announced today that beginning January 28, the Mega Money game is being restructured with additional prizes and a rolldown feature.
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
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Mega Millions jackpot increases to $51 million. The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery drawing grew to $51 million Wednesday when none of the tickets sold for Tuesday's drawing matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball.
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Luck almost went in the trash. Bob and Joyce Waterfield have played the lottery for decades hoping to hit the jackpot. When they finally did, they very nearly chucked their good fortune in a trash bin.Pair Torn A$under. A terminally ill World War II veteran - who sued his wife because she dumped him to run off with their winning $25 million New York Lotto ticket - enjoyed a bittersweet victory yesterday, getting both a piece of the jackpot and a divorce.
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Mississippi lawmaker wants lottery. Mississippi state Rep. Alyce Clarke has introduced a bill for a lottery in Mississippi, but key lawmakers, including House Speaker Billy McCoy and the House Gaming Committee chairman, said don't bet on it passing.Lottery gets 'gangbuster' start. The Tennessee Lottery got off to a "gangbusters" start in Knoxville on Tuesday after a 12:01 a.m. kickoff, with hundreds lining up for tickets and the city reporting one of the state's largest winners.Tennesseans cash in. Retailers were busy the first day of the Tennessee Lottery, but of the 3,500 retail locations selling the tickets less than 4 percent experienced major problems.Lottery's first day a success, especially for two. Tennessee Lottery officials called Tuesday's launch of lottery instant-ticket sales a success, with "brisk" sales at retailers across the state.Governor among first to kick off Tennessee lottery. Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, wearing a yellow-and-purple lottery button reading "Education Wins," wasn't disappointed when he didn't win a prize on his first ticket - or any of several follow-up tries - because the proceeds go toward college scholarships for qualifying Tennessee students.Tennessee Lottery snapshots from day 1. A sampling of lottery stories from the first day of lottery sales in Tennessee.
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There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 2 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Maryland, 1 in New York, 3 in Ohio, and 1 in Texas. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
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Commission approves settlement between House leader, GTECH. The Rhode Island state Ethics Commission was to vote Tuesday on a proposed settlement that would have House Majority Leader Gordon Fox pay a $10,000 fine for voting on a $770 million, no-bid deal for the lottery company GTECH in which his law firm was involved.
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Record Powerball winner loses more money. For the second time in several months, Jack Whittaker's vehicle was broken into and thousands of dollars were taken.
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Louisiana Lottery reports boost due to Powerball. Louisiana lottery revenue took a significant jump last year, largely because of four Powerball jackpots that exceeded $100 million in the last half of 2003, lottery officials said.
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$42 Million Mega Millions Drawing Tonight. Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $42 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!Scratch-offs bring big cash to states. Scratch-off lottery tickets may not produce the drama associated with high-jackpot games like Powerball or Mega Millions, but to most state lotteries they bring in something just as important: money.College student wins $20 million Super 7 jackpot. Colin McDonald of Belleville, Ontario won't have to worry about a business assignment that was due this week, or the cost of books and rising tuition fees after he won last Friday's $20 million Super 7 jackpot.
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N.C. surrounded by state gambling. Tennessee’s launch of a state lottery on Tuesday leaves North Carolina surrounded by states sponsoring gambling games.Ohio City Can't Collect Taxes From Mega Millions. City officials in the Cleveland suburb of South Euclid were stunned to learn that they can't collect $1.4 million in income taxes from the winner because the city charter wasn't updated to include lottery winnings as taxable income.First Lottery Tickets Sold in Tennessee. Lottery fans dreaming of riches waited patiently until after midnight to try their luck as Tennessee became the last state in the Southeast to offer legal gambling.
