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Georgia Lottery cracks down on 'shadow winners'News Story
The Georgia Lottery is launching a full-scale effort to crack down on so-called shadow winners people who take a percentage of the prize to stand in for the real winner. Anyone with a winning ticket over $600 must show the Georgia Lottery proof of ID to collect their money. Before that cash is handed out, though, the Georgia Lottery checks to see whether the winner owes any back taxes or court-ordered judgments such as child support or educational loans. If that's you, a shadow winner can
Sep 12, 2014, 9:30 pm - Lottery News

Cottage industry helps lottery winners dodge taxesNews Story
With few rules or law enforcement to stop it, a cottage industry has popped up to help lottery winners avoid taxes, child support, and other debts, potentially costing the state and federal governments millions in lost revenue. Enterprising merchants risking charges of aiding tax evasion are openly hawking losing lottery tickets on Craigslist and eBay to help winners offset the profits with phony gambling losses. If you need the losers to write off for taxes, read one ad, since removed, f
Aug 7, 2014, 11:33 am - Lottery News

Some lottery winning streaks have defied beliefNews Story
The Brudnicks may be one of the luckiest families in Massachusetts. In just the last couple of years, Chelsea insurance agent Robert Brudnick has cashed in 140 winning Massachusetts lottery tickets worth at least $1,000 each. His 25-year-old daughter Ashley has racked up another 100 wins. And his 23-year-old son Nathan, has turned in 99 more. The total take: More than $440,000, mostly from scratch tickets. But state lottery officials and statisticians say they doubt any family could be tha
Jul 20, 2014, 3:02 pm - Lottery News

N.C. school construction lottery money doesn't really build schoolsNews Story
Includes video report Where does the North Carolina Education Lottery money go? You know, you buy a ticket, you put money into the education lottery, and you think all that money goes to North Carolina schools. But that is not quite how it works. Of every dollar, 61% goes back into the lottery for prizes, 28% goes to education, and 11% go back to retailers and the lottery for administration. Of that 28 percent for schools, the Education Lottery website says 45.8% goes to teacher pay, 20
Jul 10, 2014, 8:50 am - 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

Undercover officers catch store clerks keeping winning lottery ticketsNews Story
Includes video report A man walks into a convenience store and asks the clerk to check his lottery tickets. Can you scan these and see if there are any winners? he asks. The clerk scans the first ticket and freezes, staring at the screen that shows it's a $1,000 winner. The clerk shakes his head, puts the ticket to the side and tells the customer, There's nothing on them. What the clerk doesn't know is that the customer is an undercover officer wearing a hidden camera, which captures the
Apr 27, 2014, 12:08 pm - Lottery News

Florida Lottery terminates contracts of three retailersNews Story
Each retailer violated Florida law, banned from ever selling lottery again Three Pompano Beach, Florida, stores that sold lottery tickets violated state law and won't ever be allowed to sell tickets again, Florida Lottery officials announced Monday. Officials said in a news release that the three stores, which were raided this month, also broke lottery rules and the terms of their contract. The news release did not specify which laws were broken or whether any legal action would be take
Apr 22, 2014, 8:43 pm - Lottery News

Florida Lottery announces changes in response to reports of repeat winnersNews Story
The Florida Lottery on Tuesday announced that it would adopt several safeguards to prevent fraud and protect players. The announcement follows a Palm Beach Post investigation published Sunday that revealed that many players may be winning big prizes too often. It also comes as legislators consider taking more control of the lottery by placing it under a gambling commission. The lottery will adopt software to track frequent winners in real time, roll out more self-checking terminals at its
Apr 3, 2014, 9:10 am - Lottery News

Legislator demands greater scrutiny of Florida LotteryNews Story
The vice chairwoman of the Florida Senate Gaming Committee, Sen. Maria Sachs, called for greater scrutiny of the Florida Lottery after a Palm Beach Post investigation revealed some people are winning big prizes against enormous odds. Sachs, D-Delray Beach, has been an advocate of folding the lottery into a state gaming commission, which would be overseen by legislators and include all forms of gambling in the state. She said The Post's investigation further emphasized that need. What your
Apr 2, 2014, 9:00 am - Lottery News