Search

Coronavirus begins to impact lottery industryNews Story
But state lotteries are not doing enough to communicate with players By Todd Northrop Every aspect of life in America has been impacted by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), including the lottery. Although most lotteries continue to operate their drawings normally, some aspects of the games that require people to gather in one place have been shut down. Claim centers are one such area. Illinois and South Carolina claim centers have closed completely, allowing for only claims b
Mar 17, 2020, 9:24 am - Lottery News

Alabama lottery bill filed in House with 70 co-sponsorsNews Story
Alabama Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, filed an education lottery bill Tuesday with 70 co-sponsors that if passed would go to the ballot as a constitutional amendment for people to vote on. It would approve a paper-based lottery generating about $167 million each year according to Clouse. 50 percent of the proceeds would go toward the First Class Pre-K program and the other half for scholarships. Video lottery terminals would not be allowed. It's just time that we put this on the ballot agai
Mar 12, 2020, 10:48 am - Lottery News

NJ Lottery celebrates 50th anniversary with new gigantic scratch-off ticketNews Story
Includes video report Required retailers to install special 'double-wide' bins By Todd Northrop To honor its 50 years in operation, the New Jersey Lottery Monday released literally its biggest instant game ever: the Super 50 Scratch-Off. At a full 8 inches wide and 12 inches tall, the new game is more than double the size of any prior scratch-off ticket in the state. It's so big, the game is housed in special double-wide bin available at most of the state's 7000 Lottery retailers.
Mar 5, 2020, 12:34 pm - Lottery News

Alabama governor reestablishes study group for lotteryNews Story
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey reopened the Governor's Study Group on Gambling Policy by signing Executive Order 719. I am committed to, once and for all, getting the facts so that the people of Alabama can make an informed decision on what has been a hotly debated topic for many years, Ivey said in a press release. Without a doubt, there will be ramifications if we eventually expand gaming options in our state just as there are costs associated with doing nothing. The purpose of the study group i
Mar 5, 2020, 12:13 pm - Lottery News

Lottery exceeding expectations in MississippiNews Story
Through a little more than two months of operation, Mississippi's lottery has generated about $16 million in revenue for work on the state's roads and bridges. Thomas Shaheen, president of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation, speaking at a legislative hearing, recently estimated that during its first full fiscal year the lottery would generate $81 million in revenue for the state. We are very pleased with these early results, Shaheen said recently. Retailer and player support have been fa
Feb 17, 2020, 9:27 am - Lottery News

Despite predictions, state lottery ticket sales have not been hurt by casinosNews Story
For years, Rajesh Keshar heard the concerns of his fellow owners of corner stores in Everett, Massachusetts, about what the Encore Boston Harbor casino might do to their lottery sales. They worried that some customers would shift their spending from scratch tickets and numbers games to slot machines and gaming tables. Everybody was talking bad about it, said Keshar, who runs Elm Street Market, about 2.5 miles from the massive casino, which opened in June. I was thinking positive. Because I k
Feb 3, 2020, 9:37 am - Lottery News

Nearly $9 million of Mississippi Lottery tickets sold in first 6 daysNews Story
The Mississippi Lottery sold nearly $9 million in tickets during its first six days of operation. About $3.8 million of the money was awarded in prizes, and nearly $2 million of it will go into the state budget to help pay for roads and bridges. The Mississippi Lottery Corporation started selling tickets Nov. 25, and it announced the initial sales figures in a news release Wednesday. The corporation says the largest prize awarded has been $15,000. It says most people who are collecting
Dec 5, 2019, 10:29 am - Lottery News

Double cancer survivor wins $4.6 million lottery jackpotNews Story
An Oregon cancer survivor's lucky streak continued this month with a $4.6 million lottery win, according to state officials. I am a very lucky guy, winner Stu MacDonald of Bend said in a statement released by the Oregon Lottery on Friday. I have survived cancer twice and here I am. This is amazing. MacDonald bought the winning Oregon's Game Megabucks ticket Sept. 7, according to the Oregon Lottery. The Megabucks winning numbers for Sept. 7, 2019 were 12, 13, 16, 35, 36, and 45. McDond
Sep 14, 2019, 7:53 am - Lottery News

CT Lottery workers 'getting the job done' despite agency upheavalNews Story
Editorial by Rob Raczka and Mark Negralle As state employees and union stewards at the beleaguered Connecticut Lottery Corporation, we will be the first to tell you it's extraordinarily difficult to work in an environment described by our colleagues in an internal survey as fear-based, toxic and North Korea-like. It angers us that controversy and scandal have tainted our agency and generated a seemingly endless stream of news stories exposing the questionable practices of some senior mana
Sep 1, 2019, 12:38 pm - Lottery News

Longtime Mass Lottery employee fired for allegedly cashing unsold winning scratch ticketsNews Story
A longtime sales supervisor for the Massachusetts State Lottery was fired Tuesday after he was seen cashing winning instant tickets, a state official said, sparking fear that the lottery's supposedly strict security protocols may have been violated. David Cannistraro, a $100,000-a-year employee who had worked for the lottery since 2002, was first placed on paid administrative leave in June after another lottery employee saw him cashing tickets at a store on Cape Cod, said Chandra Allard, chie
Aug 23, 2019, 9:26 am - Lottery News