Lottery sees increase in profits as well as major payouts
By Kate Northrop
The Virginia Lottery is seeing huge profits — and payouts — since the launch of its online games just two years ago.
Online players in Virginia have won over $2 billion in online prizes in a little over the past two years alone, the Virginia Lottery reported on Thursday.
Lottery players in Virgina have the ability to purchase and redeem tickets from the convenience of their personal devices for games including Mega Millions, Powerball, and Cash4Life. There are also over 60 exclusively online instant-win games available to play.
Overall, the Lottery has so far recorded over 300,000 unique players who have won prizes by playing online, with the biggest win coming from a McLean woman who won a $2 million Powerball prize.
"The convenience of playing online has really caught on with Virginia Lottery players as an additional way to play," Lottery Executive Director Kelly Gee said in a press release. "Our focus at Lottery is all about ensuring the best customer experience possible, translating to more sales and profits for our beneficiary — K-12 public education. Online sales are contributing to both of those goals."
Most of the online wins stem from the Lottery's instant-win games. The biggest prize to-date from an instant-win game is worth $295,806 by a South Boston man playing the "Jungle Tumble Jackpots" game. 31 players in total have won prizes of $100,000 or greater playing instant-win games.
In-person retailers continue to sell the majority of tickets in the state, with over 5,300 businesses stocking Virginia Lottery products. According to the Lottery, those businesses earned more than $138.6 million in commissions and bonuses in the 2022 Fiscal Year.
You can also play cash 5 now online. I wish they would add Bank a million. I won $10 on cash 4 life recently.
Had a $500 win and it was deposited into my checking account the next day. Still trying to get an Online win over $600 for the obvious reason but also to see the W-2G and payment process.
Fast Play is the only KY Lottery drawn game with no Online play but it's an RNG instant type game. We can play all the number and jackpot games on our PCs, laptops, IPads, tablets, and phones.
Wow!!........138 million paid out to retailers so far in 2022. Looks like it really PAYS to be a lottery ticket seller in Virginia.
Online is convenient I don't have to leave home to play lottery games!
They will probably offer pick 3/4 as well.
Give consumers what they want and they will respond hand$omely.
Come on Massachusetts, get on the bandwagon!
When Is The New York lottery Going Offer Online Play?
I live in NY and play through the JACKPOCKET app on my phone.
You can play any game except TAKE5.
When you win, they add the winnings to your account balance.
Just watched their Youtube ad. Nice idea but still too bad the individual state does not offer what the consumer wants.
How much is the fee they charge?
Curious too how long the W2G would take to arrive. You'll win before I did since not playing on-line for a spell.
When I cashed in $5K the tax form came the very next day!!
The only fee that is charged is when making a deposit into your player account.
When I deposit $50, they charge $4.79.
There is no fee added to the bet or subtracted from any winnings.
Minimum bet is $1.00, so you can't bet 50 cents on numbers or Pick 4.
I doubt California will ever offer online sales. Although illegal, those that really want to do so with online casinos.
Jackpocket is very convenient to use, it isn't free though .You would have paid zero fees, if New York lottery had offer online play. Think about it, you are already losing .50 cents for every dollar you bet on lottery games. It is better to play the lottery less often or not play all.
We are better off investing the money in the stock market with zero commission. New York Lottery has fallen behind, when it comes to technology. Online play is the future.
As a LONG TIME VIRGINIA LOTTERY PLAYER.. even with the new management, I have/had a Virginia account: before the so called new system of allowing Players to "WIN" online, last year I played one of the "games" cannot remember which one.. online I was just fooling around.. probably one of the Card games.. I used to be good at Blackjack. Bottome line: I was up around 300 bucks.. and I said hmm. think I will cash in.... easy to deposit.. just put some money from your bank account: BUT WHEN I tried to get the money back into my VERIFIED bank account (which I have since closed for security reasons) VA Lottery wanted a PHOTO ID,, of my driver's licence, my social security number.. etc.. even though they took the MONEY and OH BTW.. the limit in VA for winning in person is 600.00.. as everyone knows.. even if you do hit a 500.00 ticket it is like pulling teeth to get the money from the local 711. BACK TO THE STORY. VA lottery gave me some options like sending my photo ID, driver's license online to them.. etc. SO I declined.. yep.. I just blew the rest of the money playing games.. THE ONLY WAY I WOULD EVER PLAY ONLINE or cash an online win.. and OH BTW.. VA LOTTERY HAS ACCESS TO EVERYONE's information.. like if you owe them taxes (I don't).. would be if the amount was equal to how much information you feel like telling Virginia on the internet.. and we all know secure that is right?. Before you even get your first "winning" Virginia lottery contacts the state to make sure you don't owe say HOSPITAL BILLS.. to VA, TAXES to Virginia.. or even the trash company.. VA. That is just my little story. I won't tell you some other worse stories about winning scratch offs.. which you have to DRIVE TO WOODBRIDGE to collect.. and if you own any money.. well you get a check back for ZERO DOLLARS.. that happened to a friend of mine who won a 1000. dollar scratch off (I don't play it of course).. I can just imagine if you won the Mega Million, on line.. after all the deductions for the state employees, Virginia school system.. you would get the price of your ticket back.. :) well maybe not that bad.. I am still going to play MEGA today IN PERSON.. :) GOOD LUCK to all the PB and MEGA players.. this wekk!! Virginia gamer.. still in it to win it.