Monday, January 19, 2004
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Powerball Jackpot Leaps to $46 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $46 million, with a cash option of $25 million.Mega Millions jackpot increases to $42 million. The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery drawing grew to $42 million Saturday.Florida Lotto jackpot rolls over to $35 million. No ticket matched all six Florida Lotto numbers Saturday night, increasing the Wednesday jackpot to $35 million.Michigan Lottery sales slip; commissioner blames blackout. The Michigan Lottery is on track to set an all-time sales record, despite a drop in sales last year, Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters said.Lottery feelings still run deep. More than a year after Tennessee voters gave the green light to legislators to rework the state constitution to establish a lottery, anti-lottery feelings in West Tennessee still run deep.
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Security heads list of lottery priorities. From printing the tickets to validating winners, the chief goal of the Tennessee Lottery is maintaining the integrity and security of the system so players have faith in it and buy tickets, and the state takes in enough money to fund college scholarships with the lottery's earnings.Kentucky Lottery Officials Prepare For Loss Of Tennessee Customers. While Tennesseans prepare to win jackpots in their own state for the first time, Kentucky Lottery officials are fretting over the potential lost revenue.Alabama town bracing for Tennessee Lottery. You can stand in lottery-free Alabama and see the pink-and-yellow sign just a few hundred feet away in Tennessee: "LOTTERY HERE - STARTS JAN. 20."
Saturday, January 17, 2004
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Lottery winners challenge IRS, tax court rulings. Because lottery winner Benjamin Y. Lelina sold the rights to the balance of his winnings, he could lose $45,000 to Uncle Sam.
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Tennessee businesses banking on lottery. Tennessee's lottery can't come soon enough for many retailers, who believe the state and its businesses have lost money by watching and waiting while neighboring states make money off lotteries of their own.
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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 New Jersey and 1 in Massachusetts. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Friday, January 16, 2004
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Lottery Dead Issue in Alabama Legislature. Christian Coalition of Alabama President John Giles stated: "We have documentation, signed by House and Senate members that suggests any effort to legalize the lottery is dead on arrival."
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Investing a windfall. What to do when a pile of money is suddenly dumped into your lap.
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$60 million? It's 'like an out-of-body experience'. Becoming Pennsylvania's newest multimillionaire means Lisa Ensor will have a bigger wedding reception than she was planning and a larger investment portfolio.
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$35 Million Mega Millions Drawing Tonight. Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $35 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!
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Machine Operator Claims $60.2M Powerball. An electronics plant worker came forward Thursday to claim half of the $221.5 million Powerball jackpot, more than two weeks after she bought the winning ticket.Colorado Lottery trying to win back trust. The Colorado Lottery Commission took an important step toward sprucing up the agency's increasingly tarnished image this week by approving tough new conflict-of-interest rules.
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Mass. Lottery games to merge, jackpots to increase. The executive director of the Massachusetts Lottery said Wednesday that the lottery plans to consolidate MassMillions and Megabucks into one game with bigger jackpots, in an attempt to attract more players.Winning SuperLotto Plus Ticket Bought In San Diego Co.. Someone in San Diego County is holding one of two winning tickets to Wednesday night's SuperLotto Plus drawing for $13 million.Mega Millions seller not on record as store's owner. The Ohio Lottery says a man who accepted a symbolic check as the co-owner of a South Euclid convenience store that sold a winning Mega Millions ticket isn't the owner.Tennessee Lottery launches Web site. The Tennessee Lottery unveiled its new site Thursday, five days before selling the first instant games.
Thursday, January 15, 2004
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Lotto tickets only good one time around. An apparent gold mine found in the convenience store trash was too good to be true.
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Lottery Loser Pleads No Contest in Mega Case. The woman who claimed she lost a winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket pleaded no contest Thursday to lying on a police report.
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One winner takes $35 million New York Lotto jackpot. One ticket matched all six numbers in Wednesday's New York Lotto drawing to win a jackpot of $35 million.
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Powerball Jackpot Reaches $37 Million. Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Wednesday's Powerball drawing the jackpot grew to an estimated $37 million, with a cash option of $20.3 million.Mega Millions jackpot increases to $35 million. The Mega Millions jackpot grew to $35 million Wednesday after none of the tickets sold for Tuesday's drawing matched all five lotto numbers and the Mega Ball.Alabama may revisit lottery this year. State Sen. Pro Tem Lowell Barron expects the lottery to return to Alabama this year as an option to deal with the state’s continuing budget crisis.
