$600 MILLION: Biggest Powerball jackpot ever
Closing in on all-time lottery record
By Todd Northrop
Only once before has the United States or the world witnessed a lottery-buying frenzy like we are seeing this week.
That was in March, 2012, when the multi-state Mega Millions game was busy setting a record for the largest jackpot in world history.
This time it's Powerball's turn to make people stop what they're doing and line up for lottery tickets.
Powerball tickets are being bought at such a rapid pace that the Multi-State ...
May 17, 2013, 1:05 pm - Lottery News forum
Man finds $4.85 million Lotto ticket in cookie jar
Includes video report
Maybe you've heard this story before. Or dreamed it.
A man cleans out old lottery tickets from a cookie jar, and instead of throwing them away takes them to the 7-Eleven to check them out. And finds one of them is worth millions.
It gets better for Ricardo Cerezo of Geneva, Illinois. He says his family was facing eviction, and he'll use part of the winnings $4.85 million to pay off the home.
It couldn't have happened at a better time, said Cerezo, a management ...
May 17, 2013, 8:25 am - Lottery News forum
$350 MILLION: Powerball lottery jackpot soars
7th-largest US jackpot ever; 6th-largest cash value
By Todd Northrop
For only the 7th time in the history of United States lotteries, a lottery jackpot has grown to $350 million or more.
The new high-water mark of $350 million for the current Powerball jackpot was achieved after no winning tickets were sold for Saturday night's $270 million grand prize.
The lump-sum cash payout value of Wednesday's Powerball jackpot is $222.8 million. After-tax cash and annuity prize amounts are repo ...
May 12, 2013, 8:15 am - Lottery News forum
Multi-state lottery jackpots top a combined $375 million
The jackpot for Friday's Mega Millions rolled over to $154 million, while the top prize in tonight's Powerball multi-state lottery stands at $222 million.
The numbers drawn in Tuesday night's Mega Millions lottery were 1, 6, 13, 20 and 51, and the Mega Ball was 31.
The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing since a player in Ohio won $41 million on March 12.
The Powerball jackpot has been climbing since March 30, when an Illinois player won $50 million.
If a single player wins tonigh ...
May 8, 2013, 10:15 am - Lottery News forum
NJ Democrats want Justice Department to review lottery privatization plan
Unhappy with the state's decision to push ahead with its plan to partially privatize the New Jersey Lottery, a group of Garden State lawmakers have decided to make a federal case of the conflict. On Wednesday, half of New Jersey's congressional delegation asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to review the administration's scheme to see if it complies with federal law.
The six Democratic congressmen cosigned a letter to Holder, asking him to determine whether the $120 million payment the st ...
Apr 18, 2013, 3:25 pm - Lottery News forum
Illinois Lottery pushes for online expansion
The Illinois Senate could soon decide to increase the number of ways you can play the lottery online.
A committee has passed a bill that would allow players to wager on any of the draw-based games that is, in which the winning numbers are randomly selected, as in Pick 3 and Pick 4.
Right now, only Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball are draw-based games available online. The legislation would expand that opportunity to all seven, plus any draw-based games the lottery would add in the futur ...
Mar 25, 2013, 9:51 am - Lottery News forum
$320 MILLION: Powerball lottery jackpot goes through the roof
13th-largest US jackpot ever; 9th-largest cash value
By Todd Northrop
For only the 17th time in the history of United States lotteries, a lottery jackpot run-up has crossed into $300 million+ territory.
The new high-water mark of $320 million for the current Powerball jackpot was achieved after no winning tickets were sold for Wednesday night's $260 million grand prize.
The lump-sum cash payout value of Wednesday's Powerball jackpot is $198.3 million. After-tax cash and annuity prize ...
Mar 21, 2013, 1:11 am - Lottery News forum
Illinois Lottery seeks to collect $20 million from operator Northstar Lottery Group
But the lottery has not shown Northstar the final audit numbers
The Illinois Lottery said Monday it is entitled to a $20 million payout from Lottery private manager Northstar Lottery Group because the group fell short of the total Illinois Lottery income Northstar said would be generated in fiscal year 2012.
Noted Illinois Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones: Northstar won the private manager contract by projecting a net income of $851.2 million in FY12, but failed to reach this goal, con ...
Mar 19, 2013, 4:09 pm - Lottery News forum
Lottery winnings will enable family reunion
An Illinois couple plans to use their lottery winnings to visit their son, a U.S. Navy pilot, in Hawaii and then get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sail with him on an aircraft carrier as he returns from deployment in the Middle East.
Michael and Marilyn Feigl will use part of their $33,075 winnings to fly to Pearl Harbor this spring. There, they'll reunite with son Matthew Peden, and Michael will get the opportunity to sail onboard the USS John C. Stennis with Peden as the carrier returns ...
Mar 9, 2013, 3:26 pm - Lottery News forum
Judge won't give bakery workers partial lottery prize
A Cook County, Illinois, judge on Thursday refused to award a partial payout of a $118 million Mega Millions prize won by employees of a Chicago Heights-based bakery.
Twelve employees of the Pita Pan Bakery, 401 E. Joe Orr Road in Chicago Heights, who have taken to calling themselves the Dirty Dozen, have possession of the winning ticket from a May 4 drawing that won them the record-high prize.
But another seven employees of the bakery have filed assorted lawsuits in Cook County Circuit Co ...
Mar 1, 2013, 6:08 pm - Lottery News forum
