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Florida Lottery to update branding, Web siteNews Story
The Florida Lottery is not aging gracefully. Voters enthusiastically approved state-run gambling 25 years ago, but the Lottery is struggling to keep up with today's demands. Sales are lagging. Its approach to online media is sluggish. And other forms of gambling, such as Indian-run casinos and Internet cafes, are luring customers away from lucky numbers and scratch-offs. State officials are well aware of the shortcomings. Gov. Rick Scott's choice to lead the agency is a branding expe
Aug 1, 2011, 6:56 am - Lottery News

Lotteries hit record profits last yearNews Story
Lottery sales are strong, but there are points of weakness By Todd Northrop Government-sponsored lotteries are continuing their broad expansion as income-producing entities, as many lotteries reported record profits in the last fiscal year. Reports of record profits from the lotteries come despite continuing high unemployment and an economy that has been flat or downward-trending for the past two years. Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich says he believes the lottery does well in a bad econo
Jul 25, 2011, 1:19 pm - Lottery News

Powerball lottery jackpot increased to $171 millionNews Story
By Todd Northrop The multi-state Powerball lottery drawing happened last night without any jackpot winners, causing the new jackpot for Saturday's drawing to grow to an estimated $171 million, with a cash option of $88.7 million. Wednesday night was the 9th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner. Even though there were no jackpot winners, 6 lucky tickets matched the first five numbers for a $200,000 second-place prize: 1 from Florida, 1 from Idaho, 1 from Nebraska, 1 from Washingt
May 26, 2011, 7:11 am - Lottery News

$151 Million: Lottery riches up for grabs in Mega Millions gameNews Story
By Todd Northrop The jackpot for Friday night's multi-state Mega Millions lottery draw now stands at $151 million, the largest since January 4th, when a $380 million mega-jackpot was split by two winning tickets from Idaho and Washington. The lump-sum cash payout of Friday's jackpot is $94.3 Million, if the winner decides to take the whole thing at once. The lottery drawing, set for 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, will be the 11th since the last time a ticket was sold that matched all s
Mar 9, 2011, 10:47 am - Lottery News

Powerball lottery jackpot increased to $184 millionNews Story
Biggest Powerball jackpot in 8 months By Todd Northrop The multi-state Powerball lottery drawing happened last night once again without any jackpot winners, causing the new jackpot for Saturday's drawing to grow to an estimated $184 million, with a cash option of $90.1 million. Wednesday night was the 9th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner. Even though there were no jackpot winners, 12 lucky tickets matched the first five numbers for a $200,000 second-place prize: 1 from Ar
Feb 24, 2011, 6:09 pm - Lottery News

$190M Idaho lottery winner sorts out her new lifeNews Story
Holly Lahti burst into the spotlight a week ago in a feel-good story about a single mother who won a $190 million Mega Millions jackpot. Then came the mugshot: a thin young woman with disheveled brown hair, sporting a black eye and cuts and bruises on her face and neck. It turned out she was separated from a man who court records indicated had abused her, and now has a possible claim to some of the money through a quirk in Idaho law. Lahti, 29, went underground with her two daughters immed
Jan 22, 2011, 11:31 am - Lottery News

Idaho woman claims 2nd half of $380M Mega Millions jackpotNews Story
Includes video report A 29-year-old mother of two and former bank worker from northern Idaho has claimed the remaining half of a $380 million Mega Millions jackpot, lottery officials and others said Wednesday. Holly Lahti, of the small town of Rathdrum, will split the second-largest lottery jackpot in history with Jim and Carolyn McCullar of Ephrata, Wash. The McCullars appeared at a news conference last Thursday to announce they'd won half the jackpot, or $190 million. Lahti wasn't
Jan 12, 2011, 11:33 pm - Lottery News

With more money, more problems? Managing a windfallNews Story
A chance to split a $380 million jackpot. Where's the problem in that? Sure the money will change the lives of the Mega Millions lottery winners, but it's imperative that they have a sound financial plan. Failure to map out a strategy for their winnings could lead to misery. A retired man in Washington, Jim McCullar, claimed his prize on Thursday, while the Idaho ticket holder has yet to surface. The delay in coming forward after Tuesday's drawing means the winners are likely following
Jan 10, 2011, 11:43 am - Lottery News

Mega Millions lottery winner recounts epic winNews Story
Includes video report No, Carolyn, it's not a heart attack. It's a fortune. The man who bought one of two winning tickets in the $380 million Mega Millions lottery frightened his wife when he woke her Tuesday night to share the life-changing news. I was pale, shaking. She thought I was having a heart attack, retiree Jim McCullar recalled. When his wife, Carolyn, asked if he was OK, he replied: I'm perfect. On Thursday, the couple and their adult children stepped forward to publi
Jan 6, 2011, 7:42 pm - Lottery News

Mega Millions Wash. lottery winner to be revealedNews Story
Idaho winner still a mystery One of the two winners of the $380 million Mega Millions jackpot will come forward today. The unidentified Washington state lottery winner bought the ticket at a Safeway store in the small town of Ephrata. The same player also bought another ticket that won $150. Scott Kinney, Washington state Lottery spokesman, said the winner hand-picked the magic numbers at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The numbers drawn in the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history were: 4, 8,
Jan 6, 2011, 9:02 am - Lottery News