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Kansas Lottery joins Amber Alert. The Kansas Lottery announced Wednesday that it joined the Kansas Amber Alert program, which helps locate missing and abducted children.Tenn. lottery officials show off security measures for tickets. Before you start scratching a Tennessee lottery ticket, know there are security measures ensuring your ticket is valid.Tenn. merchants worry training for lottery machines insufficient. Lottery tickets go on sale in Tennessee in five days, and several merchants are concerned the Tennessee lottery board is doing too little to teach retailers how to use the ticket-generating equipment.
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
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Inside Sources: Virginia Lottery to Slash Staff. LOTTERY POST EXCLUSIVE: According to unnamed sources, the Virginia Lottery is planning a series of cost-cutting moves that could send shock waves through its staff and the industry: the Virginia Lottery will be seeking bids to outsource all functions of its operations.
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There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 2 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey and 1 in New York. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
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$26 Million Mega Millions Drawing Tonight. Don't forget to check back with us tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern Time for the live $26 million Big Game Mega Millions drawing results!Lotto Mania. Store owners along state line hope Alabamians bring greater success to Tennessee lottery.If you win a lottery prize, the IRS awaits. Winning a lottery prize may open the door to many financial opportunities, but it may also result in a significant federal income tax obligation. Keeping good records of your winnings and losses may help you lower the taxes you owe on lottery winnings.
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Tenn. lottery is ready to go, says CEO. A little more than a week before the first Tennessee lottery ticket is sold, CEO Rebecca Paul said the "infrastructure is ready" for a successful launch.
Monday, January 12, 2004
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New York Lotto Rolls to $35 Million. There were no tickets matching all six numbers in Saturday's New York Lotto drawing, sending the jackpot to $35 million for the Wednesday drawing.Powerball Jackpot Reaches $29 Million. Because no ticket correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing, the jackpot grew to an estimated $29 million, with a cash option of $15.7 million.Mega Millions jackpot increases to $26 million. The jackpot in the multistate Mega Millions lottery drawing has reached $26 million.
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Flroida Lotto jackpot hits $21 million. No ticket matched all six Florida Lotto numbers Saturday night, increasing the jackpot to $21 million.Tenn. lottery could net $70 million more than expected. The Tennessee lottery could make at least $70 million more than what is needed to fund college scholarships this year, and Gov. Phil Bredesen wants to budget most of the extra for prekindergarten programs.Pennsylvania Lottery Announces Retirement of Super 6 Lotto. Pennsylvania Lottery officials today announced the last Super 6 Lotto drawing will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2004.
Saturday, January 10, 2004
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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 Illinois, 1 in Maryland, 1 in New York, and 1 in Ohio. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Friday, January 9, 2004
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Ohio Lottery Loser Faces Police Charge. Elecia Battle, who admitted yesterday that she lied about losing a $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket, was charged today with filing a false police report.
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GTech gets deal for new online terminals from Spain’s national lottery. GTech Corp of West Greenwich, R.I., has won a sale to provide new online lottery terminals to Sistemas Tecnicos de Loterias del Estado (STL), the operator of the online system for the National Lottery in Spain. According to the company, the deal could be worth as much as $9 million.
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Winners wish they'd lain low. Talk to former lottery winners and they agree -- the biggest mistake Mega Millions jackpot winner Rebecca Jemison made this week was coming forward herself to claim her winnings.What Every Texas Lottery Player Needs To Know About Claiming A Jackpot. In response to recent events in Ohio and the $162 million Mega Millions jackpot ticket, the Texas Lottery Commission wants to reiterate to players some important information regarding claiming a jackpot prize in Texas.
