Alaska lottery fundraiser hits the jackpot

Comment #8

myturn — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:35:02 GMT

They could offer a subscription throughout the country, not just to Alaska residence. The Massachusetts lottery's subscription service to open to all, not just in-state residence. When I called to buy my subscriptions I gave them my california address if was not a problem. The only difference was that they said they couldn't send my subscription tickets by US MAIL, that have to send them by courier and I had to pay $5 extra for that.

It's the same when I renewed, I just call give my acco... [ More ]

Comment #7

s5thomps — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:22:32 GMT

I think it could work if you tied in with one of the mult-state games like Mega Millions, powerball or Hot Lotto.

YOU BETCHA

Comment #6

DC81 — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:21:59 GMT

Not a big enough population to sustain it.

Comment #5

myturn — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 09:20:31 GMT

Alaska should set up a state lottery. Why not? It would raise funds for the public. Many people would support it, and people who are against lotteries are still free not to participate.

Comment #4

Drivedabizness — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:42:40 GMT

I was sent to Anchorage in December, 1995 (Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr) to work on an Iditarod Sled Dog Lottery . The idea was to sell simple, online tickets through the old dial-up ticket validation terminals. No need for a statewide dedicated phone line set-up (since non existed an putting one in would have been prohibitively expensive - especially for a one-time, event driven game).

What a week - dark till 11:30 a.m. and dark again at 3:30 p.m.. As soon as we arrived, guys from the State started sa... [ More ]

Comment #3

s5thomps — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:55:37 GMT

Thanks Todd!, I love the story, with the draw being as successful as it was, I am sure it's a matter of time until we get a state lottery here in Alaska. I might just send Gov Palin a letter telling her all the benefits it can have for Alaska and she can go on CNN and take the credit for implementing the start of it.

Comment #2

Todd — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:31:45 GMT

Ugh! I feel for you, missing out on the draw. I'll try to keep my eye out in advance the next time one comes around.

I love the part in the story about the drawing being delayed for a week, while the tickets come in from the bush . You all are truly on the frontier! Love your Gov.

Comment #1

s5thomps — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:25:51 GMT

Guess I missed out on that one! Pull Tabs are really popular here in Alaska, I think the state should try to tie in with either Powerball or Mega Millions or maybe one of the smaller multi-state lotteries like Hot Lotto. I think that would solve the population issue and Alaskans would have a chance at a large jackpot.

YOU BETCHA

Alaska lottery fundraiser hits the jackpot

Lottery Post — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:41:03 GMT

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... [ More ]