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Illinois Lottery has problem paying online winnersNews Story
Includes video report It's the worst case scenario for any avid lottery player you play and win, then have to fight for your money. One of Jack Kielczynski's retirement pastimes is playing the Illinois Lottery: Pick 3 game online. And he's been doing fairly well the last month. As his winnings added up, the retired police officer decided to cash in on about $1,600, which dated back to April 16th. The winnings were supposed to be transferred directly into his checking account. However, a
May 2, 2017, 9:02 am - Lottery News

Taxpayers pay millions in bonuses to outgoing lottery firm's staffNews Story
Illinois taxpayers have funded about $2 million in retention bonuses for employees of a private firm managing the lottery despite the firm performing so poorly Illinois is working to replace it. A Tribune investigation has found the state approved paying bonuses as part of a complicated deal it struck in 2015 with the firm, Northstar Lottery Group. Northstar agreed to end its 10-year deal early if the state met a host of conditions, including paying Northstar disentanglement fees, which inclu
Mar 29, 2017, 9:21 am - Lottery News

Illinois Lottery private manager still on job after firingNews Story
Finding a new lottery manager proves tricky for state government When Illinois lawmakers voted in 2009 to hire a private company to run the state's $2 billion-a-year lottery, they had high hopes of making more money that could be funneled into education and construction projects. Then the company missed sales goals, and two governors tried to fire Northstar Lottery Group. But Northstar remains on the job more than two years later, and the firm is now able to collect millions of dollars mor
Mar 28, 2017, 4:21 pm - Lottery News

Illinois Lottery's private manager faces 2nd lawsuit alleging fraudNews Story
A second lawsuit has been filed accusing the Illinois Lottery's private manager of defrauding players after an investigation found the lottery did not award many of the biggest prizes in its largest instant ticket games. The lawsuit was filed last week in Cook County Circuit Court by two people who describe themselves as longtime scratch-off players, and like the first one filed last month in downstate St. Clair County it seeks class-action status to cover all players who bought tickets for t
Mar 25, 2017, 3:34 pm - Lottery News

Lawsuit alleges Illinois lottery contractor cheated players, vendorsNews Story
A company hired to manage the Illinois Lottery cheated players and lottery vendors by misrepresenting the odds of winning scratch-off games, a class-action lawsuit in federal court alleges. The case, originally filed last month in St. Clair County Court, was removed last week to federal court in the Southern District of Illinois. The lead plaintiffs are Raqqa Inc., which operates Fairview Lounge, a bar, convenience mart and gas station at 10610 Lincoln Trail in Fairview Heights; and Michael C
Mar 13, 2017, 8:07 am - Lottery News

$11 million Illinois lottery winner had goosebumps head-to-toeNews Story
After nearly two weeks of mystery an Illinois man from Benton has been identified as the winner of the Feb. 13 Illinois Lottery drawing. Donald Wendell's $1 Quick Pick ticket matched all six drawn numbers, 2, 21, 33, 36, 37, and 41, earning him the full $11.25 million jackpot. I think I'm in shock, Wendell said as he handed in his ticket to the Illinois Lottery Prize Center in Fairview Heights. In a news release, Wendell said he would buy tickets once or twice a week and always joked w
Feb 26, 2017, 9:53 am - Lottery News

Lawsuit accuses Illinois Lottery manager of fraud in instant gamesNews Story
Three lottery players and a downstate bar have accused the Illinois Lottery's private manager of defrauding scratch-off players and retailers after an investigation found the lottery did not award many of the biggest prizes in its biggest instant games. In a lawsuit filed Monday in St. Clair County, the plaintiffs cited a December article in the Tribune that examined the lottery's practices in the years after the state handed over its management to a private firm, Northstar Lottery Group.
Feb 8, 2017, 9:43 am - Lottery News

Man arrested in lottery winner kidnappingNews Story
A Peoria man accused of kidnapping two men from Normal, Illinois, including one who died of a head injury suffered during the incident, demanded the victim's family pay a ransom from lottery winnings, Normal police said Friday. Danny Smith Jr. 28, is charged with kidnapping Maunds Bryant, 41, and his stepfather from their home in the 100 block of West Raab Road on Dec. 22. Smith remains in the Peoria County jail in lieu of $300,000 bond. Additional charges are under review by both Peoria a
Dec 30, 2016, 6:48 pm - Lottery News

Chicago mayor toyed with idea of city-only lotteryNews Story
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has toyed with the concept of establishing a city lottery to help ease the city's financial woes and, while the idea has not progressed, it could get backing from at least one key Democrat in Springfield. That's one of the better nuggets buried in the trove of private emails that Emanuel was forced to release just before Christmas under pressure from a Better Government Association lawsuit. The May 5, 2015, email came from former Illinois Lottery Director Michael
Dec 28, 2016, 11:49 am - Lottery News

Illinois lawmakers call for investigation into lotteryNews Story
State lawmakers from both political parties are calling for an investigation of how the Illinois Lottery managed scratch-off games in response to a report showing the lottery didn't award many of the biggest prizes in the biggest games. I just don't think we should promise people things we don't deliver, said state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie. And if we say we have a game that's going to pay X and it doesn't pay X, then we've lied to the people who bought the tickets. Lang was joined by stat
Dec 13, 2016, 8:24 am - Lottery News