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Man who won millions from lottery during divorce case must shareNews Story
A suburban Detroit man who was in the middle of a divorce when he won more than $30 million must share the lottery windfall with his ex-wife. The Michigan appeals court says a marriage isn't over until it's over. It means Mary Beth Zelasko can keep $15 million awarded by an arbitrator, although she and Rich Zelasko had been separated for two years when he bought the Mega Millions ticket in 2013. Their divorce wasn't final until 2018. In a court filing, an attorney for Rich Zelasko said, Ri
Jun 20, 2019, 7:14 am - Lottery News

Judge bars woman's ex-girlfriend from claiming big-win NC lottery ticket as her ownNews Story
A judge has barred the ex-girlfriend of a Charlotte area woman from cashing in on the woman's big lottery ticket win. Jasmine Watkins said in a lawsuit that she won $25,000 a year for life with a Lucky for Life ticket she bought in May. But on the day she intended to collect her winnings at the NC Education Lottery office in Raleigh, her ex-girlfriend drove without her and with the winning ticket and claimed she won the prize, the lawsuit said. On Thursday, Judge Karen Eady-Williams issued
Jun 14, 2019, 7:29 am - Lottery News

New Hampshire wins Wire Act lawsuitNews Story
Federal judge to DOJ: Wire Act only applies to sports betting New Hampshire has won its lawsuit against the US Department of Justice clarifying the scope of a 1961 federal gambling law. In a 60-page ruling issued Monday, US District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro rejected a 2018 opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel which expanded the Wire Act to broadly cover interstate online gambling. The previous interpretation from 2011 applies narrowly to sports betting. The judge handed the DOJ a
Jun 5, 2019, 6:39 pm - Lottery News

Massachusetts man pleads guilty in lottery tax fraud schemeNews Story
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in a scheme to buy millions of dollars' worth of winning Massachusetts State Lottery tickets at a discount to help the ticket holders avoid taxes, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Clarance Jones, 80, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was arrested last fall and charged with tax fraud and filing false tax returns. Law enforcement authorities alleged he used a 10-percenting ploy to become the nation's top lottery winner. Under th
May 22, 2019, 6:25 pm - Lottery News

Florida Lottery winner of $1M among suspects rounded up in major drug bustNews Story
Just days before Mother's Day in 2018, a pregnant woman in Volusia County went to Tallahassee to smile for the Florida Lottery cameras. That woman, Karlee Harbst, had won $1 million in the $5,000,000 Gold Rush Doubler game. She was on what gamblers call a roll she had won $100 in the same scratch-off game just a week before. The wins capped a troubled past for the Florida woman who had already racked up a number of drug possession arrests, petit theft, contempt of court and driving with
May 20, 2019, 10:54 am - Lottery News

Lottery winner can seek bigger prize at trial, judge rulesNews Story
Lucky Larry may have a shot to win millions more this time from a jury. A judge has ordered a trial in a lawsuit filed by Iowa lottery winner Larry Dawson, who contends a $9 million jackpot that he won in 2011 should have been nearly three times as big. Dawson filed his lawsuit in 2016 after an investigation revealed that lottery contractor Eddie Tipton rigged the previous $16.5 million jackpot, bought the winning ticket himself and unsuccessfully worked with associates to claim it. Da
May 17, 2019, 12:01 pm - Lottery News

Country House declared Kentucky Derby winner after Maximum Security disqualifiedNews Story
First winner disqualified in 145-year history of Derby Maximum Security led all the way in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, only to become the first winner disqualified for interference in the race's 145-year history. After a long wait, 65-1 shot Country House was declared the winner. The announcement seemed to come from the heavens, and then all hell broke loose. Hold all tickets. Country House was declared the winner of Saturday's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs after the second
May 5, 2019, 8:34 am - Lottery News

Lottery-scamming brothers avoid asset seizures by transferring property to their motherNews Story
By Jason Clayworth Two brothers who were behind the largest lottery scam in U.S. history and owe more than $2.3 million in unpaid restitution and court fees recently transferred several properties they owned to their mother. The transfers from Eddie and Tommy Tipton have raised further questions about why four states Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin and Colorado have yet to seize their properties. It has been about two years since the brothers admitted their role in a scam that hijacked lott
Apr 29, 2019, 9:50 pm - Lottery News

Thinking of going off the grid after winning the lottery? Not so fastNews Story
Everyone dreams of it: having a small piece of paper with the right numbers printed on it and winning the life-changing $200 million, $700 million or $1 billion jackpot. But what happens after you win? Many winners decide to remain anonymous or at least try to but that can be difficult when many states demand that the winners of large jackpots show their faces at news conferences. At his own news conference in Madison, Wis., Manuel Franco, 24, who in a Powerball drawing last month won $768
Apr 25, 2019, 3:29 pm - Lottery News

GOP bill would keep Wisconsin lottery winners secretNews Story
Two Republican lawmakers are introducing a bill that would allow lottery winners in Wisconsin to remain anonymous. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Rep. Gary Tauchen announced the bill Tuesday, about 40 minutes after Manuel Franco of West Allis appeared a Madison news conference to reveal he had won a $768 million Powerball jackpot, the third largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. Current state law doesn't allow lottery winners to remain anonymous. Tauchen said in a news release announcing
Apr 24, 2019, 2:28 pm - Lottery News