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GET OUT THE VIOLIN: Florida woman grieving about $5 million lottery winNews Story
Four Central Florida people joined the ranks of the nouveau riche this week when each cashed a winning lottery ticket, including two who became overnight millionaires. But the biggest winner in the group, an Orlando nursing assistant who claimed a $5 million Mega Millions prize in Tallahassee, confided that she felt poorer spiritually. I'm a Christian. I don't gamble, said Fay Blake, 62. Spiritually, it bothers me. The Florida Lottery paid Blake $3,750,000 her winnings minus taxes and
Jan 16, 2015, 11:51 am - Lottery News

Florida Lottery winner outed as sexual predatorNews Story
At the Florida Lottery headquarters, Timothy Poole, 43, posed for a photo with an oversized check after claiming his $3 million Scratch-Off prize. But when the image hit the Internet, others recognized the 450-pound man as a registered sexual predator. In 2001, The Orange County Sheriff's Office arrested Poole on charges of sexual battery on a 9-year-old boy, records show. Before that, he was arrested in 1991 for stealing almost $20,000 in food stamps from Safeco Inc. of Ocala, where he worke
Dec 10, 2014, 5:24 pm - Lottery News

Unclaimed $12 million Florida Lottery ticket to expire Dec. 25News Story
You might want to check your junk drawer and anywhere else you might put a lottery ticket: a $12 million Florida Lottery ticket remains unclaimed. The Florida Lottery say the winning Quick Pick ticket is set to expire at midnight on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014. The winning numbers are 12, 16, 23, 33, 46, and 50. The ticket was purchased at a 7-Eleven store at 4741 Northwest 79th Ave. in Miami and was for the June 28 drawing. If you have the winning ticket, the jackpot must be claimed at
Dec 1, 2014, 8:23 am - Lottery News

Alabama woman claims biggest Florida Lotto jackpot of the yearNews Story
By Todd Northrop A woman from Alabama was the holder of a winning lottery ticket from last week's $48 million jackpot drawing of the Florida Lotto game. Carolyn Bell, 64, of Montgomery, Alabama, claimed what turned out to be the largest Florida Lotto jackpot of 2014, opting to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $32,609,501.60. The numbers drawn for the November 19, 2014, Lotto drawing were 13, 16, 17, 26, 39, and 41, with Xtra number 3. Bell is a loyal Florida Lo
Nov 25, 2014, 9:36 am - Lottery News

New Florida Lottery game 'Lucky Money' replaces Mega Money in JulyNews Story
Florida's Mega Money lottery game is ending next month, but something luckier is coming in its place. The Florida Lottery announced Monday that it will launch a new terminal game, called Lucky Money, in July. The new game is said to be an enhanced version of the Mega Money game that is ending on Tuesday, July 1. Tickets for Lucky Money will go on sale Wednesday, July 2, with the first drawing on Friday, July 4, at 11:15 p.m. The Florida Lottery continuously evaluates our games and prod
Jun 24, 2014, 8:05 am - Lottery News

Audit: Florida lottery department keeps shaky recordsNews Story
The agency overseeing the Florida lottery doesn't exactly have the winning ticket when it comes to keeping track of its taxpayer-funded property. At least, that's the conclusion of a review conducted by the office of the state auditor general, David W. Martin. Auditors used the Florida Department of the Lottery's own records, and determined that as of July 31, 2013, millions of dollars in public property purchased and used by the department was poorly accounted for. As a result, officials
Jun 18, 2014, 5:06 pm - Lottery News

Florida lottery kicks off campaign to protect customers from dishonest clerksNews Story
Players reminded to sign tickets immediately The Florida Lottery has launched a new campaign after some store owners were claiming big prizes time and time again despite the small odds. The lottery has posted videos online and will soon display posters at retail locations urging players to sign their tickets. They hope this will help prevent store employees from stealing their winning tickets. When it comes to winning scratch-off lottery games, people who own or work at convenience s
Jun 18, 2014, 4:50 pm - Lottery News

11 more retailers suspended by Florida LotteryNews Story
Includes video report The Florida Lottery, suspecting fraud, has suspended sales at 11 more stores, bringing the total to 14 since a Palm Beach Post investigation revealed startling patterns of winners. Two of the stores were owned by winners profiled in The Post's investigation. Amit and Nita Thakker have owned or operated various stores in and around Gainesville for years. Since 2005, they've cashed in 226 big lottery prizes worth more than $560,000. Lottery officials seized equipm
May 17, 2014, 2:13 pm - Lottery News

2 charged with extorting cousin over stolen Florida Lottery ticketsNews Story
Ketan and Chirag Patel had big plans to cash in on Florida Lottery tickets but they weren't hoping for Lady Luck to work in their favor, deputies said. Both men were arrested Tuesday on extortion charges. After Ketan Patel found out that an employee at his wife's convenience store was responsible for stealing about $5,000 in lottery tickets, instead of reporting the man to authorities, Ketan Patel threatened to have the man and his sister deported if he didn't hand over nearly $250,000, de
May 15, 2014, 12:54 pm - Lottery News

Florida couple, nearly penniless, claim half of $414M lottery jackpotNews Story
She had less than $5 cash with her when she filed for bankruptcy two years ago, but Tuesday, a Merritt Island, Florida, woman held a giant novelty check for more than $200 million in lottery winnings. Federal court documents show Robyn Ann Collier's personal property on April 30, 2012 included $4.73 cash on hand. In February this year, her boyfriend was laid off from his job at a boat-building company, according to their attorney, David Presnick. But in March, Collier bought a Mega Million
May 1, 2014, 9:05 pm - Lottery News