Michigan Lottery starts 'Lucky Dog' scratch game

Apr 3, 2006, 7:28 am (5 comments)

Michigan Lottery

The Michigan Lottery launches a new game on April 10, a $1 scratch-off named "Lucky Dog" with a picture of a Michigan dog on every ticket.

The lottery staff picked the seven winning dogs from photos submitted by about 1,100 Michigan dog owners. The lottery looked for cuteness and a representative range of breeds. No money is paid to the winners.

"The response exceeded our expectations by far, and I think it shows how much people in Michigan love their dogs," Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters told The Detroit News.

Michigan residents have 2.18 million pet dogs, the American Veterinary Medical Association says.

Peters has ordered 5.5 million Lucky Dog tickets. The top prizes is $5,000, and the lottery will pay out $3.25 million in prize money.

Theresa Neubauer, owner of 2-year-old featured-dog Milo, says she thinks the new game is a good idea.

"People who like animals might well gravitate toward picking a ticket with a dog on it," said Neubauer, a postal worker from Macomb County's Clinton Township. "My friends are all waiting for this ticket to come out."

Ken Lehocky, a retiree from Berrien Springs, owns 3-year-old Barney.

"Since he was a puppy, when 'Law & Order' comes on with that big boom, he jumps up and looks at the TV. After the opening scene when someone got killed or whatever, the music comes on and Barney just starts singing along, howling," said Lehocky. "And after the music stops he just lays down."

Colleen Clark of Alpena owns Abbey, a 5-year-old able to catch tennis balls.

She will chase a ball until your arm falls off," said Clark, a real estate agent. "I was totally shocked when the lottery people called to tell me that out of 1,100 photos Abbey was chosen."

"Of course, when you get a call from the lottery, you hope it's something else."

The Michigan Lottery sold $2.1 billion in tickets, gave $1.2 billion in prizes and paid $668 million into K-12 education last year.

AP

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LOTTOMIKE's avatarLOTTOMIKE

congrats to those whose dogs were represented.i love animals myself.i have a chihuahua and he'll be 6 in june......

SassyOhio's avatarSassyOhio

I love my Doggie's too!! Lover There Mommy's Babies! If any of you ever want to check my Babies out I even have a web site for them ( Tee hee hee)  http://mommas-babies.tripod.com/   

MIKE , being a animal lover you may enjoy it!

Now onto the SERIOUS NOTE  LOL!!!  We have a "Lucky Dog" ticket here in Ohio. I think that its a $1.00 ticket ( I dont play the dollar tickets) And I think that on the Ohio Lottery site there is maybe one story that I remember maybe being like a 7,500 hitter  ( but dont quote me on that  lol)  but yeah our version of the "Lucky Dog" is bad so Hope you all enjoy yours alot better Michigan!!!!!Approve

DoubleDown

This isn't news to me: ALL of my tickets lately have been dogs...Dead

DD

SassyOhio's avatarSassyOhio

Hurray!  WHOOT WHOOT  I think that my luck at its high is this week everyone!!!!!!!!!!  I scratched of a 50.00  and a 15.00 and a 5.00  in one day  making this week about 200.00 in winnings my best week yet !!!!!Cheers

Lucky$even

"Of course, when you get a call from the lottery, you hope it's something else."

Wouldn't that be great if you just got a random call from the lottery commission telling you that you won without having done a thing?

 

P.S. I doubt many people decide to buy vs not buy instant tickets based on esthetics. That's more of a buying ticket A vs ticket B thing, if at all.

P.S.S. With the $2.25 mil the state will be pulling in (plus unclaimed winnings) you would think they could spare a hundred or two for the dog winners. Give 'em a few extra bags of Puppy Chow or something.

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