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Tennessee lotto ads hit Monday. Tennesseans will get their first taste of lottery advertising as the state lottery begins its push Monday, airing two television commercials raising awareness that the games will be up in mere days.Indiana Bill Targets Deadbeat Parents' Gambling Winnings. Deadbeat parents who gamble at riverboats and racetracks would have to give their children a cut of their winnings under a bill being considered by the Indiana Senate.Massachusetts man wins $1M lottery prize. Robert F. Brown Jr. of Cumberland, Massachusetts, won $1 million in the $640,000,000 Jubilee instant game.
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Reducing Lottery Rewards. Some Florida legislators figure that the way to sell more lottery tickets is to reduce the size or number of prizes the players can win. It's something that will be attempted during the 2004 session that begins in March -- and, given the financial philosophy of this Legislature, it has a good chance of passage.Court scratches man's lottery claim. A Northborough man who tried to cash in on a mistake by the state Lottery Commission to collect a $4 million cash prize for a winning scratch ticket had his claim thrown out yesterday by the state Appeals Court.
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Record lottery winner accused of making death threats. The winner of the largest single lottery jackpot in U.S. history has been accused of threatening to kill the manager of a bar.Trading clerk surrenders to face charges of stealing lottery ticket. The trading clerk at the center of a $175,000 Mega Millions lottery ticket dispute in Chicago surrendered to police Tuesday on felony theft charges.
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Police Officer Wins $1.65 Million Playing Hot Lotto. A Des Moines police officer is starting the new year with a bigger paycheck after claiming a Hot Lotto jackpot worth more than $1.6 million.
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There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 4 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $175,000 prize: 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Maryland, 1 in New York, and 1 in Virginia. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Tuesday, January 6, 2004
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Media Battle in the Mega Millions Jackpot Dispute. Lottery Post presents a selection of photos and descriptions in the struggle over the $162 million Mega Millions jackpot.
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Lottery Loser's Shady Past. The Ohio woman who told police that she purchased -- and then lost -- the winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket -- has several arrests on her rap sheet, including convictions for assault and credit card fraud. In addition, Elecia Battle is using an alias and has falsely claimed to be married to the man with whom she now lives.
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Woman Sues to Block $162 Million Payout. A hospital worker came forward Tuesday and collected a $162 million lottery jackpot, and another woman who told authorities she bought the winning ticket but lost it has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt any payout to the winner.
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Ohio Woman Claims Lottery Prize, Denies Ticket Lost. An Ohio woman on Tuesday collected a $162 million Mega Millions lottery prize, saying the winning ticket was in her hands all along and had not been lost, as another woman had claimed.
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She's Won Millions but Has No Grand Plans. She's just won the $88 million California SuperLotto Plus jackpot, but Pamela Bazan says no one should expect to see Ferraris in her Rossmoor driveway or to catch her on a diamond shopping spree at Tiffany & Co. And there certainly will be no private jets whisking the retired bookkeeper and her husband off on a round-the-world adventure.Rapid reforms vowed for Colorado Lottery. A powerful state legislator suggested Monday that the Colorado Lottery should face more frequent audits to prevent repeats of abuses uncovered over the past two months.
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Tennessee Lottery To Launch 21 Days Early. Tennessee Lottery President & CEO Rebecca Paul on Monday announced the first lottery tickets will go on sale Jan. 20 - a full three weeks earlier than originally anticipated.
Monday, January 5, 2004
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OH-NO! Woman claims $162 million Mega Millions ticket lost. A Cleveland woman has told police she picked the winning numbers for the $162 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot but lost the ticket before the drawing, according to a police report.
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Vermont woman is first Tri-State Megabucks jackpot winner of 2004. How's this for a great start to the New Year: Madelyne Wight of Vergennes, Vermont claimed $2,084,503 in cash this morning after she correctly picked the winning numbers in the December 31 Tri-State Megabucks drawing.
