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Lottery sales spiking as Mega Millions jackpot reaches $155MNews Story
$155 million Mega Millions drawing is tonight at 11:00 PM Eastern TimeToday might not be the best day to stop at a convenience store for a quick cup of coffee.The Mega Millions jackpot was still growing Monday night, hitting $155 million. The multistate lottery is in New York and 10 other states.The huge jackpot has attracted regular customers plus those enticed to spend an extra dollar this week. I don't play regularly, said Sean Sweeney, 18, of Oakdale Drive in Elmira, a clerk at the Conveni
Dec 30, 2003, 5:34 am - Lottery News

$150M pot so sweet!News Story
Feelin' Mega-lucky?With the Mega Millions jackpot growing to $150 million, New Yorkers had at least one lofty New Year's resolution: Get rich - quick.Nobody had the lucky ticket for Friday's drawing, which padded the pot for Tuesday's pick in the multistate lottery and had folks dreaming of the improbable yesterday. I'd be happy to be among one of 100 winners, said Steven Rich - who hoped to live up to his name after buying 11 Mega Millions tickets in midtown.Rich, 43, of Inwood, said his share
Dec 29, 2003, 5:19 am - Lottery News

It can happen... from broke to lots of bucksNews Story
James Gatzke was struggling with depression, and living off handouts and charity, with only his seven cats for company, when he hit the jackpot.Three weeks ago, the unemployed 44-year-old was eating beef stew out of a can, and scraping by on food and cash donations from neighbours and charities.His water and power supply had long been cut off, he hadn't worked since August when he was laid off from his job as a cab driver, and he hadn't bathed in months. All I wanted for Christmas was to have di
Dec 11, 2003, 4:59 am - Lottery News

Lottery pays off for poor kidsNews Story
Children in one of Denver's oldest and poorest neighborhoods are getting a new playground, thanks in part to Great Outdoors Colorado. This project is very near and dear to the hearts of people who live in the Swansea neighborhood, said City Councilwoman Judy Montero, who represents the community. People have been working on this project since 1995. The GOCO board announced Monday it will award $200,000 toward the $427,000, two-acre playground and park, which is to be completed in about a year.
Dec 9, 2003, 4:53 am - Lottery News

Lottery law firm pick didn't meet bid requirementNews Story
The Tennessee lottery hired a Memphis law firm to help handle legal issues for the games even though board members knew it didn't meet a bid requirement of being in business for three years.In fact, Spence Wade PLLC was not officially formed until the day the lottery's legal services' selections were announced. The law firm was part of a consortium of four firms - led by Nashville-based Waller, Lansden, Dortch Davis - chosen in August to represent the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp.The oth
Dec 4, 2003, 5:49 am - Lottery News

Colorado lottery audit unveils woesNews Story
Report: Abuse of perks cuts into proceeds for open spaceState auditors released a report Monday on the Colorado Lottery, finding that its sales may be hitting a ceiling and that profits that should be going to parks and open space are being eaten up by increased prizes used to try to attract more players.The audit also unearthed a series of deep-seated problems in how the lottery monitors company-cellphone usage, its fleet of 55 vehicles and a gravy train of employee bonuses.Those costs also e
Dec 2, 2003, 4:10 am - Lottery News

Texas Lottery Closes Five Claim CentersNews Story
The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) has announced the closure of five claim centers located in San Angelo, Wichita Falls, Sherman, Bryan and Waco to be effective January 30, 2004. In addition to the closures, there will be a reduction of 2 Full Time Employees (FTEs), one in the Tyler center and the other in San Antonio. This type of decision is never easy to make, yet sometimes must be made given the circumstances, stated Texas Lottery Commission Deputy Executive Director Gary Grief. As with ot
Nov 20, 2003, 6:54 am - Lottery News

Indiana scores Powerball 3-peatNews Story
State is 1st to have 3 consecutive winners 3 times, officials of multistate game sayThe mystery of the state's nickname Hoosier was surely solved Thursday: It must mean lucky. The announcement of Powerball's third consecutive winning ticket makes Indiana the only state to sell three in a row an unparalleled three times.No one had claimed the $12.8 million jackpot by 5 p.m. Thursday, when the Hoosier Lottery office closed. The earlier back-to-back wins were in October and included Regina Manda
Nov 7, 2003, 4:49 am - Lottery News

House approves spending unclaimed lottery jackpot on collegesNews Story
The Florida Legislature voted unanimously Thursday to direct $30 million from an unclaimed lottery jackpot to community colleges and state universities.A ticket sold in the Miami area last March was the sole winner of a $50 million jackpot, but nobody turned it in before a 180-day deadline. The total amount available from the jackpot is $30.1 million -- the same as if the winner took a lump sum payment instead of 30 annual payments.State law normally requires unclaimed winnings to be put back in
Oct 24, 2003, 3:51 am - Lottery News

Will Alabama get gambling?News Story
One of the biggest stories in the South over the past 13 years is the transformation of the conservative Bible Belt into a hotbed of legalized gambling.Mississippi and Louisiana opened dockside and land-based casinos. Lotteries sprang up in Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, South Carolina and Louisiana, joining Florida, which established its lottery in 1986.Alabama remains the lone holdout for state-regulated gambling, although the state does have Indian casinos and wagering at dog tracks. Plans for
Oct 20, 2003, 4:15 am - Lottery News