New York Lottery axes $1.4M in scholarships after taking in $7.5 billion in 2008
The New York Lottery has quietly halted its college scholarship program for more than 1,150 high school seniors, blaming the governor's budget cuts.
One student from every high school in the state has been eligible for a $5,000 Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship since 2000.
The cut will save the agency, which took in about $7.5 billion in revenues last year, about $1.4 million.
A Lottery spokeswoman said the cut was necessary to comply with Gov. Paterson's request that all agencies cut abo ...
Feb 27, 2009, 7:48 am - - Lottery News forum
Illinois Senate president hopes to expand lottery
Internet sales being contemplated
Hoping to squeeze more money out of the state lottery, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton wants to sell tickets online and hire a private company to manage and market the games.
Cullerton thinks new technology and fresh ideas could help Illinois facing what could be a $9 billion hole in next year's budget dramatically boost lottery revenues.
I would venture to say you could potentially even double it, the Chicago Democrat said in a recent intervi ...
Feb 16, 2009, 9:38 pm - - Lottery News forum
Georgia Lottery considers casino options
Plan aims to increase jobs, scholarship money
Underground Atlanta's developers have put their cards on the table to bring casino-style gaming to Georgia.
Dan O'Leary and John Aderhold, the leaseholders of Underground, have approached the Georgia Lottery board with plans for a half billion-dollar casino and hotel complex that would inject cash into the HOPE Scholarship and generate millions of tax dollars for the region.
The leaseholders of city-supported Underground and Delaware horse t ...
Jan 14, 2009, 3:27 pm - - Lottery News forum
Many states' lottery sales are rising in recession
Even in these tough economic times, many people are feeling lucky.
More than half of all states with lotteries have reported rising sales over the past six months, and some researchers say financial insecurity might be driving people to risk more of their money than usual on $1 and $5 instant scratch-offs and other daily games in hopes of a big payoff.
Someday somebody is going to win and I hope it is me, said Albert Atwood of Nashville, who spends $100 weekly playing the Pick 5 and Lotto ...
Jan 12, 2009, 8:49 am - - Lottery News forum
Alaska lottery fundraiser hits the jackpot
With a half-million-dollar payoff as the lure, a lottery of unprecedented scale in Alaska has proven immensely popular, with tickets selling out in shops across the state as the initially scheduled drawing time approached Wednesday evening, according to organizers.
In the end, though, late-arriving ticket stubs from the Bush prompted organizers to postpone the drawing a week.
But liquor stores, pull-tab parlors and restaurants in nearly 30 communities had already sold about 130,000 tickets ...
Jan 1, 2009, 11:41 pm - - Lottery News forum
CEO: Bonuses in lottery business are necessary
In a year in which the state is cutting back on spending, freezing pay and laying off staffers, Georgia Lottery CEO Margaret DeFrancisco received a $150,000 bonus.
In all, lottery staffers received about $2.5 million in bonuses this year.
DeFrancisco said the incentives are necessary to keep the lottery which set sales records again this year competitive with other businesses in the market for top workers.
The whole point is to attract and retain really talented people, DeFrancisco sai ...
Dec 29, 2008, 10:33 am - - Lottery News forum
Massachusetts Lottery expecting sales to decline by $200M
With the economy struggling and people pinching pennies, the Massachusetts State Lottery has increased its estimate of an expected decline in ticket sales.
While the agency had said in October that it expected a 1.5 percent drop, or about $75 million, in sales, compared with the previous year, it now says it expects the drop to be 4 percent, or about $200 million.
Mark Cavanagh, the lottery's executive director, emphasized that fiscal 2008, which ended in July, was a record year for the Lo ...
Dec 5, 2008, 3:57 pm - - Lottery News forum
Kentucky Lottery reports record revenues, lower profits
The Kentucky Lottery brought in record revenues despite a souring economy, an audit released Wednesday showed.
The audit of the Kentucky Lottery showed that the lottery brought in $778.2 million up about 4.6 percent from the previous year but its profits were down about 2.7 percent.
That's because the lottery increased its prize payouts to players and paid higher retailer commissions. But the amount of money the lottery paid to state scholarship programs, including the Kentucky Educational ...
Nov 28, 2008, 10:54 am - - Lottery News forum
Maryland Lottery sales on the rise
The appeal of a rags to riches story has never been more desirable than now.
With a faltering economy dominating the minds and wallets of many, and stores predicting flat sales during the holiday season, Marylanders are spending less on retail goods. Yet local vendors agree on one thing.
Lottery sales have increased this year.
According to the Maryland Lottery, instant scratch-off sales are up almost $45 million from this time last year. Overall lottery sales are up by almost $10 millio ...
Nov 28, 2008, 9:54 am - - Lottery News forum
N.H. hopes to begin selling lottery tickets at Wal-Mart
New Hampshire is looking to Wal-Mart as a possible way to help boost its lottery revenue.
Lottery Director Rick Wisler said lottery machines in Wal-Mart stores could boost sales.
Wal-Mart has resisted requests around the country to sell lottery products. But next year, Arkansas, where Wal-Mart is based, is starting its own lottery, and that has lottery officials everywhere thinking the development might encourage the retailer to change its mind.
Gov. John Lynch last week called on the l ...
Nov 26, 2008, 8:21 am - - Lottery News forum
