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
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
Ohio Lottery's new Keno game off to slow start
The bingo-like lottery game that began this summer in Ohio to help plug the gaping hole in the state budget is off to a slow start.
Keno has been hindered by a weak economy and challenges getting it established at 2,000 bars and restaurants, said Mike Dolan, executive director of the Ohio Lottery.
The game is a central part of Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to insulate the state budget from the economic downturn that has dried up tax revenue.
Keno started Aug. 4 and sales were roughly $32 m ...
Nov 26, 2008, 7:50 am - - Lottery News forum
Tenn. Lottery CEO blames lagging sales on Powerball
Hey, you wanted to be in the gambling business...
Tennessee officials are hedging their bets on Powerball to lift the lottery out of a sales slump that could hurt revenue projections for education.
Lottery CEO Rebecca Paul Hargrove says lottery sales have been running about $400,000 less per week than last year since the fiscal year began July 1.
She blames Powerball. The jackpot went over $300 million at one point last year but hasn't reached that level yet this year. Bigger jackpots i ...
Nov 18, 2008, 5:27 pm - - Lottery News forum
South Carolina lottery sales increase
South Carolina lottery officials say sales since July are up $6 million from the same period last year.
Lottery officials say profits should reach the $252 million goal needed to pay for college scholarships.
So, the economy is down, but people are still spending on lottery tickets.
Peggy Adams sells them every day at Gullies Convenience Store.
Because the economy is bad, and people are hoping to win some money to make things better, said Adams.
The obsession to strike it rich ha ...
Nov 14, 2008, 8:12 am - - Lottery News forum
Lawmakers steamed about lottery promotion
The Maine Lottery is getting strong, bipartisan criticism for its Funds For Fuel promotion as lawmakers say the lottery should not be using Mainers' fear of high fuel prices this winter to sell more lottery tickets.
I think it is misleading, Sen. Debra Plowman, R-Hampden, a member of the Legislature's Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee that has oversight of the lottery, said this week. It almost sounds like some of the money will go to fuel assistance. It doesn't. It is just another way to ...
Nov 14, 2008, 7:39 am - - Lottery News forum
Arizona Lottery Sales Surge in October
The Arizona Lottery Wednesday reported a strong surge in October ticket sales compared to last year a strong sense that the organization's core consumers are maintaining their purchase behavior despite an economic slowdown impacting most Americans.
Sales were up 21 percent in September and 5.8 percent in October compared to those months last year.
Lottery sales are holding steady with continued year-over-year growth in its core Scratchers games and jackpot-motivated growth for games such a ...
Nov 14, 2008, 7:18 am - - Lottery News forum
Oklahoma lottery seeking more prize money
Oklahoma lottery officials may try to ask the Legislature to put more money into prizes, but a House leader doesn't expect they'll have much success.
Sales of lottery games are down about $9.6 million in the first 3 months of the 2009 fiscal year. Oklahoma Lottery Executive Director Jim Scroggins last week suggested that the commission approach lawmakers after the Nov. 4 elections.The idea did not win much support in this past legislative session and faces long odds this time around.
We a ...
Oct 21, 2008, 8:51 am - - Lottery News forum
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