Illinois to sell Powerball lottery tickets online

Aug 30, 2012, 8:44 am (19 comments)

Illinois Lottery

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois is going to sell Powerball lottery tickets on the Internet, and at least one lawmaker predicts a big payday.

Sen. Jeff Schoenberg says online sales could produce an additional $25 million a year for state government. The Evanston Democrat says the money will pay for public works projects and create jobs around the state.

Illinois became the first state to sell lottery tickets online when it started offering Lotto and Mega Millions tickets in March. A new law adds Powerball to that mix.

The law also requires the state lottery to come up with a way of limiting online purchases by problem gamblers, and the state has to study how it affects convenience stores and other places that physically sell lottery tickets.

AP

Comments

TnTicketlosers's avatarTnTicketlosers

Tennessee has cheated the players for years,count me in.

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by TnTicketlosers on Aug 30, 2012

Tennessee has cheated the players for years,count me in.

Maybe Tennessee should be auctioned off online.   Cheers

TnTicketlosers's avatarTnTicketlosers

It wouldnt never sell.

zinniagirl's avatarzinniagirl

How do you determine a problem gambler online?

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by TnTicketlosers on Aug 30, 2012

It wouldnt never sell.

Green laugh  Maybe if they gave it away along with some free scratchers, and threw in a  case of Jack Daniels.   What?

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by zinniagirl on Aug 30, 2012

How do you determine a problem gambler online?

Someone whose betting $10,000 a day, and whose credit card keeps bouncing.   Hyper

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Illinois needs extra money to keep all their former governors in jail and stuff.

But online play is inevitable in all states.

They're all just being bashful right now.

SomedayIwin

I think that will be a very profitable move for the state. If it is then other states will surely follow.

I'm sure that there are a lot of 'shut-ins' that would love to play.

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

I tried to register for an account at the Illinois lottery website but unfortunately it says on the form, "Must be an Illinois address," the form also requires you to put in your social security number. Unhappy

jerksnail's avatarjerksnail

I would love to be able to play online. The stores by me only take cash, and I don't often carry cash on me. A small inconvenience, but playing online would allow me to use my debit card at least.

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Aug 30, 2012

I tried to register for an account at the Illinois lottery website but unfortunately it says on the form, "Must be an Illinois address," the form also requires you to put in your social security number. Unhappy

Yeah, IL is not like MA. It is so strict that you cannot purchase online unless you are using registered home IP address. But this good since when IL wins from online play, we know it will be an Illinoisan...who will be quickly making plans to leave the state!

tvboris's avatartvboris

Quote: Originally posted by zinniagirl on Aug 30, 2012

How do you determine a problem gambler online?

Oh it's easy. There will be a question: Do you have any problems with gambling?

If no, knock yourself out.

If yes, please be resposible and go ahead knock yourself out.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by zinniagirl on Aug 30, 2012

How do you determine a problem gambler online?

They will probably put limits on how much any player can deposit, but it won't prevent anyone from buying tickets in stores. The "problem gambler" provision was put in to appease anti-gambling groups.

jamella724

What a great news for lottery enthusiast like me.  I am wondering if I could also purchase online ticket from here in the Philippines.  Please let me know, cause I want to take my luck too on other lotteries aside from the lottery play here in the Philippines.

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