Illinois Lottery may privatize lottery to solve budget woes

Comment #19

KY Floyd — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:43:50 GMT

Sure there are plenty of people spending $30 or more per week, but there are plenty of people who who only spend a few bucks, and plenty who don't play at all. I've seen people spending $20 to $100 at a clip, but the vast majority of people I see are spending less than $5. With a lot of that spent on one of the jackpot games that means they aren't doing that more than a couple of times a week. On any given trip where I buy a ticket most of the people I see don't buy any tickets. Then there's the... [ More ]

Comment #18

HaveABall — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:15:17 GMT

Probably a much lower percentage of monies should remain going to public schools (after all they are: too many years, too many daily hours, too much homework, dangerous bus environments [only one adult per bus to drive, none to keep peaceful!], don't teach diadic communication courses intermitently, are frustraiting, offer uninteresting projects, don't teach the children clients the purpose they are in school, don't envoke enjoyment, reading, enunciation, confidence, hobbies ideas, children clie... [ More ]

Comment #17

ca-dreamin* — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:01:36 GMT

I don't know but where I live and where I work it's the poorer people I see plopping down the money on pick 3 and scratchers and I'm sure they're spending more than 31 dollars per week. I see ALOT of daily players and they always play lots of numbers.

Comment #16

ca-dreamin* — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:54:59 GMT

A private company now runs the parking meters in Chicago and it's been a headache for people who feed the meters. And my understanding is the contract is for the next 75 years.

Comment #15

pick4hawk — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:07:51 GMT

I idea to sell the lottery is not new

Rod Blagojevich originally sugested it while he was still in office.

The state court system employees and gov employees are payed way way too much.

They recieve retirement when everyone else is stuck with at best a 401k.

For decades normal people have been stuck paying for government employees retirement by illinois consitutional law.

Gov needs to stop finding ways to get kick backs and actually help common people and the disabled.

Oh they... [ More ]

Comment #14

four4me — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 05:49:52 GMT

Why any state would want to privatize a cash cow for the state behooves me. The lottery is in the top 5 money making ventures the state has next to property tax and sales tax.

Comment #13

KY Floyd — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 05:38:26 GMT

There's something wrong with the numbers reported in the story. With a population of about 12.5 million, sales of $55 million per day would mean per capita spending of $31 per week on tickets. I'm sure that plenty of people spend that much, but I doubt it's an average. It would also mean an annual gross of over 20 billion. In that case the more than a half billion dollars annually reported in the story would indicate a profit to the state of about 2.5%.

Comment #12

rdgrnr — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:24:02 GMT

There'll never be a term limit in Chicago.

Too many people on the dole, payroll or entitlement system. They all vote religiously. That keeps corruption empowered.

Same thing Obama is trying to do.

Chicago is a lost cause - let's hope we can save the country.

Comment #11

ca-dreamin* — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:07:37 GMT

I've heard lots 'bout his old man. There needs to be a limit on how many terms these people serve. I'm not sure I would trust a private sector to handle the lottery. Somehow I would think Daley would be involved.

Comment #10

rdgrnr — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 02:08:23 GMT

I lived in Chicago under Daley's old man.

There used to be a saying about the power of the Mayor and the Governor:

When the head nods in Chicago, the tail wags in Springfield .

Ain't too much gets done without the input or OK of Hizzoner Da Mare.

Comment #9

ca-dreamin* — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:59:29 GMT

I'll be glad when I DON'T live in Illinois.

GRRR I wonder what Mayor Daley has to do with this.

I hope this doesn't go through!

What's next? Computerized draws?

LOL this is making ME sick to my stomach too

Comment #8

jrosina — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:01:28 GMT

And they are going to get away with it; Oh! it makes me sick to my stomach

Comment #7

mjwinsmith — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:48:25 GMT

Just think of the Hedge they can make off that, 14:1 betting, or Hedge and remember they get to KEEP a percent of the take. Move over Silly Bank, there is real money to be made.

Comment #6

jrosina — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:42:45 GMT

A Fifty five Million A Day! Piggy Bank

Comment #5

mjwinsmith — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:39:34 GMT

Oh goodie, Investment Bankers running state Lotteries, I guess they got all they could out of OUR Banking system so they are jumping on the next best thing.

Comment #4

rdgrnr — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:00:17 GMT

Actually it's good they're trying to dump it.

I trust private sector crooks more than our elected crooks.

Of course there's the matter of the big kickbacks now but that goes with the territory.

Illinois has some of the best politicians money can buy.

Comment #3

jrosina — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:47:23 GMT

They said...Fifty five ($55,000,000.00) MILLION A DAY, A DAY

Comment #2

THRUST — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:02:41 GMT

I am glad I don't live in Illinois.

Comment #1

rdgrnr — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:23:11 GMT

With Illinois having the highest percentage of politicians serving two terms (one in office - one in jail) it's fun watching them tiptoe on eggshells trying to maintain the appearance of propriety in this deal. It just goes completely against the nature of Illinois Democrats to be honest when there is big money available to be stolen.

This should be entertaining to say the least.

Illinois Lottery may privatize lottery to solve budget woes

Lottery Post — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:03:37 GMT

The search for revenue to help fix to the state's budget woes has put a spotlight on the Illinois State Lottery.

For more than three decades, the lottery has been a steady, reliable source of revenue for the state. Since 1985, it has brought in more than a half billion dollars annually.

But, just as other state and local governments have sold off assets to help balance their bottom line and avoid tax hikes, the lottery is now being marketed as a potential target for a hybrid brand of priva... [ More ]