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Convicted computerized drawing fraudster argues Iowa court appealNews Story
The attorney for a former lottery official accused of fixing jackpots in several states argued Thursday that his client's conviction last year on fraud charges should be thrown out. Eddie Tipton, the former Multi-State Lottery Association computer security director, appealed his July 2015 convictions related to fixing an Iowa Hot Lotto game in 2010, which resulted in a 10-year prison sentence. He is free on bond during the appeal. Tipton's attorney, Dean Stowers, told a three-judge Iowa Co
Jun 16, 2016, 8:18 pm - Lottery News

In South Dakota you can now smoke and play video lotteryNews Story
South Dakota video lottery terminals can be placed in vented smoke shacks that some bar owners have built onto their establishments, according to several state administration officials. An administrative policy now being followed by the South Dakota Lottery allows smoking at a video lottery establishment if it occurs in a non-enclosed area. South Dakota voters ratified a state law in 2010 that banned smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants and gambling establishments. But
Jun 7, 2016, 9:29 am - Lottery News

N.D. convenience store sells state's largest lottery prize everNews Story
The largest prize ever won in the history of the North Dakota Lottery was sold at a Kum Go store in Williston. According to the North Dakota Lottery, the Mega Millions ticket, drawn Tuesday, is worth $3 million. The winning numbers were 17, 24, 27, 48, and 75, with Mega Ball number 6. The Megaplier drawn was 3. The winner has 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. The ticket matched all white balls making it worth $1 million. Because the lottery player purchased the Me
May 18, 2016, 6:43 pm - Lottery News

Investigators find another friend of Tipton who cashed rigged lottery prizeNews Story
Scandal goes beyond jackpots to smaller prizes too A friend of the former security director of the Multi-State Lottery Association who is implicated in a jackpot-fixing scandal was given a winning Kansas Lottery ticket worth $15,000 in 2011 as an engagement gift, she said Wednesday. Iowa prosecutors had Amy DeMoney testify Wednesday in a hearing for Eddie Tipton, who faces trial in July for ongoing criminal conduct and money laundering charges for games he allegedly fixed in Colorado, Kans
May 11, 2016, 5:54 pm - Lottery News

Preliminary hearing rescheduled for Tommy Tipton in lottery rigging caseNews Story
The latest case in a large-scale lottery rigging scheme is headed to the courtroom next week. Tommy Tipton turned himself in earlier this month after being charged with ongoing criminal conduct. Tommy's brother is former Multi-State Lottery Association employee Eddie Tipton, who is currently serving prison time for tampering with lottery equipment. Police say Eddie rigged the Hot Lotto game electronically to win him a jackpot for $16 million in December of 2010. Prosecutors recently
Apr 22, 2016, 9:53 am - Lottery News

Lottery rigging scandal prompts security audit in South DakotaNews Story
The scandal unfolding in Iowa, where software allowed some results to be rigged in multi-state lotto drawings, has added to concerns among South Dakota Lottery officials, spurring them to proceed Thursday in requesting proposals for a security review of South Dakota Lottery facilities. The review also would cover the statewide video-lottery system and the statewide lotto jackpot system. Each separately connects with hundreds of private businesses. The scratch-ticket system also would be
Apr 13, 2016, 7:22 pm - Lottery News

Multi-state Wild Card 2 game ending in FebruaryNews Story
North Dakota joining Lucky for Life multi-state game By Todd Northrop Wild Card 2, a multi-state lottery game currently offered in four states, is ending with the Feb. 24 drawing. The lottery game that has been played in one form or another for more than 20 years is being dropped after a fall in popularity, according to lottery officials. Wild Card 2 offers two plays for $1. It got its start in 1994 as Tri-West Lotto and was offered only in Idaho, Montana and South Dakota. In 1998, i
Jan 18, 2016, 9:59 am - Lottery News

Federal officials work to extradite Jamaican lottery scammersNews Story
Jamaican lottery scammer Sanjay Williams got off a plane in Charlotte, North Carolina, in June 2013, on his way to meet with the people who moved money for him. He was promptly arrested by U.S. law enforcement authorities, convicted in May and sentenced to 20 years in a U.S. prison. While the arrest on American soil spared authorities from extraditing Williams, rounding up his associate in the wide-ranging operation and 13 other suspects still believed to be in Jamaica is proving to be more o
Dec 26, 2015, 1:27 pm - Lottery News

Michigan lottery winners could remain anonymous under House billNews Story
You've heard the touching stories: a waitress, retiree or unemployed worker hits the jackpot and wins the state lottery. Under a bill approved by the Michigan House Regulatory Reform committee on a 13-2 vote Wednesday, those stories would probably disappear because all lottery winners would be able to remain anonymous. The bill would prohibit the state lottery office from disclosing information about an individual who won any lottery prize unless that winner authorizes the release of infor
May 14, 2015, 8:12 am - Lottery News

Jamaican DJ to plead guilty in lottery scamNews Story
A prominent Jamaican disc jockey charged for his role in a lottery scam targeting older people in the Dakotas and elsewhere is scheduled to plead guilty. Deon-ville O'Hara, also known as ZJ Wah Wa, is among 26 people who were indicted by a federal grand jury in North Dakota, where the investigation is centered. He is charged with three counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. A plea agreement filed last month calls for O'Hara to plead guilty to conspiracy, which carr
Oct 8, 2014, 7:37 am - Lottery News