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International Lottery Game Collapses. 20 states won't be getting millions of dollars in new revenue from a high-jackpot lottery after plans for the proposed international game collapsed.Lucky charms' effectiveness 'all in the mind'. Researchers have found that lucky charms work but only in the minds of those who carry them.
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Texas lottery winner takes $8.8 million. A Texas City resident recently claimed the $29 million lottery ticket that was sold at a local convenience store in November.Tennessee must decide on use of unclaimed lottery prizes. The law that created the Tennessee lottery requires that half of all unclaimed winnings go back into the prize pool at the end of each fiscal year, while the rest is placed in a special account for after-school programs.Paul, lottery team working overtime. Tennessee Lottery employees received little time off during the holidays as the upstart corporation works overtime to see ticket sales begin prior to next month’s deadline.One Ticket Won $88 Million SuperLotto Plus Jackpot. One ticket won Saturday night's California SuperLotto Plus jackpot of $88 million by matching all six numbers -- 5, 9, 13, 16, 21 and Mega Number 4.Powerball won't be only lottery option. When North Dakota's new lottery begins selling Powerball tickets on March 25, it will represent only the first sample of a gambling assortment that state officials plan to offer this year.
Saturday, January 3, 2004
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Winning a big lottery not without its own cost. Of all potential windfalls, the lottery winner's is the most exaggerated. Unlike inheritance or large lawsuit wins, there's no lead up.$175,000 Mega Millions Ticket Dispute. Two traders for the Chicago Board Options Exchange filed a police complaint Friday against a trading clerk who they claim pocketed their $175,000 Mega Millions lottery ticket this week.
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New Year Brings New Start for $2.1 Million Wash. Lotto Winner. Phuc Nguyen of Bellevue, Washington plans to use some of his $2.1 million Lotto prize to open his own business and open the door to a new home and a new life for himself and his family.Grand Plans for $2.5 Million Lotto Winner. Janette Bowe of Issaquah, Washington wants life to continue to be "as normal as possible, but with a lot of extras." Winning a $2.5 million Lotto Jackpot, could mean the "extras" will become a normal part of Bowe's life, too.
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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: 2 in Georgia and 1 in New York. For the complete rundown of winners by prize category, see the Winning Combinations page.
Friday, January 2, 2004
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Penn. Match 6 Lotto Rules Finalized. Lottery Post presents a summary of the rules for the new Pennsylvania Match 6 Lotto game.
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N.C. Couple Claims Half of $221.5 Million Powerball Prize. Norman and Deanna Shue went to a burger joint Thursday after finding out they had won half of Wednesday's $221.5 million Powerball jackpot. They wanted to claim the prize but couldn't because state offices were closed for New Year's Day.Wichita Scoutmaster Claims $1.2 Million Super Kansas Cash Jackpot. Michael Irwin of Wichita, Kansas claimed a $1.2 million jackpot on his Super Kansas Cash ticket for the Dec. 31, 2003 drawing.
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$3.4 Million Vermont Megabucks Winner for New Year's Eve. The holder of the single winning Tri-State Megabucks ticket for the New Year's Eve drawing will be starting 2004 with a lot more than just a few New Year's resolutions.Convenience store sells winning PA Powerball ticket. A Powerball ticket whose owner can claim half of a $221.5 million New Year's Eve jackpot was sold at a convenience store outside York, Pennsylvania, officials said yesterday.Clover, S.C. store sold winning lottery ticket. As people drove past the tidy mill houses in town and the mobile homes on the outskirts of town Thursday, they couldn’t help but wonder: Is somebody in one of those homes holding the $110 million ticket?Three Lottery Winners Wait to Step Forward. Someone who buys lottery tickets in this Cleveland suburb is going to have a prosperous new year. Ditto for ticket buyers in Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
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Tennessee Students Can Begin Applying for Lottery Scholarships. Today is the first day for high school students to begin applying for Tennessee lottery scholarships.Tennessee lottery debate looms. With a state lottery poised to launch next month, Tennessee state legislators face an early decision on whether to unseat those who are directing it and later debate on other gambling issues.
