Lottery News for February 2016

February 2016

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Florida woman gives away $43 million Lotto jackpot 2:04 pm - Florida Lottery officials said a Largo woman was the winner of a $43 million jackpot, and she said she's not keeping a penny of it. 69 comments (last)

Friday, February 26, 2016

Ex-wife of big UK lottery winner still wouldn't take him back 9:15 am - The ex-wife of the man who won a £32.5 million (US$45.5 million) lottery jackpot has said she would not take her former spouse back, even with his multi-million fortune. 20 comments (last)

Thursday, February 25, 2016

UK couple waits for house to be painted, then claims £32.5M lottery jackpot 7:47 am - A Cambridgeshire couple who won £32.5 million (US$45.5 million) on the lottery have been identified — and they've revealed the bizarre reason they carried the winning ticket around for a week before claiming the massive windfall. 26 comments (last)

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

19-year-old shot over winning Kentucky lottery ticket 5:46 pm - Two men are behind bars after being accused of shooting a 19-year-old for his winning lottery ticket two weeks ago near Churchill Downs. 27 comments (last)

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Store employees accused of stealing $140,000 in lottery tickets 8:45 pm - Three Oshkosh, Wisconsin, women each face a felony theft charge after authorities say they collectively stole more than $140,000 in lottery tickets from their employer during the course of three years. 22 comments (last)

Twin sisters split $6 million California Lottery prize 4:59 pm - Twin sisters from California are now millionaires after winning $6 million in a scratch-off lotto ticket. 21 comments (last)

Iowa House votes to allow touchscreen lottery machines 4:55 pm - The Iowa House kicked off the seventh week of the 2016 session by approving a bill to make buying lottery tickets easier. 12 comments (last)

How a group of MIT students gamed the Massachusetts Lottery 1:11 pm - The story of how a group of MIT students, as well as rival groups, legally gamed the Massachusetts Lottery by taking advantage of a unique in-state lottery game. 14 comments (last)

Monday, February 22, 2016

Scratch games power increased Arizona Lottery revenues 5:40 pm - Arizona Lottery sales exceeded $379.9 million during the first half of its 2016 fiscal year, representing an increase of 12.2 percent over the same period during the previous fiscal year. 5 comments (last)

Homeless man helped by lottery winner arrested for failing to register as sex offender 9:20 am - A homeless man who was given a warm bed and some loving care by a Massachusetts lottery winner was arrested Thursday for failing to register as a sex offender. 31 comments (last)

No consensus on what an Alabama lottery would look like 9:08 am - There are strong opinions on both side of the Alabama lottery issue, but even the lawmakers who do want a lottery don't agree on what kind of lottery is right for the state. 11 comments (last)

Friday, February 19, 2016

Odds not in favor of Alabamians voting on a lottery this year 11:33 am - Leadership in the Alabama Senate says there's less than a coin flip's chance a lottery bill passes the upper chamber this year. 12 comments (last)

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Florida couple claims share of historic $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot 3:05 pm - A married couple from Melbourne Beach, Florida, have claimed their one-third share of the world's biggest lottery jackpot of all time. 80 comments (last)

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Massachusetts woman spent lottery winnings to help homeless man 5:33 pm - A Massachusetts woman won the lottery, and quickly spent all the reward money to help a homeless man on Saturday. 37 comments (last)

Why you might go bankrupt if your next-door neighbor wins the lottery 10:12 am - Research released this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia found a significant jump in bankruptcies among households living near someone who won a big lottery jackpot. 39 comments (last)

Ohio Lottery's Cash Explosion Show wildly popular after 29 years 9:29 am - Twenty-nine years after it launched, the Ohio Lottery's Cash Explosion show remains must-see TV for thousands of Ohioans, who turn in every Saturday evening to watch ordinary folks jump, cry and scream over winning tens of thousands of dollars. 7 comments (last)

Monday, February 15, 2016

N.C. Powerball winner target of $10M lawsuit by local pastor 9:01 am - Marie Holmes, North Carolina's $188 million Powerball lottery winner, is back in the news again. 110 comments (last)

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Pennsylvania Lottery pays off for state's senior citizens 5:52 pm - Since its first drawing in 1972, Pennsylvania's lottery has contributed nearly $25 billion to senior programs for low-cost prescription drugs, free and reduced-fare transportation, rebates on property taxes and rent, long-term care services and senior centers. 6 comments (last)

Friday, February 12, 2016

NJ Lottery holds annual second-chance drawing 7:33 pm - The New Jersey Lottery held the Grand Prize Drawing of the 2015 Million Dollar Replay program with more than 100 semi-finalists and their guests in attendance at the War Memorial in Trenton. 5 comments (last)

Man to use lottery winnings to open new business 11:11 am - A Kansas man who won a $10,000 lottery prize plans to use his winnings to make his dreams come true by opening his own business. 15 comments (last)

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Pennsylvania Lottery testing payment with credit, debit cards 3:50 pm - People can now use debit and credit cards to purchase Pennsylvania lottery tickets at nine Smoker's Express stores in the Harrisburg area as part of a new payment trial. 30 comments (last)

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Alabama House committee OKs lottery bill 5:06 pm - A House committee Wednesday afternoon approved a bill that would allow voters to decide whether to establish a lottery in the state of Alabama. 7 comments (last)

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Arizona AG begins investigation of former Lottery director 7:45 pm - The former Arizona Lottery director, who abruptly resigned last month following allegations of mismanagement of the agency, is under investigation by the Attorney General Mark Brnovich's office. 7 comments (last)

Lottery bill scheduled for early hearing in Alabama Legislature 10:31 am - A proposal by some Republican lawmakers to allow a statewide vote on a lottery is scheduled for discussion in a public hearing on Wednesday. 5 comments (last)

Friday, February 5, 2016

Jury: Lottery winner must pay ex-boyfriend part of winnings 12:55 pm - A jury Thursday ruled that a former middle school teacher who won a $1 million lottery jackpot must pay $291,000 to her former sweetheart, who testified that he handed her the money to buy the winning ticket. 38 comments (last)

Thursday, February 4, 2016

First lawsuit in state lottery-fixing scandal seeks millions 9:10 pm - An Iowa man could become a key player in a barrage of litigation that threatens to cost state lotteries tens of millions of dollars in damages in an insider jackpot-rigging scandal. 31 comments (last)

With $63M jackpot expiring today, Calif. Lottery sued by owner of damaged ticket 2:16 pm - With just hours remaining before California Lottery officials declare a $63-million jackpot winner an official no-show, a Los Angeles County man has filed legal papers saying he is the rightful winner and that lottery officials have "destroyed" the evidence. 52 comments (last)

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

$63 million California Lottery jackpot expires Thursday 8:53 am - Like a magical horse-drawn carriage that transforms into a pumpkin at midnight, someone's winning $63-million lottery ticket is about to turn into a worthless scrap of paper, according to California Lottery officials. 33 comments (last)

Tennessee Powerball lottery winners sued by inmate 8:28 am - A prison inmate has filed a lawsuit that attempts to halt the payout of the Tennessee Powerball winners' share of the $1.6 billion jackpot. 43 comments (last)

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Florida lottery winner back in court for retrial 10:10 am - A retired Florida school teacher is back in court this week, fighting to keep her $1 million dollar lottery win. 18 comments (last)

Monday, February 1, 2016

Va. grocery store worker's lottery ticket mistake turns into $7 million grand prize 8:20 am - A Virginia grocery store employee's mistake during Powerball jackpot fever earlier this month ended up turning into a $7 million windfall. 46 comments (last)