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Iowa Lottery approves self-ban for playersNews Story
The Iowa Lottery Board voted Tuesday to allow lottery players to self-ban themselves from winning game prizes in order to stem problem gambling.After pondering the self-ban move for a few months, and following announcement of record Iowa Lottery sales of $210 million last year, the board felt the time was right for a self-ban, Iowa Lottery CEO Ed Stanek said. We want to maximize our proceeds for the state with everyone playing in moderation, Stanek said. We don't want our success to be at the
Dec 7, 2005, 6:57 am - Lottery News

26-year-old Iowan wins $853,000 lottery prizeNews Story
Alicia Rhomberg, a youth services worker from Hiawatha, Iowa, claimed a second-tier prize of $853,000 Thursday from Wednesday night's Powerball jackpot drawing.Rhomberg, 26, who purchased her ticket at a Cedar Rapids convenience store, matched the first five numbers in the drawing, but missed the Powerball. She won a $200,000 prize, and claimed an additional $653,000 under a Match 5 bonus, Iowa Lottery officials said.Rhomberg, who is married and has a child, said she won't quit her job and pla
Oct 20, 2005, 9:41 pm - Lottery News

Man wins citizenship, lottery in same dayNews Story
Moses Bittok became a U.S. citizen and a millionaire last week, all in one day.Bittok, 40, a native of Kenya, came to the United States in 1989. He became a citizen Friday morning during a naturalization ceremony in Des Moines.That night, he discovered he had won a $1.89 million jackpot in the multistate Hot Lotto game. I guess only in America, Bittok joked earlier this week at the Iowa Lottery headquarters. He was accompanied by his wife, Leonida, and their 4-year-old daughter, Mindy.Bittok ha
Sep 29, 2005, 6:25 am - Lottery News

Iowa Lottery employees return to work day after fireNews Story
Employees at the Iowa Lottery headquarters in Des Moines were able to return to their building Wednesday after an electrical fire the day before forced an evacuation.Repair crews were able to restore electrical service to the building Wednesday, and workers were on site to clean up fire damage, said spokeswoman Mary Neubauer.No one was injured in the fire, which was contained to the lottery s basement. Officials said the fire was caused by electrical equipment, and employees had reported hearing
Aug 25, 2005, 2:51 pm - Lottery News

Explosion, fire, shut down Iowa Lottery HeadquartersNews Story
An explosion and smoky fire Tuesday has forced the evacuation of the Iowa Lottery Headquarters building in Des Moines.Lottery spokesperson Mary Neubauer was in the building at the time. She said they were working this morning when all of the electricity went out. At that time, people working in the basement heard some load pops and saw some sparks flying from the electrical equipment. We're just thankful that no-one was hurt, Neubauer said.Neubauer said they won't get the office running again
Aug 23, 2005, 7:21 pm - Lottery News

Powerball sales skid hurts lottery profitsNews Story
Major changes in the game in August should lure players who want bigger jackpots.Powerball players got lucky during the past 12 months, winning lots of smaller multistate jackpots but dampening overall enthusiasm by reducing the number of huge payoffs in the $200 million to $300 million range. The players are just beating the game, Iowa Lottery President Edward Stanek said Monday. We had 11 Powerball jackpot winners the year before, and we have had more than a 50 percent increase for the fisca
Jul 26, 2005, 6:42 pm - Lottery News

Powerball lottery creator patents new gamesNews Story
The co-creator of the Powerball lottery game has patented an international jackpot game and a new lotto game that could some day be played in the United States.Edward Stanek is president of the Iowa Lottery and one of two men who came up with the Powerball game, which is now played in 27 states.The Powerball game has generated about $17 billion in sales for lotteries nationwide over the past 14 years, but Edward Stanek has never cashed a dime in royalty checks.Stanek chuckles when anybody asks h
Jul 6, 2005, 7:36 am - Lottery News

Lottery numbers company ordered to refund customersNews Story
A Buffalo, New York, company that claims to sell booklets of winning lottery numbers must make full refunds to any Iowa consumer who requests a refund, and the company has been permanently prohibited from selling any goods or services in Iowa.Multi-Plays of America, Inc., makes phone pitches that they are producing winning numbers in different lotteries across the country every month. According to a telephone script, Multi-Plays tells consumers, We cycle in our scientific formula, and that
Jun 20, 2005, 4:39 pm - Lottery News

Iowa Lottery introduces electronic instant game cardNews Story
The world's first electronic version of a lottery instant-scratch game begins statewide sales this week in Iowa.The Iowa Lottery is the first to bring the new product, known as the electronic game card, to market. The first game card is Quarter Play, which aptly describes it - with 80 plays on a card sold for $20, each play costs 25 cents. The game cards are being distributed for sale to lottery retailers beginning today.Each electronic game card, about the size of a driver's license, is batte
May 17, 2005, 12:04 pm - Lottery News

Iowa Lottery Unveils Chocolate-Scented TicketsNews Story
Iowa's lottery customers may get a chocolate craving when they buy their tickets next week.The Iowa Lottery will begin selling chocolate-scented Sweet Rewards instant scratch-off cards Monday.The Sweet Rewards tickets are $1 scratch-off game cards with a Valentine's Day theme, according to the agency's news release. Winnings range from $1 to $200.When a player scratches off the game card, a chocolate smell is emitted, the news release said. The tickets may be good enough to eat, but remember t
Jan 21, 2005, 5:06 pm - Lottery News