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How a gaming geek with a checkered past pulled off the biggest lottery scam in U.S. historyNews Story
12-15-18-29-38-41. Eddie Tipton jotted down the numbers on a yellow sticky note as he sat at his desk in Urbandale more than a decade ago. Around him were more sticky notes filled with number sets that he carefully wrote down as they spun up on his computer screen. The numbers were generated by a cryptic two-line software code Tipton had planted in his employer's computer system at the Multi-State Lottery Association. The office building was virtually empty as Tipton ran test after test
Mar 16, 2018, 7:48 am - Lottery News

Lottery scammer rigged more drawings than first thought, records showNews Story
The computer program that a former lottery security official used to rig drawings worth millions of dollars in Iowa and other states was more expansive than investigators first discovered, court records filed last week show. Eddie Tipton, a former employee of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) in Clive, wrote the code to allow him to predict the randomly drawn numbers of multimillion-dollar jackpots in as many as 17 states and claim the cash prizes. The code remained active and und
Feb 19, 2018, 6:03 pm - Lottery News

Lotto America multi-state lottery game tickets on sale SundayNews Story
New game replaces canceled Hot Lotto By Todd Northrop What's old is new again. Ripping a page from the 1980s, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) is starting a new game on Sunday called Lotto America the original name of what is now known as Powerball. The throwback name is probably a good idea, since the new game has the difficult task of helping people forget the tumultuous ending to Hot Lotto, the game it replaces. Fortunately for lottery players, not only does the new g
Nov 10, 2017, 10:15 am - Lottery News

Winner sues Colorado Lottery 12 years after rigged drawingNews Story
A decade after Colorado engineer Amir Massihzadeh hit the lottery, two state agents visited him with stunning news: He was likely the only legitimate winner of a $4.8 million jackpot he'd had to split three ways. They told the Boulder resident that the other two people who had won the 2005 drawing were linked to a conspiracy in which a lottery insider and several cohorts had rigged drawings in several states. Now Massihzadeh, 62, is suing for the rest of the winnings that he feels should have
Oct 5, 2017, 6:57 pm - Lottery News

Panama woman wins $30 million Florida Lotto jackpot with online purchaseNews Story
Second huge USA jackpot win through online service By Todd Northrop Lightning has struck twice for online lottery ticket service theLotter, which had its second United States lottery jackpot winner when a Panamanian player claimed a $30 million Florida Lotto jackpot this month. Inspired by an article about a Scottish lottery winner, Aura Dominguez Canto, 60, of Panama City, Panama, started playing USA lotteries using the online service in June. After signing up with the website, Aura
Aug 29, 2017, 8:14 pm - Lottery News

Lottery rigging mastermind sentenced to 25 years in prisonNews Story
A former lottery security chief was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday for rigging the computerized lottery drawings in several states so he could collect the jackpots. Eddie Tipton, former security director of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), received the maximum sentence from an Iowa judge, who mentioned Tipton's greed in his sentencing. I certainly regret my actions, Tipton told the court. It's difficult even saying that with all the people that I know behind me that
Aug 22, 2017, 4:49 pm - Lottery News

Hot Lotto multi-state lottery game to end in OctoberNews Story
By Todd Northrop Hot Lotto, a multi-state lottery draw game currently played in 14 states, will end this October. The final Hot Lotto drawing will be conducted on Saturday, Oct. 28. It is normal practice in the lottery industry to change your gaming mix and keep products fresh in the field. Based on overall performance after 15 years, it was time to make a change, West Virginia Lottery Director Alan Larrick said. The 14 lotteries that offer Hot Lotto are working on new game options that w
Aug 9, 2017, 8:15 am - Lottery News

Lottery rigging accomplice used Wisconsin payout for offshore tax scamNews Story
After Robert Rhodes collected a Wisconsin Lottery jackpot that had been rigged by his friend Eddie Tipton, he used the windfall for an investment scheme that produced another wave of undeserved government money, court records show. Rhodes, an accomplice in a scandal that has shaken state lotteries, recently explained under oath how he used the $783,000 payout to receive an additional $180,000 in bogus tax refunds. The Texas businessman sent his lottery winnings offshore to buy a phony insuran
Jul 6, 2017, 6:53 pm - Lottery News

Maine loses Powerball, Mega Millions during state closureNews Story
After Saturday night, Maine residents will not be able to purchase some multi-state lottery games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions, until the state shutdown ends, state officials announced Saturday. At convenience stores in Portland on Saturday, a bright red screen flashed with Breaking News near cash registers, letting customers know that they had until 9:30 p.m. to purchase Hot Lotto tickets and 9:50 p.m. to buy Powerball tickets. Mega Millions and Lucky for Life stopped being sold on F
Jul 2, 2017, 9:12 am - Lottery News

IT'S OFFICIAL: Tipton pleads guilty to rigging computerized lottery drawingsNews Story
The cyber security expert and brainpower behind a lottery rigging scandal that netted $2 million in illegal winnings from five state lotteries pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony charge of ongoing criminal conduct charge. For the first time in an Iowa courtroom, Eddie Tipton admitted to playing a central role in the rigging scheme after more than two years of adamant denials in the face of mounting evidence against him. Pursuant a plea agreement, Tipton, 54, now faces spending up to 25 yea
Jun 29, 2017, 10:52 am - Lottery News