Mega Millions $656 million jackpot causes traffic spike at lotto sites
The record $656 million Mega Millions jackpot on March 30 caused a huge lift in traffic to lottery-related Web sites, according to the latest comScore Media Metrix report released today, with LotteryPost.com cited among the industry's biggest winners.
comScore reported that the Lotto/Sweepstakes category attracted nearly 29 million visitors in March, a 25 percent increase, making it the top-gaining category for the month — by far. The next-highest gaining category was Travel (transactions), with an increase of 12 percent (3.8 million visitors).
The top lottery-related Web sites on the comScore report for the month of March were:
- MegaMillions.com (6.4 million visitors, up 590 percent)
- CALottery.com (3.2 million visitors, up 101 percent)
- LotteryPost.com (1.5 million visitors, up 62 percent)
- Powerball.com (1.5 million visitors, no increase noted)
(Two Web sites mentioned in the comScore report, EPrize.net and SwagBucks.com, are not lottery-related, so they are excluded from this "top-4".)
"The record Mega Millions jackpot climb was an amazing phenomenon to watch and experience," said Todd Northrop, Founder of Lottery Post. "It was equally wonderful to see that lottery players from around the USA — and from around the world — found that Lottery Post was a great place to find information about the Mega Millions game and to get the winning numbers after the drawing."
But, according to Northrop, the actual Web visitor picture may be even better than reported by comScore, which estimates traffic volumes.
"Because Lottery Post has a big, loyal following that comes directly to our site, many of our visitors do not get counted by comScore, so the count of Web visitors to Lottery Post is actually more than twice as large as comScore reports," Northrop explained.
The record Mega Millions jackpot was also a boon for lottery sales nationwide, as millions of people who don't normally play the lottery lined up for tickets for the unprecedented drawing.
At the La Fleur's Lottery Symposium held in Washington, D.C. this week, lottery staffers universally spoke of Mega Millions glowingly. Northrop, who attended the conference, says it was clear that Mega Millions provided a windfall to the lottery industry.
"Even in conference topics that didn't deal with jackpot games, the Mega Millions record jackpot was discussed with a certain amount of glee," Northrop said. "Of course, there was also sympathy expressed for the Florida director, because Florida is one state that doesn't offer the game, and couldn't reap the same financial benefits as everyone else in the room."
Lottery Post is currently ranked by QuantCast as the 821st-largest Web site in the United States, with only a few government-run lottery sites above it in the rankings. It is by far the largest non-government (independent) lottery-related Web site on the Internet today.
"We are proud of the work we have accomplished in becoming a vital part of the lottery industry, and very optimistic about the future with all the things we have planned," said Northrop. "Most of all, we are grateful to the millions of members and visitors who continue to come here every day and make our community their home for lottery information and winning numbers."
Well, this is a fun and very resourceful web site so I'm not exactly surprised..... but all the same, CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Congrats, Todd - you deserve it!!!!
Congrats Todd! Awesome site ya got here!
Congrats Todd.
You deserve one of the old WTGs
Congratulations Todd, Job well done.
Congrats Todd Vader!
Happy Happy Joy Joy ........
Kudos Todd..............Great job !!!!
Congratulations!
Hey Todd, this is the best site ever! Many more years to come!
Thanks all for the feedback! It's been a fun week, this just made it even better! :)
w2g !!!
Ok forget Romney and Obama, we've got our own brain power here on LP to take this country into the future. And the nominations are:
Todd - President
Ridge - Vice President
Jill - Secretary of State
Golfer - Secretary of Housing
dpoly1 - Head of the Military
Cletus - Secretary of the Treasury
Louise - First Lady
McGinnis - Press Secretary
Unfortunately, my brain power is running out of nominations but feel free to nominate yourself for whatever cabinet post you'd like to run. We can do this!
I feel no sympathy for the Florida director, they have Disney World to make their state lots of money! lol
Are they going to change their mind and join in or what? If not too bad, they're missing out on all the fun
because I know MegaMillions is going to go into record levels again and they'll wish they had.
not surprised because this sit has such a great community
How did President Johnson say it?If nominated I will not accept,If elected I will not serve! Or something to that effect.I feel the same way.I don't want to control anyone elses money.(there are plenty of other people on this board that will be more than happy to control other peoples money)
way to go todd
There are other lottery sites?
In all seriousness, congratulations and to be honest I don't go to the other sites anymore since the numbers are updated here hours before they are posted on the other major sites.
Its the real life stories about different aspects of lottery that bring me here. I always wonder if I would still come here if I won big.
Maybe I would, to say goodbye and reveal my strategy that won. Then it would be adios amigos.
This website is great in motivating a person to keep playing, takes away the loneliness. Its a nice website. Great Job Todd
Can I be secretary/liason of the Arts and Culture? I promise not to bring any cheap "art reception" wine!
too bad i got more time than money!!!
Lets go dream team!!! 007 009!!!!!
Thanks again todd in your efforts for helping us all to get very rich!!!
Or, thanks Todd, for at least helping us all watch other people get very lottery rich/wealthy!
I would petition for a motion to create this position for Artist. The elimination of the "cheap" wine was the clincher!
As the newly designated Press Secretary,
my first order of business would be requiring all citizens to have a "mandatory" Platinum
membership with LP. This of course would be after they successfully passed the pre-member exam, on all the rules and protocols first.
lol I knew that was the deal clincher and I do not even drink....lol.
Actually I don't either, but I remember tasting some real terrible cheap wine a few years back. There should be a ban on that weasel piss!
Yea they do seem to serve pretty cheap stuff at art receptions in particular. I had a sip a couple of times and it was pretty gross even from my limited wine palette. I always call it the dimestore bubble bath wine....it smells and taste like that. Of course, the alkes down it like water.
Woo Hoo! Congrats Todd!
Love Lottery Post!
First stop for lottery information, good people, and the occasional shenanigans. 
W2G Todd! and thank you for all you do.
In my past 15 years online, LP definitely ranks in the top of all of the communities that I've been a member of.
WTG Todd
Good Job
Congrats and Thank You, Todd!
Lottery Post is the standard by which others should be judged.
Because in all things lottery, this is the pinnacle.
It don't get no better than this.
Thank you Todd and congratulations on your success.
-Ridge
i like this, so ditto...
Yes, the cadilliac of lottery web sites, the standard of the world.
thank you Todd.
and congrats to LP.
Congratulations!
Yay Todd!!!!!!! So exciting to hear!!! u rock!!! congrats man!!
Off subject .......... but the latest Powerball winner is from my State, Pennsylvania, and will get a wire transfer of about $80,775,000! The only other tax obligation will be to either pay the remaining 10% Federal Tax or mitigate that remaining Federal Tax obligation ...........
I owe no-one any portion of this jackpot should I be the winner, but that does not mean that I would not be generous to those persons or organizations that I choose to donate money to ................
This post has been typed in the Bentley colour of Thunder
As soon as I saw the winner was from PA, I knew you'd be jumping out of your skin dpoly.
So don't keep us in suspense, are you the one?
If you no longer post in the next few day's we will assume yes, and a big congrat's!
...........
Like hundreds of others, you didn't have to to know it wasn't you.
Dpoly:
Good cover. Just come out and admit it----YOU WON. I won't ask for any handouts
Good luck man!
Winning Powerball ticket was sold just down the road from Scottdale in West Newton!
The winning Powerball ticket was not sold at the West Newton Giant Eagle.
They sold a $2,000,000 winner, sorry!
West Jersey (Philly) transit workers won. That doesn't count as a Pennsylvania win!
Were you among one of those transit workers dpoly!!!
Now lot me check.....uh... no, jersey still has only 21 counties, pa. still has 67.
you can't reroute the delaware river LOL looks like you're stuck w/ philly.
Congra'$>>>>>>>>>Todd:
U MAY BN 4 a PROMOTION S@@N no moe bottle wash'n
L@@K's like D LP will BN billion'$$
soon$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
comming s@@n 2D world of LOTTERY$$$
Sorry, I never had any good experience in Philly, other than leaving!
I was gonna go to Philly one time til I saw a documentary on them Philly Cheesesteaks.
That cheese they put on them things is Cheez Whiz...
Gag... barf... puke...
Had some good times there, but I can relate to what you're saying,
where in philly did you live, and how old were you when you left,
i'm from 5th & olney, left in 83, when i was 28.
I Don't blame you, the most famous places do that,
don't know why, media maybe ?
many other places use a sliced white deli cheese, melted on the steak just as meat is finished cooking,
if you don't make good food there, your business won't last,
can't explain the cheese whiz places, great loc. or ppl. w/ sucker habits ?